Workers’ compensation provides medical coverage and pay to employees affected by work-related injury or illness. In many states, all employers are mandated to have workers’ compensation insurance. If you are looking for some tips on how to reduce workman’s comp claims, we have listed 7 below. Use the following tips to foster a safer work environment and protect the health and well-being of all employees.
- Background checks: Start reducing claims at the hiring phase. A history of work-related accidents and injuries indicates a candidate has a tendency to neglect safety precautions. One of the initial, simple ways to reduce work-related accidents is to ensure that you are only hiring employees who understand and value the importance of workplace safety procedures. This is even more important if your business demands serious attention to safety protocol due to the nature of the work. Use this tip as the first step in reducing workers’ compensation claims from your employees.
- Training: Informing employees of proper workplace safety procedures is a critical component of reducing worker’s compensation claims. Having a training program to outline safety protocols, along with a safety manual, can go a long way in reducing claims. Combining interactive learning of safety protocols with employee handbooks and other written information is an effective approach toward educating employees on workplace safety. Ideally, workplace safety training should happen repeatedly, rather than just once. This will help to enforce the ongoing importance of following safety procedures to protect the health of all employees.
- Inspections: Have a qualified person inspect all equipment that is regularly used to identify any issues that could cause unsafe working conditions. This approach enables prevention of accidents that are a result of equipment failures or other unsafe conditions. Regular inspections of all equipment by a trained, qualified professional are an integral part of maintaining a safe work environment, resulting in less workers’ compensation claims.
- Ergonomic equipment: Often times, injuries occur in the workplace due to repetitive movements. These types of claims can be reduced by using ergonomic furniture and equipment. Employees will not only appreciate equipment that is more efficient and effective, but they will also benefit from increased safety.
- Protective Gear: Providing protective equipment is one of the easiest ways to foster a safe working environment and prevent injury. Ensure that protective gear is utilized in all appropriate circumstances. This is another simple step toward reducing workers’ compensation claims.
- Keep good records: Recording all accidents in detail can assist in problem recognition, which will help to improve the rate of claims in the future. All workplace related accidents should be recorded to begin with, but more specifically, ensure that all relevant details are included in this report. This will aid in future prevention of similar workplace related injuries.
Back-to-work plans: Stay updated on the recovery of employees on disability leave and create a plan for their return. This will minimize the amount of time taken off and ensure that further claims do not occur if an employee returns too soon and suffers from another related injury.