PinnacolBlog

	Posted by Dianne Tobias  - March 22, 2013

Wake Up Workplace Productivity

You certainly wouldn’t want your employees coming to work drunk. Yet when workers lose even just one night’s sleep, or feel extreme fatigue, their cognitive capacity and productivity are impaired much like someone who has had too much to drink, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

A sleepy worker is less attentive and might not react as quickly to a critical situation. A fatigued worker might make costly mistakes and cause workplace injuries. Safety, productivity and outcome could be at risk.

Numerous studies recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Like adequate nutrition and physical activity, sleep is vital to our well-being and work productivity.

Despite the slower pace of our Colorado lifestyle, the nonstop 24/7 nature of the world today encourages longer hours, busier lives and continual access to entertainment. Many people sleep less just to keep up with everything.

Employers can create an infrastructure and develop training in the workplace to help employees get the sleep and rest they need. The following information is ideal for sharing in the break room or kitchen area.

Employers should …

• Keep long work shifts and overtime to a minimum.
• Consider different shift lengths for different intensity of work, such as physically- or mentally-demanding work during shorter shifts and light work during longer shifts.

Employees should …

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day (even on weekends).
• Try to exercise at least 30 minutes on most days, but no later than two or three hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine, especially in the late afternoon.
• Avoid large meals and beverages late at night.
• Relax before bed by reading or listening to music.
• Take a hot bath before bed.
• Have a good sleeping environment, and eliminate any distractions — such as noises or bright lights.

While there is no treatment for night-shift issues, following are a few night-shift coping methods to add to the above recommendations:

• Wear dark glasses to block out the sunlight while driving home during the day.
• Increase total amount of sleep by adding naps before or after work, to lengthen the amount of time allotted for sleep during the day.
• Be consistent with shifts, to allow your body’s biological clock to adjust to a nighttime work schedule.
• When sleeping during the day, eliminate sound and light distractions in your bedroom (blackout shades are helpful).
• Keep to the same bedtime and wake-time schedule, even on weekends.

While not all of these recommendations are possible in every setting, small changes can improve workers’ sleep – decreasing their levels of fatigue and increasing their productivity.

With sleep, rest and employers’ support, employees can become a “dream team” that is focused, safety-minded, productive and successful.

If you have additional questions or concerns, Pinnacol policyholders can contact their Pinnacol Safety Consultant or call the Safety-On-Call Hotline at 303.361.4700 or 888.501.4752.

	Posted by Jon Atkins  - February 4, 2013

Subrogation – Teaming Up For a Workers’ Comp Win-Win

May it never happen…  If one of your employees fell off the scaffolding while working on your building, Pinnacol would pay for the injuries associated with the accident. However, if it was determined that the accident was caused by a manufacturer’s defect in the scaffolding, that manufacturer would be liable for the worker’s injuries. We would then seek reimbursement through the manufacturer or their insurance company on your behalf, using a process called subrogation.

In short, subrogation is the legal process of obtaining reimbursement from a third party for the benefits paid through a workers’ compensation claim. Making sure the responsible party is held accountable is important in its own right, but there are financial benefits associated with subrogation – both for Pinnacol and for you.

When a claim is successfully subrogated, the payments received are credited to your loss history. This can positively affect your premium calculations. If your policy includes an experience modifier (e-mod), money recovered in subrogation could positively affect that number as well.

Payments recovered through the subrogation process also affect your insurer’s bottom line, and the benefits can be seen in the company’s performance. In fact, success in subrogating claims helps keep workers’ compensation services at the lowest possible cost to employers like you.

Our interests are pretty well aligned.  Each dollar we bring in on a premium is spread around the costs associated with operating a stable company. But every dollar we recover in subrogation gets applied right back to your claim. And every time we reduce the cost of a claim, it benefits both Pinnacol and the policyholder, meaning a successful subrogation is a true win-win.

Getting results in subrogation takes a team – attorneys, claims representatives and subject matter experts who are committed to aggressively pursuing these claims on your behalf. For more valuable information and resources designed to help you understand the subrogation process and how it can benefit you financially, please visit www.pinnacol.com/resources.

	Posted by Troy Bridges  - December 20, 2012

Why Do I Need OSHA Training?

