ruby’s world · ruby’s world working behind the scenes to rehabilitate injured workers 5 from...

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Volume 3 Issue 3 • Summer 2006

Ruby’s worldWorking behind

the scenes to rehabilitate

injured workers

2 Summer/2006 Workers’ Comp Quarterly 3 ohiobwc.com

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

� ��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��


Contents Volume 3 Issue 3 • Summer 2006

On your side

12 Top story Ruby’s world Working behind the scenes to

rehabilitate injured workers

5 From the top Governor Bob Taft Administrator/CEO William E. Mabe

6 News briefs

10 Calendar

28 Safety tool Don’t take a vacation from outdoor safety this summer

36 Roundtable Closing the distance

Departments

Features

Cover photo: Ruby Schindler, a BWC disability management coordinator, holds photos of four injured workers she helped return to work through vocational rehabilitation.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Volume 3 Issue 3 • Summer 2006

Ruby’s worldWorking behind

the scenes to rehabilitate

injured workers

18 SafetyGrassroots safety Ohio leads the way in providing employers value through local safety councils

Turning tragedy into triumphInjured worker inspires others with remarkable rebound

30 Ohio’s work force

Innovative then,innovative nowLandmark Cincinnati cemetery is also a safety leader

Employers 22


Quick and easy. Hassle-free. Convenient.

Governor Bob TaftBWC Administrator/CEO William E. Mabe Chief Operations Officer Tina KielmeyerChief of Medical Services Dr. Gregory JewellSuperintendent of Safety & Hygiene Lynn KruseChief of Marketing Jeremy JacksonDirector of Communications Ryan Rekstis

Editorial Manager Robert LoomisManaging Editor Charmian Todd BoydArt Coordination/Design Donna MolnarPhotographer Dawn Weber

Contributing Writers Kim Bentz, Suzanne A. Brown, Rick Burson, Erik Harden, P. Sargeant-Matthews, Bill MonaghanContributing Designers Shereen Streeter, Ryan Tompkins

InquiriesOhio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Workers’ Comp QuarterlyCommunications DivisionP.O. Box 15277Columbus, OH 43215-0277 E-mail: [email protected]

General information For information about workers’ compensation, log on to ohiobwc.com, or call 1-800-OHIOBWC.

Subscription For a free subscription or to report address changes, contact Workers’ Comp Quarterly by fax at (607) 272-1307 or e-mail at [email protected].

Workers’ Comp Quarterly is published for Ohio employers, employees and the health-care industry by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) based on information available at the time of publication. Points of view, ideas, products, services or devices featured in advertisements in Workers’ Comp Quarterly do not constitute endorsement by BWC, an equal opportunity employer.

When reprinting Workers’ Comp Quarterly articles, please credit the original source of publication.

While the information, recommendations and photographs contained in this publication have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, BWC makes no guarantee as to, and assumes no responsibility for, the correctness, sufficiency or completeness of such information or recommendations. Additional safety measures may be required under particular circumstances.

BWC makes it easy for you to report payroll.And paying your premium is simple, too.

��

What’s the fastest, simplest way to file my payroll report and pay my premium?

uestion:Q

• Log on to ohiobwc.com, and click on Ohio Employers and then Payroll reports;

• Enter either your BWC policy number, federal tax identification number or Social Security number, if applicable, to access the report;

• After completing the report, the system will automatically prompt you to pay your premium;

• Simply enter your checking or savings account information, or credit card authorization. BWC accepts:

You may also call 1-800-OHIOBWC for more information.

To file your report and pay your premium

nswer:ALog on to ohiobwc.com at your convenience – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can file your payroll report and pay your premium with just a few clicksof the mouse.

Correction.

In “Fashionably Safe,” we showed a farmer wearing a baseball cap for protection from the sun. A baseball cap does not provide adequate protection from harmful ultraviolet rays that can cause skin cancer. A hat with a wide brim projecting three-inches all the way around (such as the one shown on page 29 of this issue) provides adequate protection.


Quick and easy. Hassle-free. Convenient.

From the top

Governor Bob Taft

Administrator/CEOWilliam E. Mabe

BWC makes it easy for you to report payroll.And paying your premium is simple, too.

BWC recognizes that it takes

a continuous commitment to

safety and workers’ compensa-

tion program management for

you to achieve a safe, healthy and

cost-effective workplace. Such a

workplace benefits you and your

employees. Your employees go

home safely at the end of each

work day and your bottom line

earns a bonus as your workers’

compensation rates decrease.

This summer, Adminis-

trator/CEO Bil l Mabe and I

look forward to honoring six

outstanding private and public

employers with Governor’s Excel-

lence in Workers’ Compensation

Honoring the best in Ohio

Awards. The award pays tribute to

employers who have established

safe workplaces for their employ-

ees. It also recognizes employers

who operate cost-efficient work-

ers’ compensation programs and

offer their injured workers proven

return-to-work options.

The employers we recognize

usually incorporate BWC’s safety

and cost- saving programs as

integral parts of their business

strategies. These programs help

employers develop innovative

ideas to improve safety and

reduce their workers’ compensa-

tion costs.

In addition, such outstand-

ing employers realize that, in

the long run, fewer injuries lead

to big payoffs: an established

work force; reduced lost-time

claims; and increased workers’

compensation premium-sav-

ings. Together, they set new

workplace safety and workers’

compensation standards that

raise the bar for everyone.

I encourage all employers to

invest in their workers and their

businesses by including safety

in their everyday strategies and

practices. Send workers home

safely every day.

More than 7,300 Ohio

employers are members of safety

councils. BWC currently spon-

sors 74 local councils throughout

the state. Can that many employ-

ers be wrong? They know that

safety councils help employers

develop and maintain safe

workplaces, which benefits the

bottom line.

As a safety council member,

you can attend regular meetings

where employers and safety

experts identify potential and

existing workplace problems.

You can also network with other

employers and learn about new

safety techniques, products and

Safety council membership has its privileges

services. In addition, you can

attend safety council-sponsored

seminars, plant tours, conferences

and panel discussions that address

relevant and timely issues.

If that doesn’t convince

you to join, BWC offers another

incentive. We are continuing our

safety council incentive program

for a third year. That means you

can receive a one-time, 4-percent

premium discount from BWC if

you become an active member of

your local safety council.

Read the news brief on page 9

and ad on page 26 to learn how

to qualify for this discount. Then

read “Grassroots safety” begin-

ning on page 18 for details on

the value many Ohio employers

receive by participating in their

local safety councils. I’m sure

you’ll agree it’s an excellent way

to help your bottom line while

learning how to better protect

your work force.

