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The article presents a study which analyzes the impact of the sponsored interventions of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) on back injury claims in Ohio nursing homes. It notes that BWC data on claims, interventions, and employer payroll for all nursing homes for 1995-2004 were used to identify the relationship. Results show that a 21% reduction in back injury rate is associated with a 500-dollar equipment purchase per nursing home worker.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe levels of integration between occupational safety and health (OSH) and workplace wellness programs/practices/policies (" programs" ) among participants in an insurer-sponsored wellness grant program. Methods: We analyzed survey responses about year 1 of an insurer-sponsored grant to start a wellness program from 220 small- and medium-sized employers. Responses yielded 25 indicators of OSH-wellness integration, and 10 additional indicators to summarize multiple responses. Results: At least half of the employers (N = 220) reported some level of integration within five of seven categories of OSH-wellness integration. Employers sometimes considered ergonomics, safety, or substance exposure hazards while designing their wellness program (15%) or reduced such hazards to support their wellness program (24%). Few meaningful differences were observed by employer size. Conclusions: Although high levels of integration were unusual, some degree of integration was common for most indicator categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrated that insurer onsite risk control (RC) consultation services can control or reduce workers' compensation lost-time claim frequency and costs for serviced employers. Insurers and occupational clinicians can further collaborate to improve workplace conditions through injury prevention, accommodation and post-injury stay-at-work or return-to-work programs. Objective: This study evaluated the impact of a state workers' compensation (WC) insurer's onsite risk control (RC) services on insured employers' WC claim frequency and cost. Methods: We used two methods to model 2004 to 2017 claims data from 4606 employers that received RC visits over time and compare this claims experience to matching employers that did not receive RC services. Results: Relative total WC claim rates increased slightly after RC services, while relative lost-time claims rates either remained similar or decreased and WC cost rates decreased. The impact of RC services on reducing WC costs was cumulative up to the fourth visit but diminished thereafter. Conclusions: The insurer RC consultation program was effective in reducing WC cost rates for serviced employers. This is consistent with other research conducted on insurer RC services and related regulatory visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study leveraged a state workers' compensation claims database and machine learning techniques to target prevention efforts by injury causation and industry. Methods: Injury causation auto-coding methods were developed to code more than 1.2 million Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation claims for this study. Industry groups were ranked for soft-tissue musculoskeletal claims that may have been preventable with biomechanical ergonomic (ERGO) or slip/trip/fall (STF) interventions. Results: On the basis of the average of claim count and rate ranks for more than 200 industry groups, Skilled Nursing Facilities (ERGO) and General Freight Trucking (STF) were the highest risk for lost-time claims (>7 days). Conclusion: This study created a third, major causation-specific U.S. occupational injury surveillance system. These findings are being used to focus prevention resources on specific occupational injury types in specific industry groups, especially in Ohio. Other state bureaus or insurers may use similar methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]