Insurance & Safety – Workers Compensation Best Practices
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION
- Prompt claim reporting.
- Have an insurance coordinator.
- Conduct accident investigations.
SAFETY AND LOSS PREVENTION
- Have a safety committee.
- Conduct restaurant safety inspections.
- Follow proper floor cleaning procedures.
- Wear personal protective equipment when needed.
Best practices to prevent slip/trip and falls
- Wear approved, slip resistant shoes
- Strategically place wet floor sign when mopping floor
- Use approved floor cleaning chemicals
- Repair irregular floor surfaces
- Keep floors clean and dry
- Wipe up spills immediately, no matter how small
- Walk, DO NOT RUN
- Keep trash, boxes, bun racks, other obstacles from aisles, walkways, doorways and stairwells
- Do not carry load that could block your vision
- Repair pot holes and uneven surfaces in parking lot and sidewalks
- Clear snow and ice from sidewalk and other traffic areas with ice melt, salt or sand.
COST CONTAINMENT
- Utilize workers’ compensation preferred provider organizations (PPO).
- Work closely with claim adjusters to return injured employee back to work.
Best practice actions to follow after an employee is injured.
- Provide first aid, if needed.
- Call nurse.
- If directed by nurse, send employee to PPO.
- Report claim.
- Get employee back to work as soon as possible.
- Mail medical bills to insurance adjuster.
REWARDS, RECOGNITIONS AND INCENTIVES
- Using rewards, recognitions and incentives has a positive influence on improving safety and reducing claims.
- Keep the incentives simple such as movie tickets, an extra day’s vacation, a store party, etc.