Employer costs of alcohol-involved injuries

✍ Scribed by Eduard Zaloshnja; Ted R. Miller; Delia Hendrie; Deborah Galvin

• Book ID: 101441889
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 95 KB
• Volume: 50
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0271-3586
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20425

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background

This study estimates the annual cost of alcohol‐related injuries to employers in 1998–2000.

Methods

Incidence was estimated with occupational injury data, motor vehicle crash data and health care data for 1998–2000. Employer costs were estimated from federal estimates of injury costs by source of payment using data on the percentage of varied payment streams (e.g., health insurance, sick leave) paid by employers.

Results

The annual employer cost of alcohol‐related injuries to employees and their dependents exceed $28.6 billion. Out of this, $13.2 billion comes from job‐related, alcohol‐involved injuries. The annual employer cost of motor vehicle crashes in which at least one driver was alcohol‐impaired is over $9.2 billion. Out of this, only $3.4 billion comes from job‐related alcohol involvement.

Conclusion

Safety programs can reduce the fringe benefit bill without reducing the benefits offered to employees. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.