Simply put, it’s one more

way you can commit to making

safety an integral part of your

business. Joining your local

safety council can help you

achieve a safer, healthier and

more cost-effective workplace

like the 2006 Governor’s Excel-

lence in Workers’ Compensation

Award winners Governor Taft

and I will honor this summer.


News briefs

Workers’ Comp Quarterly, the broadcast version of this magazine, airs locally on government and public access chan-nels statewide. Check with your local cable provider for dates and times.

“My number one goal for the program is to provide useful information to the viewers,” says Jim Daniels, the show’s writer/producer and one of its correspondents. “We try to hold up examples of positive things that are happening within the agency.

“We usually have a discussion with our administrator/CEO or some of the policymakers,” adds Daniels, describing the show’s format. “We do a quick news update and always pitch Workers’ Comp University and the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, upcoming events like that.”

In addition to the discussion segment and news updates, each show also includes two to five short, but in-depth, feature stories. These segments showcase real-life employees, employers, BWC staff and/or partners sharing their workers’ compensation challenges and successes.

For example, the summer edition of the show features an interview with BWC’s Cathy Moseley. In it, she talks about her role as the bureau’s Chief of Staff and head of the newly created Internal Audit Division. The show, which starts airing in July, also includes stories on BWC’s three new regional managers, a business feature on an Ohio employer’s best practices, and profiles of two local safety councils.

Dave Brown, the program’s videographer/editor, says he hopes the show helps BWC’s customers learn about and take advantage of what’s available to them at the agency. He says

the show offers general information workers and employers can adapt to their particular workplace.

“Even if a subject may be specific to agriculture, it doesn’t mean that some other business couldn’t look at that and implement some of those suggested procedures within their own industries,” he says.

“One thing that I hope view-ers get out of the program is ideas to make their workplaces safer, to reduce and eliminate injuries, and then, to save money,” says Daniels.

A natural storyteller, Daniels recounts his favorite features over the show’s 10-year history. They usually

involve cases where BWC safety consultants provided employers with solutions that “cut hundreds of useless production hours out of their operation.” He also speaks fondly of stories in which BWC safety grants helped companies afford better methods of doing labor-intensive tasks they had done the same way for countless years.

Whatever the feature, the shows’ segments f low seamlessly from one to the other as you would expect in any dynamic television news show. In addition to Daniels, BWC’s communi-cations department and other bureau staff serve as show hosts and news correspondents. Mainly, though, the show operates with just a two-person production crew consisting of Daniels and Brown.

“If an outside production company did this program, they would probably bring in a crew of nine,” says Daniels.

Both men are up to the task, however. Daniels is a former U.S. Navy broadcast journalist with degrees in Radio/TV Writing and Video Documentary Production. Brown, a Bowl-ing Green State University graduate, has a solid background in television production, including seven years with two Columbus news stations.

“Obviously, NBC’s Dateline has a bigger budget than we have,” quips Daniels. However, he says, “We put out a good program.”

New editions of the Workers’ Comp Quarterly television show debut four times a year – in January, April, July and October. However, you can tune in throughout the year since shows air repeatedly on cable access channels statewide. — CTB

Don’t miss workers’ comp TV

Setting the stage: BWC’s Jim Daniels, acting as correspondent, reads the script while Dave Brown videotapes him.


��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

Agenda ’06 updateIncremental improvements show potential for sweeping reforms

In the first two months of 2006, BWC documented more than $50 million in progress toward the bureau’s Agenda ’06 goal of increasing revenues and decreasing costs by a combined $424 million before the end of the year. Unveiled in January, Agenda ’06 is BWC’s plan for strengthening the bureau’s financial and operational performance.

While the savings documented is more than $20 million off-pace toward reaching the $424 million goal, BWC management has spent much of that time refining the goals and defining approaches. Administrator/CEO William E. Mabe says he sees promise – and an indication of the challenges to come – in the early days of implementing Agenda ’06.

“Progress has been good across a number of areas, but slower than expected in others,” he wrote in response to questions about the status of Agenda ’06. “For example, we have made great progress improving our medical management (costs), but progress has been slower than expected in revenue enhancement.”

Management noted three areas of improvement during January and February in internal reports tracking progress on Agenda ’06. (Complete figures for March and April were not available at press time.)

Medical Services DivisionThe bureau’s medical cost containment initiative is on pace to meet its year-end goal.

Tasked with finding $90 million in savings before the end of the year, BWC’s new Medi-cal Services Division reported $22 million in cost reductions in January and February. Medical services was formerly under the bureau’s Division of Operations.

Investment DivisionThe Investment Division reports more than $27 million in savings in January and

February through interest income after transitioning the State Insurance Fund and other ancillary funds into predominantly fixed-income securities. Additionally, BWC worked with an industry leading reporting specialist to produce professional performance reports.

At the April Workers’ Compensation Oversight Commission (WCOC) meeting, members unanimously passed a revised investment policy for the bureau. Though the policy successfully incorporates many recommendations made by the Governor’s Management Review Team and takes important steps to safeguard the State Insurance Fund, Mabe expressed ongoing concerns.

“… BWC remains concerned that while the WCOC appears to encourage investments in equities in the long term, that asset class is not an option in the short term. Remaining in the Lehman Aggregate Index leaves the State Insurance Fund susceptible to further financial erosion due to interest rate risk in the current environment and potentially dismal returns going forward.

“BWC is confident the WCOC will respond expeditiously and enact a revised asset allocation, with a modest exposure to equities, after it receives an asset liability study from Wilshire Consulting in mid-May. Such action would demonstrate the WCOC continues to be mindful of its fiduciary obligation to Ohio’s injured workers and employers.”

Legal DivisionThe Legal Division was successful in its efforts to get legislators to pass Senate Bill 7

workers’ compensation reform, which becomes effective June 30, 2006. BWC estimates passage of the bill will ultimately help reduce bureau costs by $103 million annually.

Efforts to increase revenue through more aggressive collections on accounts receivable, such as unpaid workers’ compensation premiums, is going strong. The Legal Division reports bringing in $1 million toward its year-end collections goal of $3 million, and pledges to work more with the Ohio Attorney General’s office to further improve these efforts.


��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��


��

��

��

��

Employers to save millions by joining local safety councils

In March 2006, BWC announced plans to continue its safety council incentive program for a third year. Employers who become active members of their local safety councils will receive a one-time, 4-percent premium discount from the bureau. Collectively, this program could save employ-ers millions of dollars while they learn ways to make their workplaces safer.

