Workplace Safety Archives - The Reschini Group

Control the Variables: Keeping Workers Comp Costs In Line

Workers Compensation sounds pretty cut-and-dried, right? Your rate – determined by the state where your company is located and the type of business – gets multiplied by your total payroll and then divided by 100.

But then modifiers enter the picture, which can raise or lower your costs, based on your loss history, or the record of measurably reducing the risk of injury to employees. Naturally, you want a modifier that drives your workers comp costs down. Here are some ideas on how to do just that.

Save Money on Workers’ Comp Insurance – The same as selecting car or health insurance, it’s important to shop around for the best workers’ compensation insurance policies.
Ensure You’re Following Workers’ Comp Claims Management Best Practices – By making sure your claims adjuster always follows best practices associated with claims management, payouts can be reduced by up to 50%.
Focus on Safety – Create and embed a true safety culture, continually providing information on safe processes and procedures, instituting regular safety checks, and characterizing safety less in terms of statistics and more by how injuries impact people and their families.
Have an injury procedure in place – It is essential to manage any injuries quickly and effectively before they become worse, and for managers and employees to know their roles and responsibilities when someone is hurt at work.
Start an Incentive Program for New Hires – Employees, especially new hires, often benefit from incentive programs that reward them for learning the safety protocol. Older employees can also be encouraged to help the newer hires learn about the culture of safety through group incentives.
Implement a Return-to-Work Program – Maintaining ongoing communication with injured employees leads to them returning to the job faster, which means returning to a regular paycheck for them and lower overall costs to the company.
Check With Your State – Some states offer discounts if a company implements a program that promotes safety, so it’s worth checking on your state’s policies.
Review Your Employee Classifications – The simple act of ensuring that each employee is classified correctly regarding his or her current job can represent substantial savings.

When you understand and control the variables surrounding workers comp coverage, you can achieve the modifier level that leads to better control of those costs. Plus, in virtually every example cited here, it’s the proper, practical, and ethical thing to do, as well. Contact the workers comp professionals at The Reschini Group today to learn more.

The Reschini Group provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.

Source: https://news.briotix.com/9-workers-compensation-cost-reduction-strategies

The Reschini Blog: Noise Monitoring a Vital Concern

The very process of manufacturing – especially heavy manufacturing – carries with it some inherent variables that can cause damage to those working onsite. Most companies maintain diligent safety practices and procedures to protect workers from falls, hand injuries, accident enclosures, and the like.

The dangers of excessive noise must be in that same discussion.

The Reschini Group has specialists who consult and advise client companies about the importance of noise monitoring, including use of audio dosimetry at manufacturing facilities. Our team works with manufacturers to conduct these tests, to see the impact of onsite noise and how best to safeguard those exposed to it.

Central to these efforts is guidance from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and its requirements for establishing a Hearing Conservation Program. According to the OSHA website, this includes noise monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection, training, and recordkeeping. OSHA requires companies to implement a hearing conservation program when noise exposure is at or above 85 decibels averaged over 8 working hours.

Exposure to loud noise kills the nerve endings in the inner ear, with prolonged exposure causing more dead nerve endings and permanent hearing loss that cannot be corrected with surgery or medicine. Noise-induced hearing loss limits your ability to hear high frequency sounds and understand speech, which seriously impairs your ability to communicate. Hearing aids may help, but they do not restore your hearing to normal.

Hearing conservation programs are meant to prevent initial occupational hearing loss, preserve and protect remaining hearing, and equip workers with the knowledge and hearing protection devices necessary to safeguard themselves. Paying the proper level of attention to on-the-job noise issues also makes sense regarding avoiding exposure to lawsuits and insurance claims.

The team at The Reschini Group features experts in working with client companies to lessen this exposure. Contact us today to learn more.

Related Resource from The Reschini Group

Noise hazard awareness sheet to share with employees: PiS – Workplace Noise Hazards

Contact The Reschini Group with your questions or concerns regarding Noise Hazards.

Reprise: C’mon Back – Establishing a Quality Return-to-Work Program

By The Reschini Group

Create a robust Return-to-Work Program to help employees get back into the swing of activity at the worksite.