There’s a reason public accountants are in business, and it’s not for their charm. The IRS has an encyclopedia of regulations, requirements and loopholes that can change on a yearly or monthly basis, and we need somebody to interpret it.

When it comes to worker safety and health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes the rules and regulations that employers need to comply with to protect their employees. These requirements, like tax codes, are not always clear and are often open to interpretation. That is why it’s important for employers find the experts on OSHA expectations and how its regulations can impact their business.

To accomplish this task, employers should seek training programs that covers the requirements relevant to their industry and operations. To help employers understand the requirements, OSHA offers outreach training programs that cover various topics for both general industry and construction. These classes are often 10 or 30 hours in length and provide a good overview of safety and health. Although OSHA does not provide this training itself, there are independent consultants and organizations that can provide this training through authorized outreach centers and certified training professionals.

These types of classes may give employers the knowledge they need to:

• Conduct in-house facility inspections
• Comply with governmental regulations and expectations
• Prevent on-the-job injuries
• Identify and inspect personal protective equipment or other safety devices for their operations
• Identify hazards and other risk factors that could lead to injury, property damage, loss of productivity, and more

In addition to understanding the requirements for safe business operations, many general contractors and government projects require sub-contractors to have personnel trained in safety and health, and may even require OSHA 10- and 30-hour course completion certificates.

Pinnacol Assurance offers OSHA 10-Hour for Construction courses throughout the year for policyholders, in English and Spanish. Course descriptions and registration details can be found on Pinnacol’s website.

	Posted by Dianne Tobias  - October 22, 2012

Preventing Accidents in Confined Spaces

At Pinnacol, we see tragic claims each year that result in serious injury and death. While painful to read, reports on these accidents are valuable as educational tools, providing real-life examples of preventable accidents on the worksite. In one of these examples, we see how the hazards of confined spaces can be deceptively dangerous.

While filling in for another employee, a worker was unloading a rail car full of flour-like material. The material would often stick to the sides of the car, requiring the employee to be on top of the car with an air nozzle to break the material loose and move it toward the vibrating vacuum intake at the bottom of the car. The employee was supposed to wait until most of the material was offloaded before entering the rail car to remove the remaining material from the sides and floor of the car.

The employee was working alone so there were no witnesses, but the employee was found engulfed in material in the rail car, which was still almost full. He was not breathing and passed away. It is likely that as the material left the car from the bottom, a “crust” formed on the top of the material and created an air pocket beneath. So when the employee entered the car and stepped on the crust, he fell through, and was surrounded by the material.

There are many ways an employer can prevent this type of accident:

• Implement a formal Confined Space program meeting all applicable OSHA requirements
• Conduct formal training for new employees and those performing new tasks
• Perform routine safety training
• Carry out site inspections to ensure safety rules are being followed
• Consistently enforce all safety rules
• Conduct training for employees working on unfamiliar or new processes/equipment
• Hold supervisors accountable for their subordinates’ safety performance

The following Pinnacol Resources, available to policyholders via the Safety Services Resources, can help you prevent a confined spaces accident from occurring:

• Sample Confined Space program
• Sample enforcement program
• Confined Space toolbox talk
• Confined Space e-training through ClickSafety

If you have questions or would like to speak to a safety consultant, please call Pinnacol’s Safety on Call line at 303.361.4700 or 888.501.4752.

	Posted by Carrie Evans  - July 26, 2012

Workers’ Comp Booty First Claimed by Pirates

As we near 100 years of workers’ compensation in Colorado, it’s worth taking a look back at how the system started. We know that the industrial revolution, with its significant increase in workplace injuries, prompted many of the labor laws we have today – including workers’ compensation. But, did you know that there was an earlier version of protection for injured workers dating back to the 1700’s? Aye, it all started with pirates.

Piracy was dangerous work and injuries were commonplace. Pirates were volatile, and mutiny could ruin the fortune of the investor behind a privateering venture. Pirates also often worked in cahoots with governments who shared in the spoils of these outings. There was therefore great financial incentive to treat pirates better than the everyday worker, and a program was created to compensate injured crew members for loss of limbs*:

• Loss of a finger or an eye = 100 pieces of eight ($2,660 in today’s dollars)
• Loss of a left leg = 400 pieces of eight ($10,640)
• Loss of a right leg or left arm = 500 pieces of eight ($13,300)
• Loss of a right arm = 600 pieces of eight ($15,960)

Of course, the pirate had to survive to collect his award. If the initial wound didn’t kill him, he was more than likely doomed by the poor (if non-existent) medical care. Other pirates weren’t necessarily sympathetic – one less pirate meant a greater share of the booty for the others.

