Tips to save on Workers’ Compensation Costs

There are many ways to reduce costs on Workers’ Compensation Premiums.  Some ways may include: employee communications including Safety Meetings, Newsletters, posters or videos, maintaining a good relationship with your designated medical center, claims management, and a safety program. 

Providing communication to the employees regarding safety issues can help increase the employee’s safety awareness and decrease the amount of claims.  Preventing injuries before they happen is key in keeping a healthy workforce and to continue business to run smoothly.

Reporting injuries in a timely manner can prevent liability to the company and additional costs that may be incurred.  The injured worker should be sent to the designated provider to be treated as soon as possible to prevent further injury and to have record of treatment close to the time of the injury. This will provide documentation if the injured worker will need additional treatment.  The accident should be investigated to make sure any potential injuries can be prevented in the future. 

Following up with claims and providing additional information to the insurance company or the medical provider can also help reduce additional costs that may be incurred.  It is important to return the injured worker to work when possible within restrictions.  Communication with the medical provider may reduce the number of medical visits needed to complete the medical treatment and close the claim. 

Implementing a Safety program will show support from upper management to provide a safe workplace.  It is important to review the program regularly and make sure that rules are being followed by all employees within the organization.  Providing a safe working environment will increase your productivity and reduce the potential liability of increased costs.

For more information on Workers’ Compensation Claims Management, Safety Programs, or Workers’ Compensation coverage contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864. 

Common OSHA violations and how to avoid them

OSHA violations can be expensive but are easy to avoid.  The most common OSHA violations include:

• Scaffolding
• Fall Protection
• Hazard Communication
• Machine Guarding
• Lockout/Tagout
• Ladders
• Powered Industrial Trucks
• Electrical Safety
• Respiratory Protection

Communication to the employees in an important step in making sure they are working in a safe environment and can avoid these violations. Written policies and programs are important for the employees to understand and perform on the job site.  Continuous training is also important to provide for the employees.  Also upper management should enforce and follow programs. 

MSDS sheets must be available for employees working with or around chemicals in their work area.  Make sure equipment has been checked regularly to avoid equipment failure.  

StaffScapes a Denver based Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can help set up policy and procedures as mentioned above. Our Human Resource Department specializes in policy and procedure development, by having a few simply policies in place it can save a company countless dollars and man hours resolving a claim. Contact StaffScapes Human Resource Department or our Sales team with any questions on how a PEO can assist in developing OSHA policies.

Posting Requirements for OSHA 300A Log

The OSHA 300A Logs have been sent out to all clients that had employees with StaffScapes during 2006.  The 300A Log must be posted from February 1st through April 30th. 

This log is a summary of the number of injuries, types of injuries and number of days an employee was away from work. 

If you have not received your log please contact the Safety Coordinator at StaffScapes and we will get it out to you today.  If you would like more information on Workers’ Compensation Benefits or how we can help with OSHA requirements please contact a Representative at StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.  More more information on our services www.staffscapes.com.

The Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine recently tested the health and safety effects of working longer hours.

The results of a recent study conducted by the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine show no evidence that overtime work produced adverse effects to the health and safety of workers.  No adverse effects were found by the study until the hours worked exceeded 60. Employees who worked over 60 hours per week did have a higher incidence rate of reporting new injuries and diagnoses, but these effects were limited by prior health, demographics and compensation type.

The study shows that prior diseases and health status have a much higher impact on safety and health than overtime hours worked.

What to do if an OSHA inspector knocks on your door!

Following these simple steps during an inspection by an OSHA official will provide smooth operation and can avoid potential fines.

·        Ask the OSHA inspector to provide his/her identification.

·        Contact your senior management and attorneys to get them involved immediately.

·        Ask the inspector about the reason for the visit and ask for details explaining the method of inspection.

·        Personally take the inspector directly to where he or she needs to go.

·        Make a copy of any documents you give to the inspector.

When dealing with the inspector keep the meeting professional. Answer the inspector’s questions honestly but only provide answers for the question asked, do not try and elaborate.  Also do not give an inspector free-reign over your facility. You may feel confident in your compliance efforts, but you actually waive legal rights and protections if you open your company up more than needed.

Tools needed for a Safety Program

StaffScapes offers a variety of tools to put together the best Safety Program for your company.  Having a Safety Program in place helps to keep your Workers’ Compensation costs low and reduces payroll costs.

StaffScapes provides monthly news letters, safety videos, onsite training, safety rules and up to date information on WC changes.

