You've outfitted your employees with protective clothing, put guards on the machines and taken all of the loss prevention steps that your insurer advised. What else can you do to minimize the risk of injury in your workplace and lower workers' compensation costs?
The Western Insurance Information Service said your workers' compensation system works best when there is a team approach by the workers, employers, workers' comp insurers and health care providers.
Talk to your employees about how you're trying to keep the workplace safe, how you need their help and how the workers' comp system you have in place will provide them with medical benefits and lost wages in case one of them is injured.
Be sure to explain how the workers' comp system works.
Many injured workers delay filing a claim because no one has explained the process to them.
Many workers rush to lawyers because they mistakenly believe it is their only way they'll get any money for medical expenses and lost wages.
According to the Insurance Information Institute studies have shown that workers get better faster and return to work sooner when they get appropriate medical care immediately after an injury occurs.
Make sure your employees know the proper way to report an accident. The more time that elapses between an accident and when the injury is reported, the greater the difference between what is submitted on the report and what actually happened.
If the injured worker has to go to the hospital or recuperate at home, employers should stay in touch with them.
A phone call, a card, a note with news about the project the employee worked on, will show the worker that he or she is a valued contributor to your business.
Make sure your employees understand that you expect them to return to work as soon as possible.
Some persons think an injury automatically means spending a couple of weeks at home. Before any of your employees are injured, you've got to let them know that because your business is an important, and they are valuable to the company, you need all your people on the job.
Be sensitive to their needs. Once they're back at work, allow them time to get up to speed.
Also, make sure the worker understands that the modified duty is limited to the time it is medically necessary.
Successful return-to-work programs have reduced total workers' comp indemnity costs by 20 to 40 percent. Brainstorm with your employees on how all of you can improve productivity and increase safety.
Take this opportunity to compare your workers' comp cost with some our national rated insurance companies. Here's a no-cost-obligation Workers' Comp Worksheet for your completion.
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