If the pirate did survive, modified duty was not uncommon. He was expected to work, but at lighter duty. There wasn’t much chance that he’d decline this modified duty – he was still on the ship and not going anywhere. But once the journey was over, the pirate was on his own and it would be a long time before the American Disabilities Act (ADA) would be around to help him find another job.

While the risks were high and benefits small compared to today’s system, the pirate’s concept led to early social programs that eventually became workers’ compensation today.

* Piratesinfo.com

	Posted by Troy Bridges  - June 4, 2012

What to do When OSHA Comes Knocking

Many employers do not know what to do when OSHA shows up on their doorstep. Let’s walk through some of your rights as an employer, and resources that will be valuable to you before, during and after the process.

According to an OSHA publication on OSHA Inspections:

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is authorized to conduct workplace inspections and investigations to determine whether employers are complying with standards issued by the agency for safe and healthful workplaces. OSHA also enforces the “General Duty Clause,” which requires that every working man and woman must be provided with a safe and healthful workplace.

What is the OSHA inspector authorized/allowed to do?

• Enter without delay
• Inspect during normal business hours
• Privately question, interview and talk with employees/employer on the premises
• View employer records (i.e. OSHA logs, training records, safety and health programs, etc.)
• Seek a warrant if employer refuses entry

What happens during the OSHA inspection? The OSHA officer:

• Shows credentials
• Provides a reason for the visit (i.e. employee/anonymous complaint, focused inspection, referral, etc.)
• Reviews paperwork and recordkeeping
• Walks through the facility or jobsite (inspector may take photos, video, conduct interviews)
• Reviews findings with employer

What can employers do to prepare for an inspection?

• Determine beforehand who will interact with the OSHA inspector and perform the walk-through
• Train employees on what to do during and after an inspection (especially the people at the front door)
• Have documentation accessible, and educate employees on where the records are, who has access, and how to get them on site if necessary
• During the inspection, take photos as the inspector takes photos, make notes as the inspector makes notes
• During the inspection, if a hazard can be fixed on the spot, do it then and there instead of waiting until the inspector leaves
• Following the inspection, thank the inspector for their time and get a business card or contact information for follow-up

This is just a brief introduction to the OSHA inspection process. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact your Pinnacol Safety Consultant or call the Safety-On-Call Hotline at 303.361.4700 or 888.501.4752.

Additional Resources:
Inspections Fact Sheet
OSHA Enforcement Page
Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts Article
OSHA Inspections: What to Expect as an Employer Article

	Posted by Dianne Tobias  - April 19, 2012

Preventing Accidents Before They Happen with Job Hazard Analysis

One of the most common contributing causes to injuries is the “new” element – a new employee, a new piece of equipment, a new process.  Using a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) may eliminate this cause. A JHA is your blueprint for completing a job safely. It identifies the hazards associated with a job task, and the safety controls needed to prevent an injury and/or property damage. The power of this tool is in its ability to address the hazards before starting the job.  Think of it as your architect’s plan for the job at hand.  As an example, let’s say you need to move a large object. You would want to plan for:

• The weight: Do you need equipment to move it?
• The condition: Are there sharp edges that could cause cuts?
• The size: Will it prohibit you from seeing your path?
• The path of travel: Are there any trip hazards, stairs, corners, etc.?
• The final destination: Is there room to put it down?

Once the hazards have been identified, you can develop and implement preventative measures for the hazard. Ask your employees to help fill out a JHA for their jobs, which will encourage them to be an active part in creating a culture of safety awareness.

A completed JHA is a useful tool for ongoing and new-hire training. This one document addresses all four key elements of a successful safety program: management commitment, employee involvement, hazard analyses and safety training.

To ensure that a JHA remains relevant, make sure to update it any time the job changes, because even small changes in a task can introduce unexpected hazards and costly consequences. For more information on preventing accidents before they happen, call our Safety On Call line at 888.501.4752 or get started now by downloading Pinnacol’s JHA form.