“Though the 4-percent discount will help employers’ bottom lines, they will see an even greater return by partici-pating in a safety council,” says Tina Kielmeyer, BWC’s chief operations officer. “It’s an opportunity for them to protect their work force, Ohio’s greatest asset.”

BWC continued the program because of past years’ success. During the first two years, the number of employers enrolled in the program doubled, and the number of safety councils grew from 54 to 74. In addition, BWC gave back more than $6.8 million to employers statewide during the program’s first year.

To qualify for this year’s one-time, 4-percent premium discount, employers must:

• Enroll with their local safety council by Sept. 30, 2006;

• Have a representative attend at least eight monthly meetings from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007;

• Send a qualified representative to a chief executive officer event;

• Submit semiannual workplace accident reports for the 2006 calendar year.

The discount offer excludes self-insured employers and state agencies. However, BWC also encourages them to become active with safety councils. — SB

Note: See page 18 for a story on how many Ohio employers benefit from joining their local safety councils.

Watch for your summer payroll report in July

Private, state-fund employers – watch for your Jan. 1 to June 30, 2006, payroll report, in the mail in early July. When you receive the payroll report, complete and return it with your premium payment to BWC by Aug. 31, 2006.

A convenient way to file and payYou can file your payroll report electronically and pay

your premium online by logging on to ohiobwc.com and clicking on:

• Ohio Employers;

• Payroll reports.

Note: See ad on page 4 for additional instructions.


News briefs Calendar

June July August

JuneNational Safety Month — Encourage safety awareness at your workplace.

June 1Training class — Ergonomics: Developing an Effective Process; Ohio Center for Occupational Safety and Health (OCOSH), Pickerington*

June 7Training class — Enhancing Safety through a Drug-Free Workplace; Youngstown Customer Service Office, Youngstown*

June 13Training class — Drug-Free Workplace: How to Implement BWC’s Program; Garfield Heights Customer Service Office, Garfield Heights*

Aug. 8Training class — Arc-Flash Standard (NFPA 70E); Governor’s Hill Customer Service Office, Cincinnati*

Aug. 16Training class — Enhancing Safety through a Drug-Free Workplace; OCOSH, Pickerington*

Aug. 22Training class — Advanced Rate- Making; Cambridge Customer Service Office, Cambridge*

Aug. 23Training class — Drug-Free Workplace: How to Implement BWC’s Program; Dayton Customer Service Office, Dayton*

Aug. 25Public employers’ group-rating applications for the Jan. 1, 2007, rating year are due to BWC.

Aug. 30Training class — Arc-Flash Standard (NFPA 70E); OCOSH, Pickerington*

Aug. 31Private, state-fund employers’ payroll reports and premiums for the reporting period of Jan. 1 to June 30, 2006, are due to BWC.

Self-insuring employers’ assessment payments and SI-9 reports for the reporting period of Jan. 1 to June 30, 2006, are due to BWC.

Training class — Enhancing Safety through a Drug-Free Workplace; Cambridge Customer Service Office, Cambridge*

Aug. 31 Private, state-fund employers applications for the Premium Discount Program + and the Drug-Free Workplace Program for the July 1, 2006, rating year are due to BWC.

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene sponsors all training classes. For more information or to register, log on to ohiobwc.com, and click on:

• Safety Services;• Training services;• Safety and Hygiene’s

training center. You may also call 1-800-OHIOBWC, and listen to the options.

JulyPrivate, state-fund employers and black-lung employers receive semiannual payroll reports from BWC for the Jan. 1 to June 30, 2006, reporting period.

Self-insuring employers receive assessments and semiannual SI-9 reports from BWC for the Jan. 1 to June 30, 2006, payroll period.

Find out which six Ohio employers received the 2006 Governor’s Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Awards. Log on to ohiobwc.com, and click on Ohio Employers, then Governor’s Excellence Award.

July 1New premium year begins, and BWC assesses private, state-fund employers, state agency public employers and self-insuring employers their new rates.

New rating year begins for employers participating in the Premium Discount Program +, Drug-Free Workplace Program, One Claim Program, group rating and retrospective rating programs.

July 9 – 14National Fraud Awareness Week — A time to educate businesses and consumers about the threat of fraud, and to increase everyone’s awareness of the impact of fraudulent and other white-collar crimes.

July 24Training class — Enhancing Safety through a Drug-Free Workplace; Mansfield Customer Service Office, Mansfield*

July 26Training class — Drug-Free Workplace: How to Implement BWC’s Program; Mansfield Customer Service Office, Mansfield*


��

��

��

��

��

� ��

��

��

Attorney Representation At All Hearings

Saving Members Millions Each Year

Aggressive Claims Management

Personalized Service

You owe it to yourself to compare Group Rating plans.

Contact our Group Rating Department for a free, no obligation

quote at (216) 901-0066 or 1-800-453-9967

ALL GROUP RATING PLANS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

Visit our website at www.crmoh.com


Ruby’s worldWorking behind the scenes to rehabilitate injured workers

by Charmian Todd Boyd

Ruby’s world

Working behind the scenes to rehabilitate injured workers

F our years ago, Brad Hurtig’s f irst day

on the job almost became his last when a

catastrophic accident claimed his left hand

and most of his right arm.

In December 2003, Roy Mays, a U.S. Navy

veteran from Defiance, suffered a similar work-

place trauma. Mays’ accident claimed part of his

left arm.

Thankfully, Cindy Justice of Cloverdale and

Tom Dotson of Lima did not lose any limbs when

they injured themselves on their jobs in 2004. How-

ever, their injuries were serious enough to sideline

them from work for many months.

12 Summer/2006 Workers’ Comp Quarterly


Vocational rehabilitationIt’s BWC’s goal, and Ruby Schindler’s job, to

step into injured workers’ lives at these critical times to help them get back on track with work – and life – through vocational rehabilitation.

“The statistics show that if injured workers are out (from work) for more than six months, there’s a real good chance that only 50 percent of them are going to go back to work,” says Schindler, a disability management coordinator at BWC’s Lima Customer Service Office.

“Those are not good statistics. We would like to see 100 percent return to work. Now, we know … that is not always going to happen. But if there is anything that we can do to help injured workers arrange their lives in such a manner that they can overcome their barriers, then we can help them get back to work.”

“Voc rehab,” as Schindler calls it, is a field to which she has devoted most of her professional life. The registered nurse and certified occupational health nurse specialist has impacted many lives during her 14-year career at BWC, including that of Hurtig, Mays, Justice and Dotson.

