LP Gas, June 2017

can you control your own workers compensation bills Nothing does a better job than improving safety You need to do whatever you can to reduce the number of accidents and injuries Burton says The reason is that premiums go up most quickly for those employers who experience a high number of claims That means a workplace full of people who get back injuries will drive costs up more than will a single expensive car accident Accident rates influence an employers experience modification which is the factor by which a business premium varies from the norm for its industry and state If you have fewer injuries than normal for your type of business you will get a credit in the form of a lower modification applied to your premium Burton says If you experience a higher number of injuries than normal your modification and thus your premium will be higher Watch for dangerous conditions wherever employees are operating machinery or driving vehicles These activities are prime causes of accidents In addition be vigilant about areas where people move from one level to another The risk of a slip and fall is high in such places especially if people are carrying things like cartons of inventory Moore says Make sure the steps are well marked and lighted And reduce the slipperiness of steps by using what is called antislip or sandpaper tape That can really reduce the chance of accidents by adding roughness to the floor High shelves in the stockroom can pose special problems Provide quality ladders for employees who need to retrieve items from upper shelves Train workers to spot and reinforce cartons that look insecure Here are some other safety tips Teach employees about safe lifting techniques and provide them with back braces Install sufficient lighting in all areas of the building Make sure the plumbing is working well so people do not slip on water Make sure employees take appropriate work breaks While the above ideas will go a long way toward reducing costly accidents the fact remains that every workplace is unique Keep your eyes open for other unsafe conditions and practices Avoid the temptation to turn your head the other way when you see dangerous conditions Adelson says Take action to resolve them Finally when an accident does happen look upon it as a learning experience Determine its cause and institute procedures to obviate similar events Get together with your employees and talk about steps you can take to increase safety Sieberg says Write them down in a manual and have everyone sign off on them When you take steps like this your insurance carrier will see you as a more desirable risk WORKERS COMPENSAT ION Reduce fraud Call your broker to report injuries as soon as they occur Not only is it a crime not to report injuries but delaying often results in additional medical costs The longer a case stays open the higher the medical expenses which are the biggest driver of workers compensation costs Adelson says Reporting an injury right away will help your carrier in containing medical costs and will help get the injured employee back to work with the least delay Early reporting can also help increase the chances of uncovering fraud because evidence is easiest to gather immediately following an accident If you do suspect fraud start your investigation right away Investigate in a non threatening and non emotional manner Adelson adds He suggests starting with relevant questions such as these Was a Friday afternoon accident not reported until Monday morning If so why Did the accident occur in a part of the building where the person had no business being If so maybe they were not really performing their assigned duties Do you have cameras in the workplace that might have recorded the accident Did anyone witness the injury Ask for assistance from your insurance company Adelson Continued on page 40 www LPGasmagazine com June 2017 LPGas 39