Longshore Insider Podcast | Injury Analytics for Safety

In this episode of the Longshore Insider Podcast, AEU Loss Control Manager Bobby Anderson joins host Mike Jernigan to explain how injury analytics moves beyond basic incident reports to uncover trends, forecast risk, and target practical prevention steps that help keep workers safe.

Transcript

Announcer:

Welcome to the Longshore Insider Podcast from the American Equity Underwriters. At AEU, we are passionate about helping waterfront employers protect their workers and their businesses. Join us as we explore practical strategies for improving workplace safety, effective claims management, and much more, so let's dive in. Welcome to the Longshore Insider Podcast.

Mike Jernigan:

Hello, and thank you for listening to the AEU Longshore Insider Podcast. I'm your host, Mike Jernigan. In our latest series, I'm speaking with AEU's very own loss control managers to learn how they help organizations across the maritime industry develop, maintain, and improve safety cultures. I'm joined by Bobby Anderson, and today we're talking about how injury analytics can be used to help drive safety success. Bobby, it is great to have you with us.

Bobby Anderson:

Thank you.

Mike Jernigan:

So Bobby, let's just start with your background. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started in safety.

Bobby Anderson:

I started in this industry working at a shipyard right out of college, and I learned the shipyard maritime industry, and from there, it just evolved into the insurance industry. Ended up handling a region of the Great Lakes. Well, actually, the entire Great Lakes. And then from there, I came to American Equity Underwriters that was still a Cooper/T. Smith company as a claims account manager.

Mike Jernigan:

And currently you serve as a loss control manager. Can you tell me a little bit about what it is that you do on a daily basis?

Bobby Anderson:

I took one of the leading roles in the Advantage program, so my role is to handle loss control resources, services, and claim support for the Advantage members, which is kind of a small comp program. There's a premium threshold, and I work with those accounts.

Mike Jernigan:

The topic of our discussion today is incident analytics. Can you tell me what incident analytics is?

Bobby Anderson:

Incident analytics is gathering incident data, analyzing that data, and then interpreting that data to uncover trends. That way, you can forecast risk and you can initiate proactive safety measures accordingly, while incident reporting is basically documenting a single occurrence using a standardized form, and it's normally just done for compliance or insurance purposes without delving into a mechanism of injury or any type of a trend.

Mike Jernigan:

Right, so that would be what you would consider like traditional safety reporting, correct?

Bobby Anderson:

Correct.

Mike Jernigan:

Right. And so, incident analytics is different because what we're actually doing is we're documenting with specific purpose, right?

Bobby Anderson:

Absolutely. Yeah.

Mike Jernigan:

What does that look like? So, let's say that we're trying to collect this data. What type of data are we looking for?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, the top three is always, have been and always will be, strain injuries, slip, trip, and falls, and struck-bys, so those are your top three causes, and then we'll have other causes, and we're just capturing that information. As we said, an incident report is just documenting a single event. Well, these single events add up to a frequency, and they also add up to a severity. And with the incident, with the analytics, we're able to identify and benchmark those things.

Mike Jernigan:

So, it gives you a better look at really what's happening. Is that right?

Bobby Anderson:

Absolutely. It gives you a roadmap of what's going on. I mean, it gives you an area to focus training, inspections, et cetera.

Mike Jernigan:

Right. And so, an incident analytics program helps an organization really see what is happening on their yard. There's only so much you can see, right, like looking out the window or walking in the yard, and you've got these little buckets of information, but what it sounds like an analytics program does is provide you with a wealth of information so that you really have a good idea of what's happening and why it's happening, and how you might be able to fix it. Right?

Bobby Anderson:

Absolutely. I mean, it's so important to get out there in the yard and do an inspection and mitigate potential hazards, identify at-risk behavior, and resolve that accordingly. But the injury analytics may show something completely different that you're seeing in the yard. It may show strain injuries that can be mitigated through certain resources, weight limits, other things like that.

Mike Jernigan:

So tell me a little bit about how you would obtain this data. What does an organization need to do to collect the data?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, at AEU, we have a platform that does identify these, and we have a dashboard. And then from the dashboard, I'm able to create an Excel spreadsheet for my accounts and categorize the analytics accordingly, and then discuss them with them.

Mike Jernigan:

So, this could be just as simple as a spreadsheet that you have. I mean, but let's say someone who may not be as computer-literate out there, can they just write things down? I mean, how does it work? How detailed does it need to be?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, for the smaller accounts, they're not going to have that many claims, honestly. So yeah, I mean, it could be a notebook. It could be an Excel spreadsheet. There's different ways, but as long as you're identifying these trends, that's the most important thing, and then dealing with them accordingly.

Mike Jernigan:

So when you're looking for trends, you want to make sure that you are identifying the type of incidents accurately. Can you speak to how important it is to make certain that the information you are collecting is accurate and also intentional?

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. I mean, the analytics can be skewed, so that's where it's important to get as much detailed information as you can, the individual's age, the weather conditions, the day of the week, time of the day, the shift, if an individual is within safety protocol, because it may be a result of at-risk behavior, a shortcut, et cetera. So, the more information, the better.