Ruby’s world

How voc rehab works

“I’ve probably helped manage thousands of cases that went into voc rehab or were considered for it,” she says.

Schindler’s a gatekeeper of sorts.She reviews cases to find out if injured work-

ers are ready for vocational rehabilitation. She also reviews approved cases on an ongoing basis with managed care organizations (MCOs) to assure injured workers receive appropriate services and stay on track with their rehabilitation plans. In addition, Schindler authorizes payments for injured workers to receive living maintenance and/or other compensation benefits during rehabilitation.

Anyone can refer an injured worker for vocational reha-bilitation services: BWC or managed care organization (MCO) staff, physicians, employers or injured workers, themselves.

The referral goes to the injured worker’s MCO for review. If the reviewer determines the worker is ready for vocational rehabilitation, she or he submits a request for service to a BWC disability management coordinator like Ruby Schindler from the Lima Customer Service Office.

The disability case manager reviews the request and determines if the injured worker is eligible for services. If eligible, the disability case manager notifies the MCO and all parties involved that BWC has approved the referral. Then, the MCO assigns a vocational field case manager to meet with the injured worker and the employer to determine what specific services the person needs.

Field case managers meet with injured workers on a routine basis, making sure the services are helping them and that they’re moving in the right direction.

Rehabilitation can include diverse services, such as pro-

viding job-search skills, educational training, physical therapy, and making accommodations at the job site. Schindler and other disability management coordinators follow stringent guidelines in approving services for injured workers. Chapter 4 of BWC’s MCO Policy Reference Guide is their main reference source. It lists what services are available and how long injured workers can receive them.

According to Schindler, the basics of vocational rehabilita-tion involve getting injured workers the right services at the right time to help them get back to work.

First, the bureau tries to return the worker to the same job with the same employer. If this is not possible, it attempts to return the worker to a different job with the same employer, then to the same job with a different employer, and finally, to a different job with a different employer.

Schindler says, “Most people’s work ethics are good. They want to go back to work. So that’s the purpose of voc rehab; to help them get there. Some people need more services than others.”

13 ohiobwc.com

On the job: Ruby communicates with injured workers via phone, through e-mail and in person.


The human toll of injuryWhen people injure themselves at work, there

are enormous human costs. And the road to reha-bilitation is often a trying one, says Schindler.

Obviously, the injured worker is most affected. He or she has to deal with the injury – the physical and emotional implications, and resulting inter-ruptions to his or her normal life.

There are also consequences for the injured worker’s family, employer and community.

“We’re a working society,” says Schindler. “You need to be able to support yourself and your family.”

For Mays, that was his primary concern. “I didn’t know if I would ever be able to work again,” he says.

Hurtig, then only a junior in high school, shared a similar concern.

“I only remember being in tears twice, one time because of the pain; the other time because of the emotional aspect of wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my life without hands,” he says.

At minimum, both Hurtig and Mays needed prostheses to resume “normal” lives, much less to return to work. BWC provided this necessity for both men.

Since Hurtig was just a teenager with virtually no work experience when he had his accident, he needed more assistance than most to develop his job skills. By working jointly with the Rehabilita-tion Service Commission’s Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR), Schindler helped him finish high school and eventually attend Northwest State Community College. Hurtig received a scholarship to attend the college while continuing to receive rehabilitation services from both agencies. He received his associate’s degree this May.

Schindler is particularly proud of this young man, whose case she has managed for four years. She takes a personal interest in his life and prog-ress, displaying clippings of newspaper articles published about him in her office.

Hurtig has become somewhat of a local celebrity – appearing on The Montel Williams’ Show and on ESPN to discuss his experience. BWC also featured him as the cover story for the debut issue of this magazine in winter 2004.

“I’ve met a lot of people because of this acci-dent …,” says Hurtig, who has been an inspiration to many in his community. For his part, though, he credits his family, his faith and the same com-munity that he’s inspired with supporting him through a very tough time.

Hurtig now works as a project manager for a

sister company of the place where he was injured.He says he does not fully understand all the

details of how Schindler and others have helped in his rehabilitation, but knows they have “managed things” for him.

“They’ve really taken care of things,” Hurtig says. “I think it was very early in the hospital … and they came in and actually sat down and talked with my family and told them what’s going to happen, and how they’re going to take care of the bill and things.”

BWC stuck with Hurtig since those early days all the way through his successful rehabilitation. Schindler expects to close his case this summer.

Mays’ case was not as prolonged, but Schindler had to push for his rehabilitation. She worked with him and the assigned MCO to ensure he was part of the process.

“I actually had to make the phone call to him first and get him to understand what voc rehab was all about and how it was going to help him, because he was afraid,” she says.

The effort was worth it. “Lo and behold after about

eight weeks of the transitional work program, he went back to his regular job,” Schindler proclaims gleefully. (See page 30 for Mays’ full story.)

Brad Hurtig: He lost his left hand and most of his right arm in an accident on the fi rst day of a summer job, right before his senior year of high school.

Roy Mays: A workplace accident claimed most of his left arm. “I didn’t know if I would ever be able to work again.”


Feeling worthlessFear is an emotion many seriously injured

workers share. Often times, they become isolated from others because they no longer have the daily routine of going to work. Therefore, they may feel alone and become depressed.

Justice, then a nurse’s assistant at a nursing home in her area, sustained a serious neck injury as she tried to catch an elderly patient from fall-ing in the shower. The injury abruptly ended her dream of becoming a registered nurse. The demands of nursing were greater than the restric-tions her doctor allowed.

“I was completely done with all my course-work, had spent lots of money on my education, and all that was left was for me to do was my clinical (training),” she says.

T he i n ju r y t u r ne d Ju s t i c e ’s wor ld upside - down.

She readily admits going through stages of depression. Her employer appealed her injury claim. And although she eventually won the appeal, she lived with chronic pain for months while awaiting needed surgery.

“I felt worthless,” she recalls. “Sitting around wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I would have much rather been earning my own way.

“I had to snap myself out of it. I loved working with the elderly, but at the same time, I needed to move on with what skills I had.”

By the time her MCO referred her for vocational rehabilitation, Justice had already decided what she was going to do. She was going to continue in the medical field and take classes to become a phlebotomist (someone who draws blood). That way, she could use the skills she already had as a registered nurse-in-training.

Justice determined she would do this with or without any help. Fortunately, she did not have to make that choice. Through BWC and BVR’s vocational rehabilitation services, Justice registered for a course at Rhodes State College so she could do clinical work toward getting her phlebotomy certification.

