POST-INJURY RESPONSE PROGRAMS SAVE COMPANIES DOLLARS AND MAKES SENSE

If you have a post-injury response program for your business, you probably know that it both slashes Workers Comp costs drastically and helps get employees back on the job — quickly.

The more injuries your workers suffer on the job, and the longer they’re off, the more you’ll pay for Comp coverage (not to mention their lost productivity). However, according to a recent insurance trade press report, an effective program that focuses on containing costs after work injuries can cut these expenses in half.

The report recommends that a post-injury program should include a promise that an injured employee will receive the best medical care available and will return to the job only after they’re cleared to do so. What’s more, says the report, the program must be applied consistently, deal with every injury, and list “who reports injuries, who an injury is reported to, who transports the employee to medical providers, and how medical restrictions are obtained.” The plan should be in a format that’s easy for managers, supervisors, and employees to understand.

A post-injury program might also include creating a transitional-duty job to help an injured employee ease back into the swing of things. There are many other steps involved in creating and carrying out a successful plan.

To learn how you can avoid becoming another Workers Comp horror story, contact our insurance professionals at Scurich Insurance Services today. To learn more about Scurich Insurance Services, follow us on Twitter.

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SAFETY TRAINING: FROM MELTING POT TO SMORGASBORD

The American melting pot is fast becoming a smorgasbord of distinctive cultures. During the past 10 years, more than half (51%) of new entrants into the U.S. workforce have been minorities. The next 10 years will see a dramatic increase in minority workers, many of whom might lack English proficiency and familiarity with basic workplace safety precautions. To help you meet the safety needs of an increasingly diverse workforce — especially where language barriers are an issue — we’d recommend these guidelines:

• Speak slowly, explain fully, and repeat important points several times.
• Choose simple words and avoid technical jargon (whenever possible).
• Use a translator with groups of employees who have only minimal English skills.
• Team up non-English-speaking employees with English-speaking employees.
• Provide handouts in the language(s) that trainees speak and read.
• Make sure that workers are able to understand written materials. Don’t assume that they can read forms, signs, written directions, etc.
• Stress the importance of following safety regulations and policies.
• Show employees how to use safety protections and explain why they’re important.
• Demonstrate while you speak and use pictures, diagrams, props, etc., to supplement your words.
• Follow up on the job to make sure that employees properly apply what they’ve learned in training.

All of the helpful and friendly agents at Scurich Insurance Service care that your business has the best California Worker’s Compensation Policy available. Contact any of our agents at Scurich Insurance, located in Watsonville, to have your questions answered regarding your Worker’s Compensation Policy!

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