Mike Jernigan:

And that's really the point, right? It's got to be precise for you to be able to actually use the information, and that's why it differs from what you would consider traditional safety reporting, correct?

Bobby Anderson:

Correct. Yes.

Mike Jernigan:

So, tell me this. You've been in the field for a long time and you walk these yards, and it's your job to identify things that don't quite look right, that may lead to negative outcomes, people getting hurt. Could you tell me, have you ever seen a successful analytics program in action? What does that look like?

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. For instance, there was a shipyard operation where unbeknownst to them, there was a high frequency of eye injuries. They were compliant with the PPE, so we looked closer at the application, exactly what they were doing, and the proper eyewear to use. Determined that they were not using the appropriate eyewear for what they were doing. They were doing grinding, and it was fine airborne particles that was affecting these guys, so we got them some indoor/outdoor sealed eyewear, and that resolved the issue, and they went almost a year without another eye injury.

Mike Jernigan:

How did those employees react to that eyewear, and getting that PPE?

Bobby Anderson:

Obviously, it's very, very important to get employee engagement and to get their feedback, and they acknowledged that the eyewear was effective. But the other item that we weren't aware was, they found them very attractive, so we didn't take that into aspect ... the cool aspect or how attractive the eyewear is, and now that makes a difference.

Mike Jernigan:

So you might not think that data and analytics is cool, but if you're doing it right, it might lead to a cool pair of sunglasses at the least, but at the most, you're keeping people going back to their families safely with their eyesight intact.

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah, you are. Right. Because as you know, frequency leads to severity, so that's the biggest concern when we see a frequency is, that big one's around the corner, so we better address it ASAP.

Mike Jernigan:

Sure. And so, we've got safety professionals who are on the yard, and they're walking around and they're observing and they're taking note of things and they're recording them, ideally, and they are trying to capture this information. But is it incumbent upon just the safety professionals on-site to report this data, or do all employees need to engage in this?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, again, employee engagement is so important. For instance, a stellar near miss program where the employees are reporting near miss events, and the near miss event was an occurrence that could have caused an injury, or could have caused property damage within the facility, but didn't. So, the factors surrounding that event need to be looked at and addressed. And so, these guys have to have the buy-in to report this stuff and feel comfortable doing so. And it just shows ownership in the safety program, and it shows them how important safety is. It's a top down ... safety's top-down management commitment down to the deck plate, and if everyone's involved, that's what you want, and that creates the safety culture that you want.

Mike Jernigan:

Right. And I think a lot of times, I certainly have friends who work in the industry, and I often have heard complaints about maybe people feeling as if they don't quite have this resource or that resource. But can you speak to how an effective incident analytics program can lead and help influence the training programs, the resources that a company provides? What are all the positive things that could come from developing and implementing an analytics program?

Bobby Anderson:

I mean, just your toolbox talks or your gangway meetings may become redundant, and they may be the same thing over and over, but if you're able to identify, and the workforce is able to identify, events that have occurred, and provide positive feedback on how to mitigate these things, the meeting is so much more meaningful. Because I mean, you're talking about a real event, and you're getting the engagement of how to resolve that issue.

Mike Jernigan:

You told me about an example where an analytics program led to improved PPE, that the employees not only helped keep them safe, but that they thought was cool glasses, right? But tell me about what happens if you've got an ineffective analytics program? What are some of the things that may cause an analytics program to fail?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, things are just getting swept under the rug. I mean, you're having these events. There's no type of examination of the mechanism of injury, or the subsequent trending that's occurring, and it's not being addressed. I mean, you should be able to focus on these things and mitigate these items, and everyone's safer as a result.

Mike Jernigan:

So, for companies out there who don't have an analytics program right now, and they're listening to this podcast and they're thinking, "You know what? I really do want to have a better handle on exactly what's happening in my yard or in my facility." What are some things that they can start doing to get that ball rolling?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, if they're an ALMA member, they can reach out to their loss control manager, and we certainly are happy to run their injury analytics, as well as meet with them and discuss them. We could do that virtually or in person. If they're not an ALMA member, I would encourage the operation to designate someone to document every incident. I mean, every time they have an incident reported, to document the mechanism of injury, time of the day, day of the week, shift, weather conditions, et cetera, and start gathering that information, so over time you'll start establishing your benchmarks.

Mike Jernigan:

And we can't overstate this, that accuracy is key, right?

Bobby Anderson:

Oh, absolutely. For instance, as we talked about, strain injuries, slip, trip, and falls, and struck-bys, I've seen where a motor vehicle accident was reported as a struck-by. A motor vehicle accident should be a separate occurrence. And for instance, in a marine cargo handling facility, you start looking at traffic patterns and the different machinery and all that, and so it should stay a motor vehicle accident. Or foreign matter in an eye, I've seen that as a struck-by, and I understand why. The foreign matter struck the eye, but that should be a separate category is eye injuries, because that's a very common occurrence, and like I said, so very preventable.