Fear is an emotion many seriously injured workers share.

Cindy Justice: A job injury turned her world upside-down. “I felt worthless,” she recalls. “Sitting around wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”


“I have two children I’m trying to raise,” says Justice, remembering rough times. “I wanted to go out and work so bad, because I got further and further behind with my bills. I have a major credit card that is maxed out due to this injury. And I’ve always worked all my life. I never got anything for free. And I knew I wasn’t going to let this stop me.”

It’s been a painful journey for Justice, but she has been enjoying her new career as a phleboto-mist since February. The injury may have robbed her of her original dream job, but definitely not her fighting spirit.

Eileen J. Mitchell-Lake of GENEX Services is Justice’s MCO-assigned vocational case manager. Mitchell-Lake says her client was an extremely motivated rehabilitation candidate.

Justice’s drive, combined with caring assistance from Schindler and fellow BWC staff, Mitchell-Lake, BVR and others, ensured her a successful rehabilitation experience.

Schindler stresses the importance of injured workers’ participation in the rehabilitation pro-cess. She says some states mandate vocational rehabilitation for their injured workers, but Ohio’s system is strictly voluntary.

“We found that actually works better because people cooperate; they just don’t go through the

process. They actually participate, and that’s important,” she says.

Helping injured workers overcome barriers

“A lot of times when people are seriously injured or they per-ceive themselves to be seriously injured, they have trouble getting past the disability,” says Schindler. “We have to help them overcome that obstacle.”

Sometimes the barriers are more dif-ficult to manage than the actual injury, says Schindler. Vocational rehabilitation gives injured workers the guidance they need to return to work.

Dotson was a seasoned construction worker who loved his job when injury ended his career.

Tom Dotson: Injury ended his construction career, but he’s now enjoying his new job as a driver.

Working together: Eileen J. Mitchell-Lake (left), Cindy Justice and Ruby Schindler discuss Justice’s rehabilitation plan.


“I was up 16 feet or so and a scaffold fell,” he says. “I busted my hip, fractured my pelvis in four spots, broke my leg, broke my foot, and had 18 stitches in my head.”

After two surgeries and coping with tremen-dous physical pain, Dotson soon found out he would also have to overcome mental hurdles.

“It was rough at first because I was on a walker for seven months,” he says. “I wanted to go back to work so bad. I got so depressed sitting around the house. I needed to do something.”

When Dotson was able to get around better, he entered a vocational rehabilitation program. Still, Schindler says, Dotson’s case wasn’t the easiest to manage because his mental struggles continued to haunt him.

“He had some barriers to overcome – barriers that he had to admit to to get some treatment before he could actually get back to work,” she says.

In addition to overcoming mental barriers, injured workers like Dotson often don’t understand “the process of getting back to work,” Schindler adds. For example, she says they don’t know how to work with their employers and physicians to get medical releases and return to work.

Schindler says most employers embrace vocational rehabilitation, especially once they understand how it benefits them and their injured workers.

“If we can help … the employer, it’s a tremen-dous cost-savings for them,” says Schindler. “It also preserves (injured workers’) employability or makes them more employable, and keeps them interested in society.”

Through job-seeking skills training and other services provided by BWC, Dotson found a new employer and career as a driver.

“I really didn’t think I’d like driving, but I’ve met so many different people, and they’re all nice to me,” says Dotson.

He adds that he has been very satisfied with his workers’ compensation experience, and par-ticularly with Schindler.

“Well, there were a lot of questions with my attorney and everything, and I didn’t quite under-stand,” he says. “I can talk to her and she explains it all exactly how it is.”

Success storiesMitchell-Lake echoes this sentiment. “When

I call Ruby, I don’t even have to come up with a claim number. She knows her people. All you do is say their first name, and she knows who you’re talking about.”

Injured workers like these who go through BWC’s vocational rehabilitation generally have more serious, complex workers’ compensation injuries. With the dedication of Schindler and other

BWC and MCO staff, many are able to return to work. From Sept. 1, 2004 to Sept. 30, 2005, the aver-age MCO return-to-work rate for injured workers who entered vocational rehabilitation was almost 57 percent.

Like Dotson, Justice, Mays and Hurtig, these workers contributed to their own successes. They overcame tremendous obstacles, sometimes within themselves, but are all now back to work – contrib-uting to their families and to their communities.

BWC here for Ohio’s workersIn her gentle, soft-spoken, yet commanding

manner, Schindler reminds us that “injured work-ers are mothers and fathers. Their kids need them, as well as the community needs them. We need them to get back to their routine and be working people,” she says.

“I think people should know that the bureau cares about working people in Ohio who get injured – that when they have legitimate claims and injuries, that we’ll do everything we possibly can to help them get better, heal and get back to work,” says Schindler.

“We’re here to help working people.”

Breaking down the barriers: Schindler helped Tom Dotson work through his mental hurdles and successfully get back to work.


On your side Safety

BWC helps Ohio lead the nation in promot-ing workplace safety at the grassroots level. The bureau’s Division of Safety & Hygiene sponsors 74 local safety councils around the state. More than 7,300 employers are members.

At council meetings, members learn how to protect their workers’ safety and control their workers’ compensation costs.

“We are proud that under the workers’ compensation banner, Ohio is the only state with safety councils devoted exclusively to workplace safety and health,” says Michelle Francisco, senior manager of educational services for the Division of Safety & Hygiene.

Employer/community partnerships The bureau partners with employer and

community groups to co-sponsor most safety councils. These partners include: area chambers of commerce, trade and manufacturing associa-tions, American Red Cross chapters, and other local safety-minded groups.

“Safety councils offer another value-added service for chambers of commerce and other sponsoring organizations to offer their members and the community,” says LuAnn Weethee, BWC’s safety council coordinator.

Safety councils provide employers with a local forum for dealing with safety and health issues unique to certain industries and areas of the state. They also give employers easy access to workers’ compensation, return-to-work and risk-management information.

Ohio leads the way in providing employers value through local safety councils

Grassrootssafety

by Suzanne A. Brown

At the wheel: Christine Kurtis, Goodwill sales associate, demonstrates the proper technique for using a dolly. Goodwill representatives learned this and other useful tips by attending Licking County safety council meetings.


Safety councils add value

Sandusky Area Safety CouncilThe Sandusky Area Safety Council started during World War II and

now has 102 employers as members.“A lot has changed in the 60 years since World War II, yet the safety

council has retained a relevance that has only grown in importance into the present day,” states John O. Bacon, chief executive officer of The Mack Iron Works. The 105-year old metal fabrication company in Sandusky is an original council member.

