IIPP: Old Fashioned or State of the Art?
What is an Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)?
An Injury & Illness Prevention Program is a mandated Safety program that requires all companies with employees to have and use an IIPP. In 1991 California mandated these programs and the data shows that five years after this requirement became law, California had a net decrease in injuries and illnesses of 19 percent.
According to a recent OSHA White Paper, “Injury & Illness Prevention Programs” published in January 2012, “an injury & illness prevention program is a proactive process to help employers find and fix workplace hazards before workers are hurt. In fact, not only do these programs work to reduce workplace injuries, if they are created and maintained properly, they can “transform[sic] workplace culture that can lead to higher productivity and quality, reduced turnover, reduced costs, and greater employee satisfaction.”
There are really four basic elements to a successful IIPP.
- Finding the hazards that can cause injury or illness
- Creating a plan for reducing or eliminating the risk/hazard
- Engaging and Training management and the workforce
- Continuing evaluation of the program and correction where needed
Do We Need One?
Definitely. It is the law and you can be fined if you don’t have one.
Does it Work?
One study done by Stanford University several years ago found that for every $1 of direct costs from injuries or illness the indirect costs can range from $1.1 for severe injuries to $4.5 for the least severe injuries. According to OSHA, the introduction of the IIPP throughout the country has made the working conditions in the U.S. much safer and can lead to significant improvement in the health and safety of the individual company’s workforce as well as a reduction in workers comp claims. When deployed properly and refined regularly, your plan will reduce both direct and indirect costs from injuries or illness in the workplace.
Is It Expensive to Create One?
No. There are vendors who will create an IIPP for you or you can call CalOSHA and they will give you the template or go online at www.esafetymanual.com. In addition to the Template you will find a number of safety manuals that are industry specific.
Results of an IIPP?
Results vary based on implementation and usage. Most small businesses create the plan, because they have to, and then put it on a shelf. That really is a shame. An IIPP can be the road map to creating a safety culture and awareness that improves productivity, morale, certainty around claims handling and bringing injured workers back effectively.
This is a program that every business, whether small or large, can benefit from. It takes a little time and commitment, but well worth the savings in hard dollars as well as the indirect costs.