News and Analysis
BWC’s Cincinnati Office has Moved
March 2, 2018Effective Jan. 16, 2018, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Cincinnati office location is:
Cincinnati Claims Office
135 Merchant St.
Springdale, OH 45246
The phone numbers remain the same:
Claims – (800) 644-6292
Employer Services – (513) 583-4403
2/28/2018
BWC Board Expected to Vote on Premium Rate Reduction
February 23, 2018The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) board of directors is expected to approve a 12% reduction in private employer premium rates when it meets today. The rates would be effective beginning July 1.
If approved, the reduction would save private employers $163.5 million over this year’s premiums, which the BWC says are at their lowest rates in at least 40 years.
The BWC cites a number of reasons for the reduction of rates including, reduction in claims, slow-to-moderate growth in medical inflation, and more employers using its safety education and resources. From 2010 through 2015, BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene saw a 71% increase in the number of employers using its safety programs and services.
The actual premium paid by individual private employers depends on a number of factors, including the expected future claims costs in their industry, their company’s recent claims history, and their participation in various BWC discount programs. 2/23/2018
OSHA has New Fact Sheet on Respirable Silica Standard for General Industry
February 23, 2018OSHA has recently published this revised fact sheet that summarizes the major requirements of the respirable crystalline silica standard for general industry and maritime.
Workers can be exposed to respirable crystalline silica during the:
- Manufacture of glass, pottery, ceramic, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing, jewelry, artificial stone, dental, porcelain, or structural clay products
- Use of industrial sand in operations such as foundry work
- Use of sand for abrasive blasting
Generally, general industry employers must comply with all requirements of the standard by June 23, 2018. 2/16/2018
BWC CEO/Administrator Visits OMA Committee
February 16, 2018
This week BWC CEO/Administrator Sarah Morrison visited with the OMA Safety & Workers’ Compensation Committee to discuss the bureau’s 2018 agenda, which includes a focus on wellness and workplace safety. BWC has launched Better You, Better OhioTM, a program offering Ohio workers in small businesses a variety of wellness services. BWC is also planning a public relations campaign to help educate Ohioans how to be more safety conscious at work and at home.
In addition, A.J. Groeber, Executive Director of the State Medical Board of Ohio provided an overview of how Ohio’s medical marijuana program was going to work and how it might impact employers. Starting September 8, 2018 medical marijuana will be sold in Ohio. 2/15/2018
Pictured: Larry Holmes, VP-Finance, Ft. Recovery Inds., Inc. and committee chairman with Sarah Morrison, BWC CEO/Administrator.
BWC February Webinar Covers New & Upcoming Programs
February 16, 2018The BWC’s February webinar provides information about the Better You, Better Ohio!™ program, Drug-Free Safety Program, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo 2018, upcoming important dates and its monthly safety tip.
The webinar is February 28 at 11:30 a.m. Visit this page to register. 2/15/2018
New OSHA Safety Walk-Around Fact Sheet
February 9, 2018OSHA’s new fact sheet, Safety Walk-Arounds for Managers, provides suggestions for conducting inspections that can help you evaluate the effectiveness of your current safety and health efforts, and communicate directly with workers about job hazards. 2/5/2018
OMA Safety & Workers’ Comp Committee Meets Feb. 13
February 9, 2018All members are welcome to join – by phone or in person – the first OMA Safety & Workers’ Compensation committee meeting of the year on Tuesday, February 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the OMA offices.
Our guests include BWC CEO/Administrator Sarah Morrison, who will update members about the latest in BWC policy and services, and A.J. Groeber, Executive Director, State Medical Board of Ohio, who will update members about Ohio’s implementation of medical marijuana legalization.
Please register for the meeting here or by calling (800) 662-4463. The meeting is free and lunch is included. 2/8/2018
BWC Names Safety Innovation Award Finalists
February 9, 2018To spotlight employers’ ingenuity and commitment to workplace safety, The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) annually sponsors Safety Innovation Awards.
The program recognizes innovations that result in risk reduction, cost savings, and potential application to other workplaces, industries or operations.
After considering dozens of applications and visiting the sites of eight semifinalists, BWC has announced the following employers as the four finalists for the 2018 Safety Innovation Awards:
- MPW Industrial Services (Hebron) – M1-RV crawler – A remote-controlled vacuuming system that cleans clarifier tanks; it eliminates employee exposure from hazards of entering and cleaning clarifier tanks
- Navistar (Springfield) – Cab destructive weld tear down – An articulating arm that holds a worker’s pneumatic tool during weld tear down of truck cabs; it reduces the potential of falling, bad postures and awkward positions due to high reaction forces on employees during the process
- Ramco Electric Motors (Greenville) – Aluminum die-casting automated biscuit return – A conveyor system that delivers aluminum die-casting byproducts (aka “biscuits”) from the casting machine back to the 1,300-degree liquid aluminum bath; the system eliminates the exposures of an individual performing the task of dropping the biscuits back in the crucible
- Terracon Consultants Inc. (Cincinnati) – YM3000 pin puller – A redesigned T-handle that is adjustable in height and allows employees to remain standing when pulling 28-inch pins (used for soil density readings) from the ground; it decreases the potential of back or wrist strains from pin pulling, helps reduce fatigue and increases productivity
The four finalists will present their innovations to an independent three-judge panel and the public at the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo 2018 in Columbus on March 7-9. OSC18 attendees can cast a vote for their favorite innovation to determine the recipient of The People’s Choice award. 2/6/2018
Employers: Post OSHA 300A Until April 30
February 9, 2018Employers are reminded to post their 2017 OSHA Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, from February 1–April 30, 2018.
OSHA Form 300A lists the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during the previous year, and must be posted even if no work-related injuries or illnesses occurred during the year. It should be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted so that employees are aware of the injuries and illnesses occurring in the workplace.
A company executive must certify that he or she has examined the employer’s OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, and that he or she reasonably believes—based on his or her knowledge of the process by which the information was recorded—that the OSHA Form 300A is correct and complete.
More info here. 2/5/2018
BWC has Mailed Corrected 1099s
February 2, 2018The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) said that due to a printing error, the 1099s it sent to employers related to the 2017 Billion Back rebate were not accurate. BWC has mailed corrected 1099s.
Because this was a printing error, it did not impact the data sent to the IRS. The file BWC sent to the IRS was accurate.
You can view your corrected/accurate 1099 on the BWC website. After you log in, go to the View IRS 1099s service offering located on the About Us page. 1/31/2018