This safety council is an independent service organization governed by elected officers and a board of directors. Members discuss topics, such as violence in the workplace, Web-based safety training and contractor safety at monthly dinner meetings. The council also sponsors a safety seminar series in June and presents safety awards to local citizens.

Ron Fussner is corporate director of loss prevention for Cedar Fair, LP, the parent company of Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky. He says the council’s networking and learning opportunities are vital to Cedar Point’s daily operations.

“To show the value we place on safety education, our safety depart-ment’s theme is ‘Safety through Knowledge,’” explains Fussner. “You can’t put a price on what you can learn from others at council meetings.”

Ellen Supp, executive secretary of the safety council says companies understand the benefits of membership.

“One less lost-time injury will impact an employer’s bottom line more than any cash incentive ever will,” emphasizes Supp. “Our companies understand this, and that’s why their safety records are improving.”

Knox County Safety CouncilKnox County Safety Council celebrates its 30th anniversary this year,

with the theme, “Reaching New Levels in Safety Awareness.”“We strive to touch the lives of employees and their employers in the

community,” says Carol Grubaugh, programs manager and safety council coordinator of the Mount Vernon-Knox County Chamber of Commerce. “Our members learn vital information every meeting.”

Council benefits: different perspectives

The benefits of safety councils are as varied as their members. Read “Safety councils add value” to learn the many ways in which employers in four counties benefit from their safety council memberships.

Francisco’s perspective summarizes their views. She says, “Safety councils hold the key to safer, healthier and more cost-effective workplaces for Ohio’s employers, working men and women, and their local communities.”

High customer-satisfaction ratingsIn December 2005, BWC surveyed safety coun-

cil members to rate their level of satisfaction with the program. The results were glowing. Almost 95 percent of the 1,628 safety council members who responded said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their local program.

In addition, almost all of the responders said they were more aware of safety issues because they attended meetings. They also said they have shared meeting information with co-workers and would recommend safety-council membership to other business owners. More than 90 percent of them also said their employees operate equipment more safely because of their safety-council involvement.

Call to action To join an Ohio safety council or start one

in your area, call BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene at (614) 728-6470 or 1-800-OHIOBWC, and listen to the options. For more information, visit ohiobwc.com and click on:

• Safety Services;

• Training services;

• Safety councils.

Note : See news brief on page 9 to learn how you can earn a premium discount by joining your local safety council.

19 ohiobwc.com

Pause for applause: John Principe, Licking County’s Safety Council president, applauds a meeting attendee.

Step right up: Paul McKnight, a HiSAN employee, stands on a raised wooden platform specifically built forhis height. Company representatives got the idea for this improvement at a safety council meeting.


The 74-member council meets monthly. Its members include health-care facilities, local churches, schools, restaurants, manufacturers and utility companies.

“Council participation teaches through guest speakers and member-to-member testimonials,” Grubaugh says. “The council also likes to give back to the community by offering scholarships to students majoring in a safety-related field.”

Grubaugh stresses the impor-tance of having a diverse steering committee to organize and plan council meetings. Knox County’s 10 -member steering committee meets monthly.

Steering committee member Amy LaBenne is a human resources specialist for HiSAN Inc., which produces fluid-handling tubing for the automotive industry. The com-

pany’s Mount Vernon plant has 226 employees. Headquartered in Findlay, the company became a self-insuring employer this year.

“Due in part to our five-year safety council involvement, HiSAN’s safety record has dramati-cally improved,” comments Vicki Carney, manager of human resources. HiSAN had a 98-percent reduction in lost work days from 2003 to 2004, and a 71-percent decline in repetitive stress injuries.

“We share pertinent council information with our supervisors and employees, and we use safety videos from the council’s library for training. In addition, our plant manager attended some meetings this year, and that helped us gain needed support for our safety program.”

Carney says they have learned many practical tips about ergonomics and safety for employees from council speakers, which have enhanced their programs. Their council connections also helped them develop a return-to-work program.

Licking County Safety CouncilVicky Crist insists membership has its privi-

leges. She’s safety council manager and member-ship director for the Licking County Chamber of Commerce.

“We doubled in size from approximately 60 employer members two years ago to 120 members today,” she notes. “Area manufacturers to small businesses are reaping the rewards.”

Licking County Chamber President Cheri Hottinger agrees.

“When I talk with potential area employers, I always note the safety council’s program,” says Hottinger. “It’s an advantage for our county’s economic growth and development because the council offers such a wide array of services.”

Council member Dick Chesterson is Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries Inc.’s transportation and facilities/safety administrator. He says sharing meeting topics with his safety team members pays off. “Our number of accidents is decreasing for our 352 employees because of it,” he states.

Located in Newark, Goodwill has imple-mented several suggestions Chesterson learned at safety council meetings. For example, the organization bought 25 self-elevating, spring-lift platform carts for its five stores and donation centers. The equipment helps eliminate excess bending and cart-tipping risks when employees unpack donated items.

Charles Strauch, Goodwill’s executive direc-tor explains, “The council keeps us current on the latest safety trends and regulations. We’ve more than doubled Goodwill’s number of employees and our budget, but that wouldn’t have been possible without a sound safety and health program that focuses on the community.”

Warren County Safety CouncilThe Warren County Safety Council doubled

in size in 2005. To ensure maximum participation from mem-

bers, the council offers two monthly meetings; one in Springboro and the other in Lebanon. Both meetings feature the same speakers and topics.

The council ’s morning meetings have a 90-percent attendance rate. “I attribute our high attendance to the council’s e-mail database that is used to remind members of meetings and for members to use in their safety networking,” says Sara Arseneau, executive director, Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce. “We hope every member feels they have ownership in our council.”


Bundled up: Roger Tucker of HiSAN arranges tube bundles atop an ergonomically designed cart. HiSAN purchased the cart as a result of a safety council meeting tip.

Gloves on: Jacqueline Murphy, Goodwill sales associate, wears latex gloves during the sorting process, a tiplearned from safety council meetings.


Arseneau says participating in safety council makes good business sense.

“If you’re in business, it’s a definite benefit to be a council member,” she explains. “The safety council offers education at no cost for employers’ safety com-mittees and provides monthly resources for safety programs. The council offers information to help members’ companies be safer and more profitable. That also helps them retain and hire employees.”

