Safety/Workers’ Comp

Ohio’s workers compensation rates remain some of the lowest in the country, ranking as the fifth‑lowest state as of Jan. 1, 2024, according to a report from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.

This marks a dramatic reversal from 2008, when Ohio had among the nation’s highest rates. The state’s premium index fell from 83 cents per $100 of payroll in 2022 to 68 cents in 2024.

Gov. Mike DeWine and BWC Administrator Stephanie McCloud credited the decline to improved workplace safety and the agency’s efforts. Private employers will benefit from another 6 percent premium cut effective July 1, saving nearly $60 million statewide. 7/20/2025

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) launched a new voluntary program July 1 aimed at helping employers prevent and respond to substance use disorders in the workplace. The Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR) Program replaces the Drug‑Free Safety Program and consolidates several prior grant initiatives.

Through SUPR, employers can qualify for premium rebates by meeting defined safety and prevention standards, including establishing drug-free workplace policies, providing employee training, and offering substance use assessments and testing. The program also covers reimbursement for related expenses and gives participants free access to the BWC’s “Better You, Better Ohio!” wellness program. 7/17/2025

The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is eliminating the grace period for submitting actual payroll.

Employers who fail to submit both payroll and payment by the August 31 deadline will be removed from discount programs and deemed ineligible for the upcoming year. Payroll reporting for the policy year spanning July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, can be completed online beginning July 1, 2025.

The BWC has created resources to assist employers in reporting, including how to file a true up report, what payroll is reportable, and how to report for corporate officers. 7/9/2025

The Ohio House and Senate this week passed House Bills 80 and 81, which set the biennial budgets for the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) and the Industrial Commission for fiscal years 2026–27.

HB 80 funds upgrades to the Industrial Commission’s technology for electronic and remote hearings. HB 81 supports BWC operations, extends prosthetic device coverage, renames the ombudsperson office, and reforms processes for injured incarcerated workers and Professional Employer Organization transitions. The bills now head to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the Ohio legislature seemed to have reached a compromise on Senate Bill 56, which proposed limits on THC, home grows, and tax allocations following the 2023 legalization vote, but the agreement collapsed hours before the scheduled vote.

The Senate version would redirect all marijuana tax revenue to the state’s general fund and impose stricter penalties, including a mandatory jail sentence for sharing, while scaling back home-grow and dispensary counts. In contrast, the House aimed to preserve local revenue shares and oppose harsher penalties.

With more than a dozen last-minute Senate changes, leadership pulled the bill and delayed it until after summer recess. 6/25/2025

This week, OSHA began public hearings on its proposed national heat hazard rule, the first federal standard aimed at protecting indoor and outdoor workers from heat-related illness. The rule would trigger protections at 80°F and stronger controls at 90°F, requiring employers to implement heat-risk plans with engineering and administrative measures, hydration, rest, shade, and acclimatization protocols.

The informal hearings, part of OSHA’s seven-step rulemaking process, run through July 2 and include testimony from labor advocates supporting the rule and business groups warning that the rule should allow flexibility for regional climates and operational needs.

Absent a federal standard, many states maintain their own heat rules, creating inconsistent protections across jurisdictions. 6/16/2025

This week, the OMA Safety & Workers’ Compensation Committee held its second meeting of the year, covering several updates to proposed OSHA rules, including the new Site-Specific Targeting plan, and Ohio legislation to regulate hemp products.

Committee members also heard presentations from Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Special Investigations Division on curbing fraud, OMA Connections Partner Safex on OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting, and Honda Motor Company on their commitment to road safety in Ohio. 6/12/2025

June is National Safety Month, a time for manufacturers to reinforce workplace safety and reduce preventable injuries. Sponsored by the National Safety Council (NSC), the campaign highlights weekly themes like roadway safety, risk reduction, and mental health.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also urges employers to review safety protocols, conduct hazard assessments, and engage workers in identifying risks. Manufacturers can access free resources, including training guides, posters, and checklists, from both NSC and OSHA. Employers are encouraged to use this month to update safety programs, promote reporting systems, and ensure compliance with OSHA standards. 6/12/2025

OSHA’s updated Site-Specific Targeting (SST) inspection program took effect on May 20, which focuses on non-construction workplaces with 20 or more employees. The new program identifies establishments for inspection based on:

• High Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rates in 2023
• Upward-trending DART rates significantly above the 2022 private sector average
• Exceptionally low DART rates to verify data accuracy
• Failure to submit 2023 Form 300A data

The program sets separate DART thresholds for manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. This initiative aims to direct enforcement resources to workplaces with elevated injury and illness rates, ensuring safer work environments.

OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips has consolidated and answered the top five questions from employers on the updated SST program. 6/3/2025

Recent storms across the U.S. and Ohio are a reminder that severe weather can strike without warning. From creating an emergency action plan to conducting regular drills, OMA Connections Partner Safex outlines these key steps every workplace should take to stay prepared when severe weather strikes. 5/22/2025

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced this week that inspection programs will focus enforcement resources on establishments with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses.

