Evaluating staff safety in human services: An organizational injury assessment

In the human service industry, staff injuries can be detrimental to the employee, the organization, and the clients they serve, yet limited research exists evaluating the prevalence and type of injuries in human service organizations. In this case study, we conducted a historical safety assessment and staff interviews to evaluate the prevalence, type, and conditions under which injuries occur in an organization providing education services to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Results indicated that injuries were increasing over time, including those resulting in days away from work and restricted work. Although bites were the most common injury reported, injuries to the head, face, or neck resulted in the highest number of days away from work. In addition, most OSHA recordable incidents were associated with the occurrence of some form of student injury-risk behavior. The implications of these findings, recommendations for the organization, and areas for future research are discussed.