	Posted by Joan Brown  - March 22, 2012

Beauty (and Formaldehyde) is in the Eye of the Beholder

The Brazilian blowout is an exotically-named hair treatment that tames frizzy or wavy hair, leaving it shiny and perfectly straight for months. To achieve the look, salon workers apply a keratin solution onto the hair, and seal it in with heat from blow dryers and flatirons. While the style may look great, getting it can be hazardous to the stylist’s health.

In 2011, the Department of Labor issued a hazard alert to hair salons and beauty schools about exposing employees to popular hair straightening products that contain formaldehyde. According to OSHA, formaldehyde is a cancer-causing substance, and can have other nasty effects:

• Eye irritation and damage, including blindness
• Nose irritation, including bloody noses
• Skin sensitivity, rashes and itching
• Breathing difficulties, like coughing and wheezing

Products with formaldehyde become especially dangerous when heat – in this case, from blow dryers and flatirons – turn the chemical into a gas, which is then inhaled by workers. Contact with skin can also cause problems.

The best way for hair care businesses and schools to protect their workers is to avoid products that contain formaldehyde altogether. But if they do use those products, they should view the requirements outlined in OSHA’s formaldehyde standard, including:

• Testing salon air during treatments to determine formaldehyde levels
• Providing ventilation and personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves, goggles, aprons)
• Educating workers on the hazards of formaldehyde

The Brazilian blowout is not a hairstyle “to die for”. For more information about the how to protect your workers from the dangers of formaldehyde, visit OSHA’s website or contact Pinnacol on our Safety On Call line at 303.361.4700 and ask to speak with an industrial hygienist.

	Posted by Christa Kamb  - February 1, 2012

Selecting Designated Providers: It’s More Than Location

It’s commonly stated that the most important criteria in purchasing a home or starting a business is “location, location, location”. That’s not as true when selecting a medical provider to care for your employees when they are injured. There are many other factors you should consider to create a beneficial provider/employer relationship and get the best care for your workers. You might ask yourself these questions:

• Do I require multiple medical provider locations, based on my operations?
• Do I want my medical provider to do pre-employment exams, physical screenings and drug testing?
• Do I have special needs as an employer due to the type of work (e.g., physical examinations)?
• Do I need a medical provider with caregivers who speak Spanish?
• Am I likely to need after-hours care?
• What are my expectations for the medical provider and staff?

You can contact providers directly, or use Pinnacol’s SelectNet provider directory to help identify and evaluate providers based on the criteria above.

You can get more valuable information with our Clinic Performance Initiative (CPI), which provides performance star ratings online for primary care clinics, with ratings based on operational and administrative performance, including:

• Patient comfort within a clinic’s setting
• The clinic’s ability to clearly and thoroughly address work restrictions and maximum medical improvement
• Efficiency with which the clinic handles workers’ compensation claims

By doing your homework early on, you have a much better chance of finding medical providers who understand your business and are committed to your employees receiving the best possible care.

View the CPI results now on the online SelectNet directory to help guide your selection of a designated medical provider.

	Posted by Troy Bridges  - December 7, 2011

What’s Hot in Food Service Safety?

While working in a restaurant may not seem like a dangerous job, employees in the food service industry are at a high risk for workplace injuries for several unique reasons:

• The work environment is fast-paced and intense, making it difficult to find time to implement a safety program and train employees
• 30% of restaurant employees are under 20 years old, and it’s the first job for many teenagers
• Employees often are using heavy equipment that can be extremely hot or have dangerous parts
• Exposure to sharp objects like knives, equipment and broken glass is common

The most frequent injuries to employees include minor cuts and sprains, but the food service industry isn’t immune to severe injuries. We have seen debilitating knee injuries, permanent back injuries and major burns to the face and hands in restaurants, nursing homes and schools.

There are many online resources for food service worker safety, including OSHA’s Restaurant Safety for Teen Workers and a recent Top Ten Safety Tips article. Pinnacol’s Food Service Guidelines provide easy-to-use training tips and resources in a “do’s and dont’s” format, as well as printable forms and templates. This resource can be ordered from Pinnacol.com in the Safety Talk Booklets section.

If you would like more information on how to keep your food service employees safe, please contact your safety consultant or call the Safety On Call line at 303.361.4700 or 888.501.4752.