This growing council started at the request of Dan Wilson, public works superintendent, city of Lebanon. He learned about safety councils while attending classes at BWC’s training center in Pick-erington four years ago. Wilson met with chamber members, who agreed Warren County needed a council. The closest council was 45 minutes away.

“Our 16 -employee division hasn’t had any lost- t ime injuries since we began at tending council meetings,” says Wilson. “We’re keeping our employees healthy by encouraging a 24-hour safety culture.”

Higher Savings

The Frank Gates Service Company5000 Bradenton Avenue � Dublin, Ohio � 43017

Higher Rewards

Higher Ground

1-888-646-9675w w w . f r a n k g a t e s . c o m

Peak Performance inWorkers� Comp

More group rating discount tiers to pinpoint your highest possible savings levelSuperior return-on-investmentExpert claims adjusters and account teamEducational client seminars and newslettersWorkers' comp program administration for state-funded and self-insured employers

��

Carting around: Vickie Teegardin, Newark Goodwill store manager, uses a spring-lift cart the organization purchased as a result of attending Licking County Safety Council meetings.


On your side Employers

by Rick Burson

More than a century ago, a devas-

tating health crisis led to a sharp rise in

deaths in the Cincinnati area.

The city lacked sufficient burial

space, and a group of people decided

Cincinnati needed a new cemetery that

truly honored the memory of those

buried there.

Today, Spring Grove Cemetery

serves as a fitting memorial. It also

offers the community and its visitors

hundreds of acres of scenic green space

to enjoy.

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot of

work to operate and maintain Spring

Grove. The company takes as much

pride in keeping its workers safe as it

does keeping the cemetery beautiful.

Innovative then, innovative now

Marked improvement: Chris O’Banion (left) assists Mark Kidd in operating the custom-made grave-marker retrieval attachment that connects to a backhoe.The device has greatly reduced safety and ergonomic risk factors.

Landmark Cincinnati cemetery is also a safety leader


“They have built a solid risk-management program,” says Michael Donohue, an industrial safety consultant from BWC’s Cincinnati Cus-tomer Service Office. “They are well-schooled in the recogni-tion, evaluation and control of workplace hazards.”

Donohue, ergonomist Theresa Paxton from BWC’s Hamilton Customer Service Office and Adam Woodward, an employer services specialist from the Governor’s Hill Customer Service Office, have worked closely with the cemetery.

During the past 10 years, according to Dono-hue, Spring Grove has been credit-rated with an average experience modifier of 0.80 and just 12 lost-time claims.

“We try to get every kind of safety equip-ment we can to protect our workers,” says Paul Gallaher, safety director at Spring Grove. “If they (our employees) can show us a tool or a piece of equipment that can make the job easier and safer, we will get it. No questions asked.

“If we can send our workers home the same way they came to us — not dirty, not fatigued, nothing adverse — that makes us happy,” he adds.

Beauty from tragedyIn the 1830s and 1840s, deaths from deadly

cholera outbreaks filled Cincinnati’s cemeteries to capacity.

Back then, cemeteries were often small church-yards, and operators did not maintain them well. This, no doubt, added more sadness for bereaved families. So the Cincinnati Horticultural Society sought to create a picturesque, semirural memorial park and arboretum that could serve the commu-nity well into the future.

The Cemetery of Spring Grove opened in 1845 on 220 acres of land.

More than 160 years later, Spring Grove Cem-etery, as it is now known, consists of 733 acres. It is the final resting place for people ranging from Revolutionary War veterans and modern-day celebrities, to thousands of ordinary citizens.

Famed Union General Joseph Hooker is buried there. So are former Ohio governor and U.S.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase; both William C. Procter and John N. Gamble; legendary New York Yankees manager Miller Huggins and a host of Cincinnati Reds players from bygone eras.

Spring Grove Cemetery tries to provide a setting that commemorates the lives of Cincin-natians, regardless of the name on the headstone. It also serves the living, providing a place that horticulture buffs and others can enjoy. Spring Grove hosts an annual lantern-lighting cer-emony, as well as walking tours, Easter sunrise and Memorial Day services, concerts and many other special events.

A monumental task Operating a property the size of Spring Grove

requires the talents of many professionals. Workers bury or entomb an average 1,600

people each year. And operators have developed 400 acres of the property, so landscape mainte-nance is a seemingly never-ending process.

“We have 18 mowers running all the time, in season, and about eight landscapers,” Gallaher says.

During peak season, Spring Grove employs 120 workers. Some of the job-related safety issues they face are common to outdoor-oriented work: machine-guarding of mowing and landscaping equipment; exposure to the sun and extreme heat, cold or weather conditions; and pesticide application.

Meanwhile, other hazards are unique to the

Make ready: Gary Funke wears a dust mask while using dry chemicals during an indoor entombment operation.


occupation. For example, excavating new grave sites sometimes causes markers from existing graves to fall into the new holes.

“Every cemetery has the same problem,” Gal-laher says, “especially on a hillside in wet weather. We have a lot of hills here at Spring Grove.”

In the past, employees had to physically retrieve the markers and faced the risk of cave-ins or f looded grave sites. They also faced potential injuries associated with lifting the stones and returning them to ground level.

One wet winter day, after retrieving a marker from a grave site with roughly a foot of water in the bottom, Spring Grove employees Mark Kidd and Brian Hines got an idea.

“One guy made a sketch, and I took it over to the fabrication shop, and they put it together,” Gallaher says of the new marker-retrieval unit. The unit consists of a pair of large tongs suspended from a cable. Operators can attach it to a backhoe and raise and lower it, eliminating the need for manual lifting and removal of the markers.

“Retrieving a marker takes about three min-utes now, if they have everything hooked up and ready to go,” Gallaher says. “It does the job quickly and no one gets hurt. It’s very safe. It’s something every cemetery in the country should have.”

Spring Grove has eliminated manual lifting in many other work processes, due to the sheer weight of caskets and gravestones. Cemetery workers now lower new stones to the ground from motorized utility vehicles at the grave site by using a mecha-nized marker-lowering device. They use wheeled carts whenever possible to transfer caskets from funeral vehicles to burial sites.

“Wet, nasty, sloppy weather makes it more dif-ficult to get the casket from the vehicle to the site,” Gallaher says. Having to carry an approximately 600-pound load as far as “half a city block” com-pounds the problem for pallbearers, he adds.

Transferring caskets from funeral vehicles to carts still does require some manual lifting, which Gallaher tries to mitigate. “We try to match all levels to the height of the vehicle so there’s not much manual lifting,” he says.