College Homecomings. Family Reunions. These events remain popular because they bring people back. When you share an experience together, you want to be around those people again. It’s always good to come on back.

While perhaps not as sentimental as Homecomings and reunions, the same principle nonetheless applies to the workplace. When an employee gets hurt on the job and loses time recuperating, it’s important to bring that person back into the organization as soon as practically possible. This holds true for many reasons. A recent poll cited by Zywave Inc. found that:

70% of employees who return quickly to the workplace avoid letting their condition consume their thinking.
76% of quick returners refuse to feel victimized by their injury.
90% of quick returners report having a good relationship with their supervisor.
The longer an employee is away from work, the less likely he or she will return to gainful employment.
Employees who are off work for more than 16 consecutive weeks rarely return to work at all.

A robust Return-to-Work Program provides organizations with a defined set of rules and practices designed to help employees get back into the swing of activity at the worksite. A solidly defined, easily implemented Return-to-Work Program identifies ways of helping employees who have been hurt to come back in either a temporary role, or to their regular job, but with modifications as appropriate.

Zywave lists four main components in the development of a Return-to-Work Program:

Identify a coordinator to oversee all aspects of the program.
Develop a formal policy, approved by management and agreed to in writing by employees.
Designate medical providers who understand your business and its physical demands on employees.*
Be consistent in the administration and expectations of the program across all locations, and among all supervisors and employees.

A Return-to-Work Program helps to ensure that meaningful work activity is provided as quickly as possible to employees who may be temporarily unable to perform all or portions of their regular work duties. Studies show that a well-constructed Return-to-Work Program reduces lost-time days, allows workers to recover more quickly, creates a more positive work environment, and can even help minimize the financial ramifications of lost-time events, such as increases in the Experience Modifier score, which can raise insurance premiums by as much as 25 percent in one year due to lost-time accidents.

Let the team at The Reschini Group help guide you regarding establishment of a Return-to-Work Program and its effect on insurance coverage options. Coming back to work means coming back to a positive feeling of productivity, which ultimately helps everyone.

* Injured workers are required to be seen by a provider that is on the “Panel of Physicians” for the first 90 days after their initial visit. Insured’s work with their carrier to provide a panel at the beginning of the policy period based on the carriers pricing structure with that provider, the doctors willingness to work with companies on things such as RTW, and other aspects that they feel important, (ability to see patients on short notice, location, etc). After 90 days, the injured employee may see whomever they would like.

The Reschini Group provides these updates for information only. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.

Covering the Basics: Easy Ways to Increase Safety Readiness

By Mike Drew, The Reschini Group

At your mother’s knee, you learned the basics. Look both ways before crossing the street. Hold the railing when using the stairs. Leaves of three, let them be. These simple instructions kept you safe – or safer than you would have been otherwise, at least.

The same principle holds true in the business world. The simple things still count. The basics still keep you and the people and property for whom you are responsible, safe. Things like:

Smoke alarms – Are they installed at critical locations throughout your property? Do they work? Are they tested regularly? Do the batteries get changed twice a year (a good reminder is to do this when switching the clocks)?
Carbon monoxide detectors – Do you have these easy-to-use detectors installed, to guard against this silent killer? See the smoke alarm questions for guidance here, as well.
Sprinklers – When was the last time these were checked for proper operation and installation? If not present, do they need to be, based on your local fire code requirements?
Exits – Are these clearly marked? Do the signs illuminate properly? Is there a clear path for people to get out? These questions apply to both offices and converted residential structures that serve as places of business today.
Training – Do you regularly offer information and encourage dialogue about safety practices at your place of business? When was the last time you held a safety or fire drill? Do your people know where to gather in case of an emergency evacuation?

These are just a few of the basics to keep in mind when assessing the safety readiness of your business. None of them are difficult. All of them can spell the difference between safety and tragedy. Contact The Reschini Group for more information on effective safety policies and practices.

Focus on Safety: The Value of a Safety Culture

Periodically, The Reschini Group will focus on a particular topic related to Risk Management or Employee Benefits issues. This month, we focus on safety. Read on, and be sure to check out the resources available through the links.

