In our last article, we discussed the four points that affect Workers’ Compensation rates paid by Employers. These factors can be addressed by Industrial Therapists, who can implement a number of programs with and for Employers that will assist in preventing injuries and related Worker’s Comp costs.

Today we are looking at a few more details that should be considered for the goal of reducing Workers’ Compensation expenses:

Safety is a Priority

Make sure that safety is a priority for employees, management, and their customers.  Employers should have a formal safety manual and provide a copy to each employee.  In addition to contributing to content in a safety manual, Therapists are involved in the design and delivery of comprehensive on-site training classes.  These classes and on-site analysis can cover various health and wellness topics, teach body mechanics for safe materials handling and check employee skills and techniques to ensure they are using the equipment properly.

Implement Employee Physical Aptitude Screens (ePAS)

The right assessment system can help the Employer attain and retain qualified employees while minimizing Worker’s Comp claims at the same time. Many Employers choose to hire Therapist providers that offer KEY Functional Capacity Assessments.

1. Prior-to-Hire ePAS: This screen determines the Employees’ physical capabilities after they have had a job offer and before they are hired into the job.  They ‘get hired into the job’ contingent on them passing the job abilities screen.
2. Healthy Worker Audits: This audit/screen is usually completed annually to determine the ongoing health and wellness of each Employee.
3. Return to Work from Family & Medical Leave (FMLA): This program determines the Employee’s physical capabilities before they are approved to return to the workplace after having been out on a Leave as a result of either Family or Medical reasons. Even if their physician has released them medically to be able to return to work, the FMLA will determine if the Employee still has the physical capabilities to perform their work duties safely.
4. Return to Work from a Work-Related Injury or a Motor Vehicle Accident: This program determines the Employee’s physical capabilities – often after an incident in either the work setting – which would be covered by Workers’ Comp, or after a motor vehicle accident, which would be covered by an Auto Insurance company.

For more information about ensuring employee safety in the workplace, talk to our experienced team at KEY Method. We’re here to help you determine the right Return to Work program based on the needs of your business.