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Employees set record low for days lost due to injury


It was a very good year. “An excellent year,” said Occupational Safety and Health Programs director Joe Avant.

MUSC employees set a record low in 1999 for days lost due to work-related illness and injury, and Avant has the awards to show for it. First there’s the Commendation of Excellence from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, awarded to recognize MUSC’s 1999 safety program. It was handed to Avant March 30. 

And then there’s the South Carolina Occupational Safety Council’s Safety Award to be presented April 25.

“We had a lost day and injury rate lower than 1.0, which qualified us for the Commendation of Excellence Award,” Avant said. “We were the only institution in the health care industry to receive the award.” Avant said the MUSC incident rate for work days lost because of illness or injury was .79. Compare that to a national industry average of 3.1.

“We take workplace safety seriously,” Avant said, adding that upper management always supports measures to keep employees safe on the job.

He sited reorganization several years ago that created a new Division of Finance and Administration called University Risk Management headed by Wayne Brannan as a significant reason for reduction in injuries and illnesses. Our new division includes Workers’ Compensation, Radiation Safety, insurance programs, Occupational Safety and Health programs and administration of MUSC’s Employee Health Services contract. 

“Our close working relationship with Employee Health Services contract administrator, Nancy Sifford, has allowed for closer evaluation of injured employees for light or restricted duty employment instead of sending the employee home,” Avant said.

Also contributing to the success are new committees that track injuries and illnesses to see how they can be prevented and to anticipate dangerous situations before they occur, Avant said. Among them: the Injury Task Force Committee; the Blood Borne Pathogen Committee; and the Worksite Evaluation Program, which concerns itself with ergonomics or the physical aspects of work processes.

Avant’s group also held its first annual safety fair in 1999.
 “I believe that when we show our commitment to our employees’ safety and health, we contribute to MUSC’s overall employee morale as well,” Avant said. “Also, people expect that when they send a loved one off to work they will come home as healthy. 

“Excuse the pun, but safety is no accident,” he said.