By Mike Drew, The Reschini Group

The insurance industry runs on a recognition of risk, how to protect yourself from it, minimize it, and recover from any negative effects stemming from it.

A key to managing risk effectively for organizations and individuals can be found in establishing and strengthening a true, workable, functioning and ever-deepening safety culture. The Reschini Group is especially qualified to help your business in this essential area.

We do this through a variety of safety-related resources for customers to access, including:

Video of a special safety webinar (click to receive a password to view)
Links to multiple industry-generated articles about safety
An in-house resource of safety consultants to serve as an extension of your risk management efforts, offering tangible and effective support, such as:
- ISNetWorld, Avetta, and other contractor management tool experience to help keep you working.
- Help you to stay informed and in compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
- Audits of commercial vehicle practices and CDL drivers, within the context of DOT regulations, to minimize risks.
- Communication and support during the incident resolution process, including root-cause investigations, return to work assistance and corrective actions trainings.
- Training programs in OSHA compliance, first aid and CPR, aerial work platforms, and more.
- Creating customized safety programs.
- Conducting third-party on-site audits

What’s more, The Reschini Group provides professional consultation as a part of your dedicated service plan. That means you have access to safety services and resources from our local professionals at no additional fee. This feature, combined with all of the offerings listed here, puts our dedication to your safety culture a cut above most other providers. It’s that important.

The professionals at The Reschini Group can offer guidance related to all things safety. Contact Mike Drew or Chris Kuhar at 724-349-1300 to set up a time to talk.

More About Safety

Read: Easy Money: Establishing a Workplace Safety Committee
Get: Our Introduction to Safety brochure
Watch: Our webinar “Building a Safety Culture” (password is safety)

The State of Things: The Web of Workers’ Compensation Requirements

Work Injury Claim Form

By The Reschini Group

“Workers’ compensation is a mandatory type of business insurance that provides employees who become injured or ill while on the job with medical coverage and income replacement. It also protects companies from being sued by employees for the workplace conditions that caused such an injury or illness.

Businesses are required by law in all fifty states to pay for the medical treatment and lost wages of employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses. In order to avoid crippling expenses in this regard, companies purchase workers’ compensation insurance policies of one kind or another.

Each state determines its own system’s payment schedules, employee eligibility requirements, and rehabilitation procedures. Although provisions of each state’s laws differ greatly, the underlying principle is the same—that employers should assume the costs of injuries, illnesses, and deaths that occur on the job, without regard to fault, and partially replace wage income lost.”

This definition of workers’ compensation, as cited on www.uslegal.com, states the facts of the matter clearly. All employers must provide for workers’ compensation, but the rules, procedures, and guidelines differ by state. Employers based in Pennsylvania, for example, need to know that contiguous states like Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York each have distinct approaches and requirements regarding workers’ compensation.

A sampling of specific workers’ compensation requirements in neighboring states include:

OHIO – This is one of four “monopolistic” states in the union, meaning that coverage can only be purchased from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. In some cases, Pennsylvania-domiciled clients that have employees that travel into Ohio for a period that equates to less than 90 days must still purchase an administrative policy in Ohio, and add the Stop Gap endorsement to either the Worker’s Compensation or General Liability policies, but still must also sign a waiver saying that they choose Pennsylvania benefits as their method of remedy.

NEW YORK – This state requires short-term disability coverage for workers there. New York State must be listed on the workers’ compensation policy purchased by the employer.

WEST VIRGINIA – A worker can sue his or her employer for “deliberate intent” to cause illness or injury, while still collecting workers’ compensation payments in this state. Five criteria must be met for a claim to be awarded, including: that a specific unsafe working condition existed; that the employer had actual knowledge of the condition; that one or more safety standards, whether regulations or commonly accepted, were violated; that the employer intentionally exposed the employee to the unsafe condition; and the employee suffered serious compensable injury or death.

The professionals at The Reschini Group can help make sure you have the right level of workers’ compensation for your specific situation. Contact us at 724-349-1300 to set up a time to talk.

