Safety and Workers' Compensation Management

Ohio BWC Reimburses Employers in Select Counties for Drug-Free Operations

OMA Connections Partner Working Partners^® reports that the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) — in its efforts to respond to substance use in the workplace — has $15 million to help employers hire, manage and retain employees in recovery. Learn about the BWC’s Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program. 8/25/2020

Governor Asks BWC to Send $1.5B in Dividend Payments to Ohio Employers This Fall

To provide economic relief to employers amid the ongoing pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine this week asked the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) board of directors to send up to $1.5 billion in dividend payments to Ohio employers this fall. This dividend would equal approximately 100% of the premiums paid in policy year 2019. Checks are expected to go out by late October.

If approved by the Board, this would be the second dividend of $1 billion or more since April and the third dividend since 2019.

Additionally, Gov. DeWine asked the BWC board to approve a second distribution of face coverings to Ohio employers and their employees. In the first distribution, BWC shipped 20.6 masks to 197,000 employers. 8/20/2020

BWC Webinar on Inspections of Personal Fall Protection Equipment

Lack of proper fall protection is a major driver in workplace injuries and fatalities. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) will host a free webinar Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 11:00 a.m. (ET) to walk businesses through the inspection of fall protection systems. 8/20/2020

At a Glance: OSHA’s Revision of Beryllium Standard

OSHA recently passed a revised final rule of the beryllium standard for general industry, set to be enforced beginning Sept. 14, 2020. OMA Connections Partner Safex has published this analysis of the rule, highlighting what has changed from the previous rule. 8/20/2020

BWC Redesigns Its Website

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has redesigned its website. The BWC has made available this tool to spotlight the site’s 50 most-visited pages. 8/20/2020

BWC Updates COVID-19 FAQs

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has updated its COVID-19 frequently asked questions document.

Question 2 on the document addresses COVID-19 claims and experience ratings. As of Aug. 10, BWC had not decided whether to exclude the cost of allowed COVID-19 claims from an employer’s experience calculation. 8/13/2020

Best Practices for 3D Printing Safety

Dr. Marilyn Black, vice president and senior technical advisor for Underwriters Laboratories, recently provided a list of best practices for 3D printing safety. In an IndustryWeek article, Dr. Black wrote that many desktop 3D printers, while in operation, generate ultra-fine particles and numerous volatile organic compounds that may affect human health. 8/10/2020

Take Your OSHA Recordkeeping Skills to the Next Level

Earlier this year, the OMA hosted a webinar addressing the basics of OSHA recordkeeping. Now it’s time to review more challenging OSHA recordkeeping and recording situations in our follow-up webinar set for 11 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Presented by OMA Connections Partner Safex, this session will be interactive. Using the webinar polling feature, participants will determine if the cases are recordable and whether the cases result in lost time or restricted-work days. A variety of complicated cases will be presented for evaluation, including some COVID-19 scenarios. Learn more or register here. 8/11/2020

BWC-Sponsored Safety Councils Modified Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the pandemic, the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has made changes to how it will manage the safety council program.

Most of the more than 80 safety councils are now conducting virtual meetings.

The Safety Council Rebate Program is suspended for the July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 fiscal year. Safety councils are not collecting semi-annual accident reports. Subsequently, there will be no awards presented for the 2020 calendar year. 8/11/2020

Important BWC Deadlines Approaching Quickly

The following deadlines are quickly approaching for key Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) programs:

• Aug. 15 – Private employer payroll true-up deadline.
• Aug. 30 – Drug-Free Safety Program Action Plan due from advanced-level private employer participants.
• Aug. 31 – Self-insuring employer assessments due.

Meanwhile, a new BWC website is expected to be unveiled in late August. 8/12/2020