| The cost of a lost time accident varies from country | | | | replace them? |
| to country and from state to state. Even so, there | | | | - Was there any down time as a result of the |
| are common areas of loss. Some of them are visible | | | | damage? What did this cost? |
| and easy to measure, on the other hand some of | | | | - Were any products damaged or spoiled as a result |
| them are invisible and can only be estimated. There is | | | | of the accident? What was the cost of rejecting or |
| one constant that cannot be ignored. It is almost | | | | re-working them? |
| impossible to measure but represents what is the | | | | Invisible losses created by a lost time accident |
| greatest loss of all. It is the loss to the victim of the | | | | - Possible deterioration of industrial relations |
| accident. They tend to suffer the biggest loss and | | | | particularly if the union had recognized the potential |
| are probably the people who can least afford it, | | | | for the accident previously. |
| financially or emotionally. It makes good business | | | | - Low public perception negating promotional and |
| sense to prevent accident in the work place. | | | | advertising dollars. Often, bad publicity surrounds an |
| Immediate visible losses created by workplace | | | | industrial accident and implicitly the business seems to |
| accidents | | | | get the blame. |
| - When a business repeatedly claims insurance costs | | | | - This accident may create resentment among the |
| for accidents, their premium will inevitably rise adding | | | | staff because they believe the organization does not |
| to the overheads of the business. | | | | care about their health or welfare. |
| - When the accident occurred, it is likely that other | | | | - In turn this will lead to poor morale in the workplace |
| employees stopped work to look at or comfort him | | | | leading to low productivity and low quality. A |
| her, or just out of curiosity. For how long? What was | | | | withdrawal of all discretionary effort. |
| the cost? | | | | - Lack of loyalty by staff leading to higher staff |
| - Did someone take the victim for treatment? Who | | | | turnover. |
| did their job? | | | | - Loss of skill and experience contributing to failed |
| - What was the loss in dollar terms? | | | | production targets. |
| - If first aid was given, what was the cost of the | | | | - Poor internal customer service leading to a |
| dressings etc? | | | | breakdown in team work. |
| - When the person finally returned to work there | | | | - A reduction in external customer service leading to |
| was a time before he/she was able to produce as | | | | dissatisfied customers. |
| effectively as before. What is the cost of this? | | | | - After a serious injury, the equipment is normally |
| - You normally have to produce a report on the | | | | taken out of service until after the investigation. |
| accident. What time was involved and what did it | | | | - Cost of supervision or control measures to prevent |
| cost? | | | | recurrence. |
| - Other managers including the immediate supervisor | | | | - Loss of esteem from Government bodies. This can |
| were involved in the report. How much time did this | | | | create a situation where they withdraw any |
| cost? | | | | co-operation and make it very difficult to achieve |
| - The injured person's job would have to be fulfilled | | | | anything. |
| by someone. If this new person's job was not done | | | | - Long term reduction in victim's productivity during |
| what did this cost? | | | | months after return to work. |
| - If the new person's job was fulfilled by someone | | | | - Increased cost of expensive rehabilitation programs |
| else, who in turn did their job or did it not get done? | | | | The invisible costs can be hard to establish and |
| What was the cost? | | | | individually they might not seem to be a great deal, |
| - The replacements are unlikely to be as proficient in | | | | however, together they represent a substantial loss. |
| the jobs as the original people. What did this cost in | | | | It has been estimated that the minimum loss to a |
| training and familiarization before they were as | | | | business is a least two or three thousand dollars a |
| profitable as the original people? | | | | day profit for every day that the person is away |
| - Were any tools or equipment damaged in the | | | | from work. |
| accident? If so, how much did it cost to repair or | | | | |