Accept the Exceptions: Every Contingency Should Be Covered

By Kitti Peters, The Reschini Group

Make Sure Every Possible Contingency is Covered

You may believe that your insurance coverage is so comprehensive, so all-encompassing, that no matter what set of circumstances may arise, you are properly protected.

This assumption, like most assumptions, probably is not accurate.

For example, in a recent ruling in federal court, a major national insurer will not be required to cover a $2.8 million judgment that an injured worker secured against a tree trimming company. The judge ruled that a policy exclusion for injuries stemming from the use of equipment mounted to a vehicle clearly bars coverage.

A worker at the tree-trimming company suffered injuries after a 63-foot-fall from a boom lift attached to a truck. A commercial automobile liability policy that was issued to the company by the national insurer contained an exclusion for damages “arising out of the operation, maintenance, or use of any equipment” mounted to a vehicle. The tree-trimming company said the incident qualified for coverage nonetheless, arguing that certain terms in the provision were ambiguous, but the judge disagreed, writing that “[T]he court finds that the undisputed facts fall squarely within the exclusion.”

The federal judge remained unswayed by the tree-trimming company’s contentions, concluding that the exclusion applies under the plain meaning of the disputed terms because the worker’s injuries resulted from damage to the boom lift mounted to the company’s truck.

Millions of dollars in damages could have been avoided for the much more reasonable investment into the proper insurance coverage. (The damages themselves probably wouldn’t have been avoided, but they might have been covered with the proper insurance). No contingency can ever be truly excluded from consideration. Even if you think your coverage is adequate, it’s well worth the time and effort to find out for sure – and to see if more needs to be done.

The professionals at The Reschini Group can help you get a comprehensive picture of your insurance profile. Contact us at 724-349-1300 to set up a time to discuss this important topic.

There will always be exceptions. Accept them, and make sure you’re protected in case they occur.

The Reschini Group provides these updates for information only. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.

Tattoo You:

Understanding the Effect of Experience Modifiers

By Mike Drew, The Reschini Group

Understand the impact of Experience Modifier scores on your workplace insurance — *Although they may seem as permanent as a tattoo, a company’s Experience Modifier can be reduced over time*

Lots of people like tattoos. Some commemorate a key life event, others a sentimental symbol. It doesn’t matter what a tattoo looks like, how big or small it may be, or even where it has been inked onto a person. One thing remains true, however – that tattoo is never coming off.

How fortunate, then, that other types of “marks” – seemingly there forever, when first applied – can indeed be removed over time?

Take Experience Modifiers for example. These are numbers assigned by rating bureaus (in Pennsylvania, it’s the PA Compensation Rating Bureau) to companies based on illnesses or safety-related incidents that cause an employee to lose time on the job. Experience Modifier scores also affect the cost of insurance – more so when it comes to indemnity claims than medical claims.

Let’s say XYZ Company has not experienced one of these events for three years. At that point, the state would assign XYZ Company an initial Experience Modifier based on that record. But severe cases of safety-related lost-time that may occur in subsequent years could cause the Experience Modifier number to increase by a maximum of 0.25, meaning that XYZ Company’s premiums could increase by 25 percent to merely maintain the prior level of coverage. Once a large claim begins to affect your Experience Modifier, it will do so for three years until it is removed from the calculation.

It’s important to note, however, that Experience Modifier can also go down as annual performance remains free of safety-related incidents, helping to minimize or recover from years where events resulted in higher premiums.

Another key factor in helping to deflect the negative impact of an increased Experience Modifier score – especially related to indemnity claims from safety-related lost work time – comes in the form of having a solidly defined, easily implemented Return-to-Work Program in place. A Return-to-Work Program identifies ways and means of helping employees who have been hurt to come back in either a temporary role, or to their regular job, but with modifications as appropriate.

A Return-to-Work Program, along with an established safety program, helps to limit not only the accidents from happening in the first place, but the associated costs that they can generate. They represent good-faith efforts to protect employees and keep them actively engaged, even after experiencing a safety-related incident. They can help to limit negative changes to a company’s Experience Modifier score, and the impact on insurance premiums that can result.

Let the team at The Reschini Group help guide you regarding these matters. After all, not every tattoo is permanent.

The Reschini Group provides these updates for information only. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.