Mike Jernigan:

Because if you have incorrectly labeled information, then you're not really going to be able to tell what's happening.

Bobby Anderson:

Right. You got to have your categories, and we just talked about the top three, and then from there, categorize down.

Mike Jernigan:

Right. Because there can be, and you mentioned earlier, weather, that the time of the week can even make a ... what day of the week it might be, anything. There's so many different things that can have an impact. Maybe can you speak to something that's a unique trend that maybe something that you would say, "Huh, we wouldn't have thought about this before"?

Bobby Anderson:

Well, we've seen injuries occur on a specific day, and over the years I've learned to ask, "What day is payday?" So, if payday's on Wednesday and you have a high level of claims on Thursday, that might be your answer, so that's one that I've uncovered. And we've also talked about Saturdays. Saturdays, in many cases, there's a lack of supervision, and that may be an event. We had one company where a lot of Saturday events, incidents, and we found out there was a policy that if it was 50 employees or less that supervision wasn't required in the yard, so that was worth noting and discussing.

Mike Jernigan:

Sure. And maybe even, let's say you've got a fall from a ladder. Well, if it's raining outside and the rungs are wet and somebody slipped, that may be a unique experience, right? But if you find that over time, every time it rains that people are falling off the ladders, well, that might help you identify that you've got some sort of substance on the ground, or that they're just not doing the right things. Is that correct?

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. Ladders, I mean, you'll find people fall off ladders. My first question is, "Were they carrying anything?" And you'll find out they were carrying a bucket of tools up the ladder, so that's impossible to maintain a three-point contact. Or the ladder slipped off or slipped out. It wasn't tied off properly. Or they struggled getting off the ladder onto the landing platform, so it wasn't positioned appropriately with a four-to-one ratio and 36 inches above the landing platform. Or same-level falls. You see a frequency of same-level falls, then you immediately start looking at housekeeping or line management, so it gives you kind of a roadmap, a direction.

Mike Jernigan:

And really, if an organization wants to know, truly wants to know what's happening, then this really isn't an option. They need an analytics program, correct?

Bobby Anderson:

Oh, absolutely. We had a shipper operation where they were having a high frequency of strain injuries with their welders, and the safety director went back and looked, and the welding suitcases with the wire was 70 pounds. So, he went back to the manufacturer, and he now only buys 40 pounds, and they have a 50 pound lifting restriction. So I mean, yeah, again, it tells the tale and it helps you focus on an area so you can mitigate that.

Mike Jernigan:

So again, just to make sure everybody knows, accuracy is key. You've got to have not only management who supports this, but you've also got to have buy-in from your employees, because like you said earlier, you brought up those near misses. Well, you can only have so many near misses before something hits, and that's what we're ultimately trying to avoid is ... The whole point is to keep people safe. We've mentioned through the series all these different mechanisms and things that can be done to help mitigate injuries, but it's important to really understand that we're talking about processes, we're talking about analytics program, but we're truly trying to reach the people. We want to keep the people safe, and so we want to make sure that they go home to their families every single night unscathed, right?

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. I could tell you a story. The most impactful safety meeting I ever attended was a company, they had given their employees a SurveyMonkey and asked them a bunch of silly questions, their shoe size, favorite color, et cetera, et cetera. But one other thing they asked for is a photo of something important to them in their lives, and so at the safety meeting, everyone begrudgingly sat down and grumbled, and all of a sudden a slideshow began and it was those photographs. And it was Jose's daughter playing soccer, and Bill's '68 Camaro that he restored, and somebody's golden retriever, and et cetera. And at the end of the slideshow, it just said one slide, it said, "This is why we work safely." And you could have heard a pin drop, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the room, and I just ... That was awesome. That's the message.

Mike Jernigan:

And that's why what we're talking about today is so important.

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. I mean, taking a shortcut might save a little time, but it could change the course of someone's life.

Mike Jernigan:

That brings up my last question. As a safety expert and loss control manager, what is one thing about safety you wish more people understood?

Bobby Anderson:

It's to not cut corners. I mean, it may take a little more time to do it safely and appropriately, but that's what you want to do. Just exercise your situational awareness. At AEU, we always say, "Listen, observe, orient, and know what to do," and I can't think of better advice.

Mike Jernigan:

You know, Bobby, I think that's a great place to end our discussion today, because really, there is nothing more important than making sure that you're working safely, to take care of yourself, your family, but also the person who's working right next to you. You've got to look out for them too, and it's just important that everybody works in unison so that we can all go home safe.

Bobby Anderson:

Yeah. Taking ownership in the safety process and helping each other work safely, that's the key.

Mike Jernigan:

Absolutely. Well, Bobby, I thank you so much for being here with me today.

Bobby Anderson:

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Mike Jernigan:

And thank you to our listeners for joining us on the Longshore Insider Podcast. You can watch this episode and more on the American Equity Underwriters YouTube page. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Longshore Insider Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and check out even more Longshore Insider content on our website, amequity.com. Until next time, stay safe, take care.