Group-Rating Safety Accountability
August 2011
Dear Employer:
Each year Ohio employers have the opportunity to participate in BWC’s Group-Experience-Rating Program or Group-Retrospective-Rating Program. While these programs are not required, they do provide you with an opportunity to significantly reduce your workers’ compensation premiums, while increasing your awareness of safety and risk-management strategies.
Workplace safety is an important component of these programs. To succeed in accident prevention, we encourage you to use the many resources available to you. We believe a group-rating program is a partnership that includes you and your employees, your sponsoring organization or third-party administrator (TPA) and BWC. Each has specific roles and responsibilities, all designed to assist in preventing workplace accidents. This letter outlines the safety services expectations you should have as an employer enrolled in a group-rating program.
The employer will:
- Maintain a safe workplace;
- Attend safety training to enhance workplace safety;
- Implement BWC’s 10-Step Business Plan for Safety and use available safety services as needed;
- Attend the required two-hour training and provide proof of attendance to sponsor for claim(s) occurring within the last two years.
The certified primary and affiliated sponsoring organizations will:
- Communicate, educate and verify BWC’s 10-Step Business Plan for Safety to group members;
- Sponsor eight hours of safety training (this may be done at one time or may be provided incrementally as long as the total is at least eight hours);
- Provide information regarding safety resources to group members;
- Possibly assist an employer in achieving its safety needs;
- Manage employer fulfillment of the two-hour training requirement, where applicable;
- Publish this letter to group members.
The TPA may:
- Assist sponsoring organizations with fulfilling the group-rating safety requirements;
- Assist an employer with its safety needs;
- Work in conjunction with sponsors to develop safety training and deliver safety resources;
- Provide resources for claims handling.
BWC will:
- Monitor all group-rating safety activities to confirm requirements are met;
- Meet at least annually with sponsoring organizations to provide recommendations for fulfilling safety requirements;
- Provide safety training through Ohio’s Center for Occupational Safety & Health;
- Offer on-site safety consultation (hazard assessments, air and noise monitoring, ergonomics evaluation, training) by a BWC safety professional;
- Offer publications and videos for safety program support;
- Conduct employer visits to confirm the employer is meeting group-rating requirements, when appropriate.
The goal of this collaborative effort is to make sure all your safety needs are met. Using these resources will assist you in preventing accidents, reducing claims costs and achieving the highest discounts possible. Below you’ll find contact information for various resources.
Group sponsor:
TPA: CareWorks Consultants, Inc. www.careworksconsultants.com
BWC: http://www.ohiobwc.com/employer/services/safetyhygiene.asp, groupratingsafety@bwc.state.oh.us
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10-Step Business Plan for Safety
With BWC's 10-Step Business Plan for Safety employers can focus on implementing a more effective safety plan one step at a time as opposed to getting lost in the "where to start" phase of the big picture.
While some of the BWC programs require employers to complete the 10-Step Business Plan for Safety, it can also be a good resource for companies looking to implement a new safety program or simply improve an old one.
Please watch our monthly newsletters/website each month, as we will be highlighting each step. If you are anxious to get started or simply can't wait for the next step to be released you can visit Careworks Consultant website at www.careworksconsultants.com for the full plan outline.
Step 1 - Visible, Active Senior Management Leadership
Step 2 - Employee Involvement and Recognition
Step 3- Medical Treatment and Return to Work Practices
Step 4 - Communication
Step 5 - Timely Notification of Claims
Step 6 - Safety and Health Process Coordination and Employer Education
Step 7 - Written Orientation and Training
Step 8 - Written and Communicated Safe Work Practices
Step 9 - Written Safety and Health Statement of Philosophy
Step 10 - Recordkeeping and Data Analysis
Buehrer Announces Expansion of Safety Council Program
COLUMBUS – Stephen Buehrer, Administrator/CEO of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC), has announced the continuation and expansion of the Safety Council Rebate Incentive Program, which allows employers to earn rebates on their workers’ compensation premiums for participating in their local safety council and reducing workplace injuries. Annual Safety Congress & Expo. "I believe good safety programming ought to be good for all employers across the state."
The incentive program, which was due to expire soon, allows participating employers to receive a 2 percent rebate for attending a specific number of safety council programs, and an additional 2 percent for demonstrating a reduction in the frequency and/or severity of workplace incidents. Under Buehrer’s proposal, the program will not only continue, but also will be expanded to allow group-rated employers to participate in safety councils and earn a 2 percent performance rebate for demonstrating improvements in workplace safety. This would be in addition to receiving their group rating discount.
"We know that those employers who are most active in taking control of their safety programs are the most successful in preventing claims and managing workers’ compensation costs," Buehrer told 1,400 employers and workplace safety professionals attending yesterday’s general session of BWC’s 81
Buehrer noted the savings potential is significant, providing an additional opportunity to reduce overall premium costs for nearly 100,000 Ohio employers allowing them to direct those resources into business growth and job creation. He also stated that he will soon present the proposal to the BWC Board of Directors for their advice and consent.
BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene sponsors more than 80 safety councils across the state that are organized by local safety-minded groups to inform participants of new safety techniques, products and services, and provide a thorough knowledge of topics, including occupational safety and health, workers’ compensation and risk management education.
BWC is a non general-revenue fund state agency that provides workers’ compensation insurance for 230,000 Ohio employers and covers approximately two-thirds of Ohio’s workforce. With approximately $2.1 billion in annual premium and assessment income, BWC is the largest state-fund system in the United States and one of the top 10 underwriters of workers’ compensation insurance in the nation.
Visit www.ohiobwc.com for more information about the Safety Council Program. You can also see a list of all safety councils.
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