LEWISTON – Fewer injuries in the past fiscal year could mean $40,000 in savings for Lewiston.

The city had only one major injury, since adopting a system to reward safe behavior. That means the city is on pace to pay $40,000 less in workers’ compensation claims in 2004 than it did in 2003.

“The fiscal year only just ended, so we’re checking to make sure, but it looks good,” said Denis Jean, human resources director.

The city listed 33 total injuries in the first six months of 2004, but all of those were minor, Jean said. They included bumps and bruises and strained muscles and kept workers off the job for less than seven days. If injured workers are out more than seven days, the city has to pay lost wages in addition to medical claims.

The minor injuries cost the city $74,453 in medical claims.

That’s a marked improvement from years past. The city had $209,327 in claims for 2003; $382,083 for 2002; and $1.37 million for 2001.

The only serious injury in the past year was when a police officer was hurt in a car accident in October. He was out of work for six months, Jean said.

Those serious claims can add up quickly, Jean said. But cutting back on the less serious injuries is even more important.

“When you see a lot of the small injuries, that’s when you start seeing the big ones,” Jean said. “So having few small ones saves money, but you also see fewer big injuries and that can save a lot.”

The city kicked off an incentive program for employees a year ago. For each month a department goes without a serious injury, employees get gift certificates. If the department goes a full year, every employee gets a $100 certificate to a local restaurant.

The program, and a corresponding educational push, have worked well.

“It’s trying to get it into people’s heads to be safer – to use their legs when they lift or something,” Jean said.