Literature

[Gusg]

just getting started in the workers comp side of safety is there any good how to books out there?  I am seeing that your entire safety program effectiveness is based on numbers. I want to learn how to keep those numbers down

[Cambeul]

:  Not knowing the state you are located in or whether you are insured or self-insured, I can answer only in general terms.  The book you need the most and need to learn from cover to cover is the book of laws and regulations for your state or states.  Each state is different: the laws of the state in which an injured worker is employed determine what you can and cannot do.  (Note:  The are always exceptions to that or any other statement regarding workers’ compensation(WC).  The rules are different for maritime operations and may be for other such as railroad operations of employees hired and home-based in one state yet working in another.  They like to keep the system as complicated as possible.  After all, if you did not have to spend your time on the laws and regulations you could focus on safety and helping employees.)  Some of this is influenced by how your WC coverage occurs.  If you are insured or under a state program, you will have far less leeway that if you are self-insured.  Self-insured must follow the same basic rules, but you can be more creative on how you provide for injured employees.  And my experience has been that in general, the more you do to take care of employees as you would want to be cared for, the better things run.  (Strangely, that concept applies to many areas other than workers compensation.)

Other books may be located using the insurance company or state department as a resource.  There are many self-insured groups or associations that publish material.  An on-line search will yield some places to start for materials that apply to your location and jurisdiction.  (Look under: Safety Management, Risk Management, Loss Prevention and/or Workers’ Compensation Insurance.)  A check with the site Amazon.com yields the following which looks like a good starting place: Managing Workers' Compensation: A Guide to Injury Reduction and Effective Claim Management(Hardcover) as well as a few other books.  Again, what to specifically recommend depends on how you are insured and by whom.  Just keep in mind, there are many resources out there, you just need to find those appropriate for your situation.  There are also groups or associations that meet on a regular basis and provide training as well as written materials.  The same applies to many of the regulating agencies in states such as Oregon, Washington and California.

Many different numbers can measure the effectiveness of the safety effort.  One that management can easily relate to will contain a component of cost.  That could be some measure of Total Cost or cost per man-hour worked, etc.   You will need to explore what best is suited to and desired by your management.  (Cost per operating unit or department is effective in locating and putting on pressure for troublesome departments or locations.)  Keep in mind, your goal is to provide and manage an effective loss control program, if you do that the numbers will generally be down and stay there.  Don’t become so concerned about the numbers that you lose sight of the other considerations.  And keep in mind, that in WC cheap is not always the best or most effective.  People must be well treated and respect the system if they are to help in its management.  I hope this will provide some direction to you.  I wish I could say – Read X by Dr, Z as he will tell you everything you need to know.  But I can’t, and my experience is that you will continue to learn as long as you are involved in safety and/or workers’ compensation. I do hope this may provide some direction for your first step and help you start in a satisfactory direction.

Michael Brown, CSP Retired