Safety Council provides business benefits

VW independent/submitted information

Developing and maintaining a safe workplace is no easy task. This is the primary reason the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce collaborates with Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation to sponsor the Van Wert Area Safety Council.

The Chamber also announces that the annual membership (July 2017-June 2018) to the Van Wert Area Safety Council now entitles members to send two attendees to each monthly meeting. This will allow twice the opportunity for employers to hear all the critical messages delivered at each meeting.

The Chamber invites businesses to be part of the Safety Council and join other members who are saving big money through rebates on their Workers’ Compensation rates. In addition, the safety and wellness information presented at the Safety Council meetings result in a safer, more productive workplace.

The Van Wert Area Safety Council, open to all area businesses, is an initiative of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and the Van Wert Area Chamber, together with partner Chambers in Delphos and Paulding.

Safety Council membership provides area businesses a potential cost saving benefit through rebates on their Workers’ Compensation rates, while providing a forum for safety and health information, education, and networking.

The Van Wert Area Safety Council meets the second Wednesday of each month at Willow Bend Country Club in Van Wert for a breakfast meeting with a guest speaker.

The Council is under the direction of the Ohio BWC and the Van Wert Area Safety Council Steering Committee, which includes the following members: Dave Thompson of the Kenn-Feld Group, Jennifer Rigdon of Custom Assembly, Lindy Buzard of Global Precision Parts, Anne Dunn of Van Wert County Hospital, and Dayna Noble of the Ohio BWC.

Contact the Chamber at 419.238.4390 or email chamber@vanwertchamber.com for a registration form. Those interested may also register online at www.vanwertchamber.com. Registration forms must be submitted to the Chamber by July 28. The Chamber looks forward to partnering with area businesses to improve their wellness programming, safety initiatives, and help them save money on their Workers’ Comp premiums.

Details about the Safety Council Rebate Program and the Safety Awards presented each year are as follows:

Rebate Program

Employers not in a group rating program that meet all program eligibility requirements also can earn a 2-percent participation rebate for meeting all of the rebate eligibility requirements and a 2-percent performance bonus for reducing either frequency or severity by 10 percent or with maintenance at zero.

Group-experience-rating program employers who meet rebate eligibility requirements can earn a 2-percent performance bonus rebate only.

Group-retrospective-rating program employers who meet rebate eligibility requirements can earn a 2-percent participation rebate only.

The rebate offer excludes self-insuring employers and state agencies. Restrictions apply to employers in a Professional Employer Organization.

Safety Awards

In conjunction with the Division of Safety & Hygiene, safety councils present safety awards throughout Ohio to promote greater interest in the prevention of occupational accidents and disease. Members with the best safety records are honored at annual awards events.
The safety council campaign is open to all companies, corporations, groups, and employers in Ohio. Members work with their safety councils to determine accident records. Accident statistics are used for the purpose of determining eligibility for safety awards and are not reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or any other enforcement agency.
Awards are presented to qualifying businesses in the following categories:

• Group Award — lowest incident rate in each group;
• 100 Percent Award — zero injuries or illnesses resulting in a day or more away from work in the previous calendar year;
• Achievement Award — 25-percent reduction in incident rate from the previous year;
• Special Award — at least 500,000 hours and at least six months without an injury resulting in a day or more away from work.