Managing Workers’ Compensation Costs

To run a successful Antares vending business, you need to keep your workers’ compensation costs in line. Firstly keep in mind that your primary asset is your employees, and their safety should be your biggest concern. Their safety will benefit your productivity, as well as your operating expenses.

Managing workers’ comp costs begins with establishing and creating a safe work environment. All operations in your Antares business must be safe operating procedures. The company must have effective, formal incident reporting procedures. These procedures would require management to keep a record of incidents and the corrective actions taken.

Incentives should promote safety

Risk management should be part of the company’s operating procedures. You should have incentive programs in your Antares operation to encourage safe operations. Employees will be exposed to back, neck and shoulder injuries from lifting and moving heavy inventory or machinery. Workers’ comp claims can be avoided with proper precautions such as employee safety training programs.

The employees of your vending operation must be trained in proper lifting techniques. In addition to this they must be equipped with proper back braces. The use of dollies for transporting machines and supplies will cut down on accidents. Since this industry requires the employee to move and lift heavy loads, a pre-employment physical should be conducted.

Locations of machines matters

The location and positioning of machines is critical since service and repair work is sometimes conducted in locations where there is high pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Some locations make it impossible for servicers to maneuver equipment and service machines. Servicers and repairers should be provided with protective gear, such as goggles, gloves and back braces. This is to avoid electric shocks, burns and cuts. In addition machines should be bolted to the floor to protect the employee from machine tipping when they are being serviced.

There is not much that a vending operator can do about most of the factors contributing to the recent jump in workers’ compensation costs. An Antares operator can however limit his employees’ exposure to loss by implementing an effective risk management program.