Lost-time injury : definition

As indicated earlier, various standards have been developed to try and adopt uniform definitions for reporting which should reduce differences in reporting parameters. However, while one organization may be happy to let an employee go home after treatment, another may have them back on alternate duties. This can affect the recorded number of lost-time injuries. 

Number of lost-time injuries per 10 employee-hours. For definition of lost-time injury, see Table 6.3. 

Overdose with this over-the-counter drug is such a public health hazard that some mention of it must be made here. In the European Community and North America, this is the most common of all drugs taken in overdose, and this injury probably creates the largest number of candidates for transplantation of precious donor livers. Jones and Dargan (2001) provide a definitive, condensed account, and rightly term this a deceptive poisoning. Evidence of hepatic injury, sadly, may only arise 24 h or more after ingestion, by which time opportunities to limit absorption of the overdose will have been lost. Renal injury can also occur. 

An accident, by definition, is any unplanned event that results in personal injury or in property damage. When the personal injury requires little or no treatment, or is minor, it is often called a first aid case. If it results in a fatality or in a permanent total, permanent partial, or temporary total (lost-time) disability, it is serious. Likewise, if property damage results, the event may be minor or serious. All accidents should be investigated regardless of the extent of injury or damage. 

The severity rate, which is often called the lost-time workday rate, is used to determine how serious the injuries and illnesses are. The same formula can be used to calculate the restricted workday case rate. A company may have a low incident rate or few injuries and illnesses but, if the injuries and illnesses that are occurring result in many days away from work or restricted workdays, the lost-time workdays or restricted workday cases can be as costly as, or more costly than, having a large number of no lost workdays or restricted workday injuries or illnesses, which have only medical costs associated with them. Lost-time workday cases can definitely have a greater impact on your workers compensation costs and premiums. 

Not only do base rate numbers change from country to country, but definitions of the types of accidents may also vary from country to country. It is important to know what definitions are being used for such things as lost time, recordables, first aid cases, and others if you are planning to compare accident frequency rates. For example, the definition of a recordable injury and illness in the United States may be different from the definition used in Canada, Latin America, Asia, or the United Kingdom. In areas where no clearly defined definitions exist, the site must develop its own. This is usually what has to take place in cases of property damage and process interruptions. 

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