A major hospitality chain reduced their workers’ comp physical therapy costs by a whopping 30%. Don’t you wish you could say that about your company’s experience? Before the change, physical therapy was one of the company’s largest spends, in every region. Now, the hotel giant says mobile physical therapy services have transformed their approach – and their results.

OSHA’s new Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses rule was set to go into effect August 10. But that has been delayed until January 1, 2017. OSHA officials say they put off enforcement because they need more time to work with employers. They want to offer more information and guidance about the rule, which revised the OSHA regulation on Recording.

"Claims advocacy’ is fast getting the attention of workers’ comp claims leaders as a powerful approach to better claims outcomes. The on-demand economy has created cultural and multi-generational expectations around service, speed and simplicity, and some claims leaders have already figured out how to deliver."

That’s the word from longtime workers’ compensation veteran Peter Rousmaniere. Insurance Thought Leadership.

There is no shortage of evidence that wellness programs work. They work to save companies money on workers’ compensation costs. They work to save companies money on health insurance costs. And they work to create healthier, happier employees. In other words, everyone wins when companies take steps to encourage wellness.

There's lots of stress in the hospitality industry. Stretching is a great way to de-stress and reduce tension after a long day on your feet.

As if OSHA’s impending expansion of electronic recordkeeping requirements wasn’t enough, there’s another change employers need to understand. This one concerns the way OSHA handles inspections. And the penalties you’ll pay if you break the rules. Employers across the country have known this was coming since last fall. So are you prepared for the new Enforcement Weighting System (EWS)?

Despite some promising reports in the battle against opioid abuse and misuse among injured workers, the problem is far from over.  Recent research from the California Workers Compensation Institute, the Workers Compensation Research Institute, and drug trend reports from several pharmacy benefit managers indicate the number of opioid prescriptions written for injured workers is declining — at least, in some areas. However, opioids continue to ruin lives and cause hardships to businesses.

Manual materials handling injuries are the single-greatest source of workers’ compensation claims. They account for 30% to 40% of claims overall. The financial and personal costs of lifting injuries are huge. Nobody wants to get hurt at work. And no company wants preventable workers’ comp expenses. Ergonomic exercises can help reduce workplace lifting injuries.