In a media release, OSHA announced that its Site-Specific Targeting (SST) program will use injury and illness data from 2023 to target workplaces with the highest rates of injury and illness for inspection. The SST will also factor in high-risk industries and hazards. 5/20/2025

The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is conducting its biennial Managed Care Organization (MCO) open enrollment period through May 23.

The role of an MCO is to provide medical management of workplace injuries. ProMedica Medical Management is the only OMA-endorsed MCO due to its strong performance and superior communication on claims and injured worker medical status.

Choosing an MCO costs nothing and does not affect your group discount program or relationship with a third-party administrator.

For questions about choosing ProMedica during open enrollment, contact Juliet Walker, OMA’s managing director of workers’ compensation services. Members who have already selected ProMedica don’t need to take action during open enrollment. 5/5/2025

The Ohio Senate this week unanimously approved Senate Bill 86 to generally prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products and drinkable cannabinoid products unless sold at a controlled dispensary. The legislation is sponsored by State Senators Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City) and Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro).

House Speaker Matt Huffman, as reported by Hannah News Service, said he expects “a full throttle effort (by the House of Representatives) in the month of May” to address marijuana, THC, and hemp issues. The OMA Safety and Workers’ Compensation Committee on June 12 will report on the legislation. 4/24/2025

The true-up process for policy year July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, will be available online beginning July 1, 2025.

The deadline to complete the true-up has changed and is now due Aug. 31. Please note, effective July 1, 2025, there will be no grace period for completing true-up. This applies to the true-up for policy year July 1, 2024, going forward. 4/24/2025

The open enrollment period for Ohio employers to select a managed care organization (MCO) to oversee medical management for workers injured on the job begins Monday, April 28, and continues through Friday, May 23.

Employers who are satisfied with their current MCO are not required to take any action. Those considering a change can find details in the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation MCO Selection Guide. 4/24/2025

April is Workplace Violence Awareness Month in the U.S., and with it comes the opportunity for employers to learn and refresh their workplace violence prevention plans.

OSHA defines workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening behavior that occurs at the work site, including verbal and physical.

Use this guide to brush up on workplace violence prevention and update your policies to prevent incidents, ensure compliance, and reduce liability.

The best way to raise awareness and protect your employees is to get them engaged in the safety process. OMA Connections Partner Simon Roofing recently gave a presentation to the OMA Safety & Workers’ Compensation Committee focusing on how employers can build the blueprint for an effective safety culture. 4/10/2025

The OMA’s Safety & Worker’s Compensation Committee met this week to receive policy updates on legislation and administrative actions that have taken place this year.

Committee members were joined by the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation Administrator Stephanie McCloud, who recently rejoined the department after serving as Chief of Staff for Governor Mike DeWine since 2023.

OMA Connections Partner Conn Maciel Carey also delivered a presentation updating members on OSHA’s enforcement and rulemaking, and forecasting what OSHA might look like under the second Trump Administration. 4/2/2025

With several of OSHA’s new rules and regulations now up in the air, it might be easy to lose sight or be confused about what is still endorsable by OSHA.

OMA Connections Partner BSI has tracked down the top 10 most common OSHA violations and what quick fixes manufacturers can do to rectify the situation. 3/27/2025

A Cleveland area resident has filed a lawsuit alleging all three members of the Ohio Industrial Commission are not qualified to serve, raising questions over the validity of decisions rendered by the panel that adjudicates disputes within Ohio’s workers comp system. Each of the Commissioners was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to a six-year term.

Additionally, State Representative Sean Brennan (D–Parma) has proposed legislation to rename the Workers’ Compensation Ombuds Office to the Customer Advocacy Office to better reflect the function of the office. OMA workers’ comp counsel is reviewing the amendment that will be discussed at the April 2 meeting of the OMA Safety & Workers’ Comp Committee. 3/17/2025

The House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee this week approved House Bill 81, the budget bill to fund the operations of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for the upcoming biennium. Additional procedural votes will follow in the coming weeks.

BWC Administrator and CEO Stephanie McCloud, in testimony, defended a proposal to expand coverage for prosthetic devices needed as a result of workplace injury. The agency intends to utilize their “surplus fund” to defray costs for prosthetics, even if the injured worker has not received a scheduled loss award.

Other policy changes included in the budget alter laws governing subrogation and PEOs. Interested members should plan to attend the OMA Safety & Workers Comp Committee meeting on Wednesday, April 2. 3/13/2025

With the Trump administration’s regulatory freeze pending review, many questions are up in the air on how the administration will move forward in regards to workplace safety, having already paused OSHA’s heat safety rule.

OMA Connections Partner BSI has produced their top five predictions for how the Trump administration will approach OSHA and regulations regarding workplace safety. 2/20/2025