In addition we offer claims manangment and onsite recommendations for improvement.  For more information on how you can reduce your Workers’ Compensation costs contact StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.

New law requires construction industry to verify workers’ compensation coverage of subcontractors.

House Bill 1366, which makes a change to workers’ compensation coverage for workers in the construction industry, has officially gone into effect as of October 1, 2007. This new law requires that every person performing construction work on a construction site be covered by workers’ compensation insurance or have a Rejection of Coverage Form that has been filed with the Division of Workers’ Compensation when the subcontractor is the sole owner or partner with no employees.

Under this law, the person on the construction site who contracts work from another party is responsible to either provide workers’ compensation coverage to the contracted employees or require proof of coverage from the subcontractor employing these workers. The “responsible person” may also accept a Rejection of Coverage Form from sole proprietors or partners (general partner, limited partner, limited liability partner, limited liability limited partner) that have no employees and have filed the form with the state Division of Workers’ Compensation. Owners of a personal residence are specifically excluded from this law unless the worker is an employee of the owner. If the requirements of the law are not meet then a penalty of up to $500 per day may be assessed by the Division of Workers’ Compensation.

For more information regarding HB 1366 and its requirements, you can contact StaffScapes or click on the links below.

See Also

• HB 1366
  Copy of the House Bill
• HB 1366 FAQ
  FAQ sheet from the Colorado Dept of Labor
• Rejection of Coverage Form
  Form to reject coverage from the Division of Workers’ Compensation

OSHA publishes Final Rule on Costs of Personal Protective Equipment.

On November 15, 2007, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a final rule on employer-paid personal protective equipment (PPE). The provisions in OSHA standards that require PPE generally state that the employer is to provide such PPE to employees, but do not specify that the employer is to pay for the PPE. OSHA has clarified, with this rulemaking, an employer’s requirement to pay for the PPE provided, with few exceptions for specific items. The rule contains a few exceptions for ordinary safety-toed footwear, ordinary prescription safety eyewear, logging boots, and ordinary clothing and weather-related gear. The rule does not require employers to provide PPE where none has been required before.

For more information, visit:

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=20094

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/PPE-factsheet-final.pdf

www.osha.gov

Reducing Workers’ Compensation Claims

Approximately 300,000 injuries per year are due to slip trip and fall accidents.  According to the US Department of Labor this contributes to 8% of all job related activities.

Something to watch out for include -

1. Keeping walkways clear

2. Tape down cables, cords and hoses or keep them out of the way

3. Mark or clean up Wet Areas - put down rubber mats or put up a sign in the area

4. Keep floors swept to remove dust and dirt

5. Use the handrails on stairs and be sure to use ladder safety rules.

These are some of the things to discuss with employees and make them aware of.  Although it may seem like minor accidents, they can create loss time from work and large workers’ compensation claims.

For training materials or more informaiton please contact the Safety Department at StaffScapes at 303-466-7864.   Stay Safe.

Every day we all do hundreds of tasks that seem routine and we don’t view them as being dangerous.  We often think things like “Slips and falls only happen to uncoordinated people” or “I work in an office, not around heavy equipment so nothing will happen to me”.  But that is far from the truth.  Several times a month, we get a workers’ compensation call from a client or employee and most often, these are calls about simple injuries that end up costing a lot of money for treatment.  For example, the employee that can’t work for 12 weeks because they tripped over a box sitting in the hallway and broke their ankle.  Or the item that Sally was sure she could reach and now she has pulled a muscle and requires physical therapy. 

It’s easy to forget about safety on a daily basis, but we want to remind you how important training and following the safety rules really is.  One little wrong move can change your life in an instant.  Here are some key points we want you to remember:

• Keep all boxes away from doorways and emergency exits
• When lifting anything off of the floor, squat and lift straight up.  Do not bend over to pick the item up
• Do not stand on a chair or box to get an item off of a shelf
• Do not stand on the very top of a ladder
• Don’t run, walk
• Close desk drawers or cabinets to prevent injuries
• Tape down electrical cords that must be in walking paths
• If you see something you feel is unsafe, contact your manager for assistance
• Use chemicals properly and follow all instructions
• Wipe up all spills
• Only open one cabinet drawer at a time
• Ask for help when moving large or heavy objects
• Always wear protective equipment

These are just a few suggestions.  We encourage you to review your safety practices and if you need additional advice or a safety review, please contact StaffScapes today!