February—Workers' Compensation

Employee Safety—A Sound Investment
By Karnik Doukmetzian

As I sit down to write this article, the nation is mourning the loss of 12 miners in a small West Virginia town. These miners lost their lives in a tragic workplace accident—one that in all likelihood could have been avoided if their employers really believed what they are now telling the press about the safety of their mine and how much they care about their employees. The verbal assurances, however, are not consistent with the record. The mine received 276 citations for safety infractions over the past two years.1 In fact, the mine had such extensive safety problems that federal mine inspectors closed parts of the mine 18 times last year alone.
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Insights Into Your Workers' Compensation Policy
By Tim E. Northrop, ARM

One of the yearly expenses that employers must budget for is workers’ compensation insurance. The following are some questions that, as an employer, you may want to consider regarding workers’ compensation:
• What does this mandatory coverage provide?
• How does the insurance company calculate your premium?
• How can controlling your losses positively impact your premium?
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A Solid Safety Program
By Gary Hile

True or false: Workers’ compensation coverage is provided to protect employees from injury due to work-related accidents. If you said “false” you are correct. This coverage is not provided to protect workers. Real protection of workers comes from instituting a solid safety program—a program that has been carefully implemented and involves everyone, with detailed roles for each worker.
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Risky Business Cartoon
By John J. Dougan
"Take another look at your safety program! At this rate you will be out of employees in two days!"