When applicants come in to interview for a position with your company, you probably ask the typical questions about their experience and qualifications. But before you offer them the job, don't forget to explore their knowledge of safety precautions and any predispositions to certain job-related injuries. Making sure you are hiring safety-conscious employees is a beginning step toward controlling your workers compensation costs.

Of course, cutting workers comp costs goes well beyond employee screening, but the hiring process is where workplace safety starts. In general, safe workplaces are rewarded with lower workers compensation costs than their more accident-prone counterparts. With the proper loss control program, you can help keep the number of claims you file--and your workers compensation premiums--to a minimum.

What is a loss control program?

A good loss control program should not only help to prevent costly accidents, but also promote a high business morale. Research has shown that happy employees may be the greatest factor in accident prevention. Following is a list of some things that can help you create a safe and rewarding environment for your employees:

Company-wide involvement - To achieve results, everyone from top management, to the most recent hire, needs to be committed to workplace safety. If possible, allow your employees to contribute ideas for improving safety. They'll be much more committed to guidelines if they had a say in making them.

Communication - Make sure your employees understand workers compensation benefits and procedures. Otherwise, they may be frightened after an accident and delay filing a report, which can negatively affect your workers comp costs.

Incentive programs - Many businesses have reduced on-the-job accidents by rewarding their employees for safe work behavior, such as wearing protective gear or working accident-free for a certain time period.

Observation - Conduct regular research to see if the majority of your claims are originating in a certain department, and evaluate which types of injuries result in the most claims. Once you know this information, you can address problem areas more efficiently.

Despite your best efforts, accidents do happen. If an injury does occur, seek immediate medical attention. The faster you attend to the problem, the faster your injured employee will recover and return to work by finding a modified job for the employee until he or she can resume normal duties.

It's true that there are some contributors to your workers compensation costs that are beyond your control, such as rising medical costs, an aging workforce, and an increase in litigation by injured workers. However, don’t let this discourage you. Everything you can do to make your workplace safer will help you control your workers comp costs in the long run.