Guidance on Costly VSSRs

OMA Connections Partner, Bricker & Eckler, posted an important caution to employers about Violations of Specific Safety Requirements: “Unfortunately, most employers don’t know a lot about a Violation of Specific Safety Requirement (VSSR) until one is filed against them by an injured employee.

“And most employers think that because they are OSHA compliant, they are covered – not true. The specific safety requirements of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) are set forth in the Ohio Administrative Code and, are many times, stricter than OSHA.

“So, what is a VSSR anyway? In addition to “regular” workers’ compensation benefits, an injured employee may be eligible for a VSSR award if the injury, illness or death was caused by the employer’s failure to comply with specific safety requirements.”