Complete Story
10/17/2023
Workers' Comp & Safety
News from Sedgwick
The following information is provided by Sedgwick, the administrator of OWMA's Workers' Compensation Group Rating Program.
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OSHA expands requirements for online data reporting
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced it will now be requiring certain employers to submit information from their OSHA 301/Injury and Illness Incident Report forms on an annual basis. This is in addition to the previously required information from the employer’s 300A Summary of Work-related Injuries and Illnesses form. The high hazard industries included in the new rulemaking includes 'Warehousing and Storage'.
Employers can determine if this new requirement is applicable by going to OSHA’s “ITA Coverage Application” at https://www.osha.gov/itareportapp and entering the following:
1) State where the facility is located.
2) If the company had 11 or more employees during the previous year.
3) Peak establishment employment for the previous year.
4) Whether or not the establishment is a government facility.
5) NAICS code.
OSHA believes providing this information will help identify establishments with specific hazards, enabling the agency to interact through outreach programs and/or enforcement. They further believe the information will allow OSHA a better way to analyze injury trends related to specific industries with the goal of reducing occupational injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
Read more HERE.
Workers’ Compensation Solutions for OWMA Members
Sedgwick is proud to deliver workers’ compensation claims management and cost containment strategies to nearly 60,000 hard-working Ohio employers, including members of the Ohio Wholesale Marketers Association.
Sedgwick clients annually save $200 million in workers’ compensation premium paid with the two highest performing savings options - Group Rating and Group Retrospective Rating.
Not yet evaluated by Sedgwick for the OWMA Workers Compensation Group Rating Program? Click below for a free/no obligation evaluation.
Why partner with Sedgwick?
Personalized service ι By imbedding our colleagues strategically throughout the state, Sedgwick has established a stronger local presence and model for service excellence. We are able to respond quickly to service needs, as well as create operational efficiency.
Industry expertise ι Sedgwick's qualified team of colleagues provide expertise that is unmatched within the industry. The foundation of our staffing model results in the most experienced management team and staff in Ohio.
Claims management and hearing representation ι We go beyond simple claims management to provide a consultative approach to strategies that will ensure compliance while improving efficiencies, outcomes and overall results.
Lower rates ι Understanding your experience modifier (EM) is key in reducing your workers’ compensation costs and measuring how your loss prevention and cost control practices stack up against the state average, as well as others in the industry.
julia.bowlingl@sedgwick.com
Phone: 513-218-4062
BWC Bonus & Rebates Incentive Program
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has eliminated their Destination Excellence Program and replaced it with the Bonus & Rebates Program. With this change, BWC has eliminated three programs that were offered under Destination Excellence (now Bonus & Rebates Program) and will maintain four of the programs.
Starting July 1, 2023, the Ohio BWC will no longer offer the following discount programs:
- Go Green Discount: employers could receive up to a 1% rebate for paying their BWC premiums electronically.
- Industry Specific Safety Program (ISSP): employers could receive a 3% rebate for completing 3 “loss prevention activities” throughout the policy year.
- Policy Activity Rebate (PAR): non-group rated employers could receive a small rebate for completing 11 different credits throughout the policy year.
Under the new BWC Bonus & Rebates Incentive Program, BWC will continue to offer the following programs:
- Lapse Free: 1% rebate for paying premiums on-time for the past 5 years
- Drug Free Safety Program: can earn up to a 4% rebate in the basic level or 7% rebate in the advanced level
- Safety Council: rebate is now 3% (capped at $5,000) for attending 10 safety council meetings throughout the policy year
- Transitional Work Bonus Program: up to 10% rebate for instituting and using BWC Transitional Work Program for any lost time claim where the worker is eligible for restricted or transitional work
If you have any questions, contact our Sedgwick program manager, Julia Bowling at julia.bowling@sedgwick.com or phone 513-218-4062.
Workplace Safety
The BWC Division of Safety & Hygiene’s Education and Training Services Center offers a wide variety of continuing education courses that emphasize the practical application of safety principles, development of a safety culture, current and proposed standards for regulatory compliance, risk reduction, and BWC programs. Click HERE for October in-person and online workplace safety training opportunities.