April Resources from Sedgwick - OABA Member Service Partner

OABA is pleased to partner with Sedgwick to offer members quality service and stability through the complex workers’ compensation environment. Check out this update from Sedgwick regarding Severe Weather Preparation and Best Practices for Recordkeeping, Documentation and Injury Reporting for Managed Care & Workers’ Compensation.

Severe Weather Preparation

The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness considers March 16 – March 22^nd as Severe Weather Awareness Week.  During this time, Governor Mike DeWine encourages Ohio Businesses to prepare themselves for spring and summer weather hazards, including thunder, lighting, tornadoes and floods.  Although we are past that date, I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of developing a severe weather preparation plan.  This is a great time of year for businesses to look at their Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and review appropriate procedures and responsibilities of employees during potentially hazardous weather events.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Emergency Action Plan Standard can be found here.

First and foremost, you can check to see which severe weather hazards may occur in your area by clicking here https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/74d12934524d4e88a1f7c50c377bec1a and inputting your address or zip code.  You may be surprised at the hazards you uncover.  By combining the weather hazards experienced in your area with OSHA’s EAP Standard, you can create the appropriate steps in preparing for each condition.  In my area, for example, there is the potential for Flood, Tornadoes, Drought, Thunderstorms/Lighting/Hail Risk and Extreme Heat.

The purpose of an EAP is to facilitate and organize employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies. A well-developed emergency plan and proper employee training should result in fewer and less severe employee injuries and less structural damage to the facility.  On the contrary, a poorly prepared plan can lead to a disorganized evacuation or emergency response, and may result in confusion, injury and property damage.  OSHA states “An emergency action plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.”

According to OSHA, an EAP should include the items below, at a minimum, as well as, incorporate best management practices to make your program even stronger.

Emergency Procedures

The procedures incorporated into an emergency action plan must be well thought out to identify various scenarios applicable to your facility and include at least the following:

1. Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency
2. Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments
3. Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate
4. Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation
5. Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties
6. The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan

Employee Alarm System

The employer must have and maintain an employee alarm system. The employee alarm system must use a distinctive signal for each purpose and comply with the requirements found here. Some of the highlights include:

• Alarms must be loud enough so that all employees can hear them above ambient noise or light levels.
• Alarms shall be distinctive and recognizable as a signal to evacuate the work area or perform specific actions detailed in the EAP.
• All employee alarm systems are maintained in operating condition except when undergoing repairs or maintenance.
• Alarm systems that use manually operated devices, such as pull boxes, must be unobstructed, conspicuous and readily accessible.

Training

Once your emergency action plan is complete for fire and severe weather events, it is vital to train employees.  Be sure to train employee(s):

• When the plan is first developed or the employee is assigned initially to a job;
• When the employee's responsibilities under the plan change;
• When the plan is changed

Additionally, employers must designate and train employees to assist in the safe and orderly evacuation of other employees, including those with special needs who may require extra assistance during an evacuation.  

Training can also include performing mock drills for fire or weather events and is also a great way to test the effectiveness of your plan.

Review Emergency Action Plan

As with any safety program, they should be updated as needed and Emergency Action Plans are no different.  If changes within your program occur, be sure to update as needed. This may include changes in roles and responsibilities, new or modified business structures (such as exit routes or doors), new or modified alarm systems and new potential severe weather hazards.

*Written safety plans are only as effective as the training*

There is plenty of other information on OSHA’s website and the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.  These two organizations are great resources for additional tips on natural disaster preparedness and business recovery.

If you have further questions regarding Sever Weather and OSHA’s Emergency Action Plan or would like more information, please contact Andy Sawan, Risk Services Specialist at Sedgwick at andrew.sawan@sedgwick.com or 330-819-4728.

 

Managed Care & Workers’ Compensation: Best Practices for Recordkeeping, Documentation and Injury Reporting

Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) play an important role for both employers and their injured employees.  Not only do MCOs have an oversight function in the medical treatment and return-to-work process, but they are also responsible for the initial reporting of claims to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.  Studies show a clear correlation between the early documentation and reporting of a workplace injury and the duration of lost-time in claims.  Sedgwick Managed Care Ohio is a key partner for our workers’ compensation program, and their own claim data validates this connection.

Recordkeeping and Documentation

One of the roles of an MCO is to collect the essential data elements of a workplace injury to initiate a workers’ compensation claim.  Depending on the approach to collecting and arranging this information, the MCO can be an excellent warehousing partner for injury-related data.

Sedgwick MCO provides clients a series of value-added reports designed to facilitate record keeping obligations of OSHA and PERRP.  Many report options include an ongoing tally of lost workdays associated with each claim, as well as the number of modified duty workdays.  Access to this information on a monthly, quarterly and especially an annual basis (early January) can help employers complete their OSHA 300 and PERRP posting that is due each February.

MCOs should also be able to account for additional datapoints to help determine whether a workers’ compensation claim is OSHA-recordable.  For example, if medications are prescribed in the treatment of a workplace injury, it may be OSHA recordable despite having incurred no lost or modified workdays.  Similarly, if treatment for an injury includes services that exceed what is considered first-aid in nature, the injury may also be recordable despite involving no lost time.  An example of this would be a laceration that involves stitches, but the employee returns to work immediately.  Referencing medical billing codes to identify specific covered treatments can be a simple way to gather information that simplifies the OSHA and PERRP reporting process. 

Injury Reporting

The claim filing process depends on information from multiple parties, including the injured employee and the treating physician.  But Sedgwick MCO encourages employers to take action as quickly as possible after a workplace incident to control this vital early stage of the process.  Establishing post-injury protocols that include thorough documentation of the incident, as well as compiling information required by BWC, can accelerate a sound claim allowance decision.  Early clarity on the nature of incident and injury can help frame the scope of the claim and define the medical conditions that are included for treatment. 

The First Report of Injury (FROI) is the standard BWC form that accommodates the required information and typically initiates a new claim.  Many employers keep the FROI on-hand to serve as an incident report.  Sedgwick Managed Care Ohio will provide clients with an Injury Reporting Packet, which can include the FROI and other forms and information to help guide both the employer and the injured employee through the claim process. 

Many employers have developed an incident report that collects much of the information required for the workers’ compensation claim.  Consider modifications to your incident report that may facilitate a more efficient claim filing process.  One of the best steps an employer can take to promote speed and accuracy in claim filing is to have an incident report completed quickly and sent directly to the managed care organization.

Contact Sedgwick Managed Care Ohio

If you feel there is room for improvement with your organization’s injury management program, or if you can use assistance organizing data for OSHA recording, consider Sedgwick MCO a resource.  Every work environment is different, and Sedgwick can talk through your circumstances to build a process that works for you and your employees.  Visit Sedgwick MCO online to explore information and tools that facilitate the injury documenting, reporting, and investigation process, or reach out directly to our team at ClientServices@Sedgwickmco.com.

 

Learn more about Sedgwick!

Did you know that many alternative discounts are available to help reduce your annual Ohio workers’ compensation costs? Through the OABA workers’ compensation program, your organization can significantly reduce your workers’ compensation costs through a variety of alternative rating programs. Our program, administered by Sedgwick, offers you quality service and stability through the complex workers’ compensation environment.

For over 50 years, Sedgwick has been helping employers navigate Ohio’s workers’ compensation system, providing services to help them control claim-related costs and reduce premiums. Our team includes experienced colleagues from CompManagement and CareWorks Comp.

Learn more about how Sedgwick can help your company save significantly on your workers’ compensation premium by clicking here.