Ohio Businesses Save $6.8M in Joining Safety Councils

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced that a recent initiative to increase employer participation in Ohio safety councils will save businesses nearly $7 million.

In March 2004, BWC announced a one time, 2-percent discount for active Ohio safety council members to promote workplace safety and spur safety council membership. As a result, a record number of Ohio employers have joined and increased overall membership by more than 100 percent. Membership has increased from nearly 2,900 at the beginning of 2004 to more than 7,500 today.

“I am pleased to see Ohio employers pledge their support to an initiative that will improve safety efforts,” said Tina Kielmeyer, BWC Administrator and CEO. “While certainly the 2-percent discount will help employers’ bottom line, they will see an even greater return by participating in a safety council – the opportunity to protect their work forces, Ohio’s greatest asset.”

Because of the program’s reported success, BWC has offered another premium discount incentive. Employers who actively participate in the safety council program in fiscal year 2006 will receive a one-time, 4-percent premium refund. The deadline for employers to enroll in a safety council and receive the fiscal year 2006 discount was Sept. 30, 2005.

Although the window of opportunity to attain a 4-percent premium discount has passed, Ohio employers can still take advantage of active safety council membership.

Safety councils work with BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene to increase safety awareness. They also provide a local forum for occupational safety and health issues that are unique to certain industries and areas of the state. Safety councils are vailable to all employers in all parts of Ohio to help improve safety and reduce workers’ comp costs.

Topics Ohio