To further minimize the risk of injury from manual casket transfers, BWC’s Paxton provided ergonomics training for Spring Grove employees. Gallaher reinforces this training by demonstrating proper lifting techniques for workers.

Company policy also requires a trained employee be on hand at all times to help with transfers and to coach pallbearers.

The interment of burial urns also has become less of a manual process. In the past, workers dug the holes for urns, usually three to four feet deep, by hand. Now, Spring Grove has traded shovels for an auger.

So far, though, they haven’t found a solution for mechanizing the entombment process, where workers place caskets in above-ground tombs. But according to Gallaher, who has been at Spring Grove for more than 30 years, a little know-how helps minimize any risk.

Back-saving improvement: Chris O’Banion guides the retrieval attachment system to transfer a marker from a trailer to the ground.


process. The same holds true for safety training. According to Gallaher, employees help lead train-ing meetings.

Safety boosts the bottom lineA company’s financial bottom line depends

heavily on the safety of its workers.The philosophical bottom line at Spring Grove

Cemetery is to do whatever it takes to ensure safety. A company born of innovative thinking now applies that same philosophy to prevent injuries.

“Spring Grove is an industry leader in safety and ergonomic innovation,” Donohue says. “The safety team’s approach to goals for safety perfor-

mance, recognition for that performance, atti-tude toward safety and accident investigation has been effective.”

“It’s all about respect for the dignity of our employees,” Gallaher says. “If they have an idea, I always want to try it out.”

Worry-free workNot all the injury or health risks in the

cemetery business involve lifting and moving heavy objects.

Spring Grove has significantly reduced use of pesticides in its above-ground mausoleum by using a new interment closure system. In addition, workers wear the personal protective equipment they need for their job duties; and mowers and other power equipment have the appropriate safeguards.

A companywide culture that supports workers doing their jobs in the safest possible manner holds it all together.

“BWC employer service specialists, safety and ergonomic consultants all have worked closely with Paul (Gallaher),” Donohue says. “He is a tireless promoter of a safety management philosophy among the Spring Grove leadership team.”

Gallaher, in turn, credits BWC with helping the cemetery promote that philosophy. Spring Grove has used BWC’s wide array of safety training resources to increase hazard awareness among its staff. These include taking courses at the local Governor’s Hill Customer Service Office and attending BWC’s annual Ohio Safety Congress & Expo.

Employees serve on the safety committee on a rotating basis so that everyone is involved in the

Preserving a safety culture: (from left) Sandy Rudemiller, Eric Griffic and Larry Burke maintain the grounds of the cemetery. Spring Grove also offers many acres of gardens and green space for visitors to enjoy.

New and improved:A worker, seated in the auger vehicle above, digs a 3- to 4-foot hole to place an urn. Workers used to perform this task manually.


Enroll with your local safety council by Sept. 30, 2006.

Attend at least eight monthly meetings from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007.

Send a qualified senior-level manager to a safety council CEO event.

Submit semiannual workplace accident reports for the 2006 calendar year.

* The discount offer excludes self-insured employers and state agencies. However, BWC also encourages them to become active with safety councils.

Don’t miss this chance to lower your premium by 4 percent!

For more information, call 1-800-OHIOBWC and press option 2, and then 2 again. You may also visit ohiobwc.com and click on Safety Services, Your safety, and then Ohio safety councils.

SAFETY COUNCIL

1

2

4

3

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Qualify for this discount in four simple steps

Join the 7,300 employers statewide who are members of their local safety councils. Membership does have its privileges!

You can earn a one-time, 4-percent discount off your workers’ compensation premium* by actively participating in your local safety council between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007.

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene currently sponsors 74 local safety councils. As a safety council member, you will:

• Learn techniques for increasing safety in your workplace;

• Learn how to better manage your workers’ compensation program;

• Network with other employers in your community;

• Access useful, money-saving workers’ comp and

risk-management information.


��

��

��

��

��

��

�

��

��


Safety tool

Using mowers, power equipment safely

Push and riding mowers, trim-mers and hedge clippers are a few items commonly used for lawn and yard maintenance. When using these items, you should:

• Always read the manufacturer’s operation and safety manual before use;

• Know the safety features, controls and potential hazards of your equipment;

• Make sure equipment is in good working condition, and never use damaged or poorly maintained equipment;

• Never put your hands and feet near moving parts, especially blades, and never leave a mower unattended while the engine is running;

• Never remove or disable fac-tory-installed safety guards or devices;

• Wear appropriate protection for your eyes and ears, and proper work shoes;

• Shut off the engine, and let it cool down at least two minutes before refueling to avoid a flashback fire; never smoke when refueling.

Don’t take a vacation from outdoor safety this summer

Insects and other pests When working outdoors, you always

run the risk of being stung by insects (bees, hornets and wasps), encountering disease (ticks and mosquitoes) and get-ting poisonous bites (spiders and snakes). Therefore, you should:

• Wear the proper protection (e.g., hats, heavy- duty gloves, high leather boots);

• Avoid wearing brightly colored clothing or garments with flowery patterns;

• Do not wear strong, sweet-smelling perfume or cologne;

• Expose as little skin as possible; tuck pants into boots and shirts into pants;

• Spray clothing and exposed skin with insect repellent containing DEET;

• Avoid eating in areas where bees and hornets may live; food odors attract them;

• Stay away from brush and over-grown areas where ticks may live and avoid reaching into areas you can’t see;

• Be alert for snakes and spiders when working with piles of wood and stone, or tall grass;

• Before going indoors, check your body for ticks; once inside, wash thoroughly with soap and water.

The warm, sunny days of summer

are here, and the time is right for doing

various outdoor tasks.

Whether you’re a professional or

simply work in your yard, it’s imperative

to do things safely. Power equipment

and environmental conditions present

potential hazards. Here are a few tips to

keep in mind while working outdoors.

Geared for gardening: Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, heavy gloves, and pants tucked into boots, this gardener is dressed for safety.


a Wide-brimmed hat

b Sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15

c Sun or safety glasses with UVA/UVB protection

d Earplugs (if operating noisy equipment)

e High leather boots

f Heavy-duty work gloves

— EH

Heat and sun exposureProlonged exposure to sunlight and

high temperatures can cause a number of serious health problems and, in extreme cases, death. When working in summer conditions, you should:

• Wear a hat with a wide brim pro-jecting three inches all the way around to keep your face, neck and head cool, and to protect against sun damage;

• Take frequent (every 15 to 20 minutes) drinks of cool water; avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks that cause dehydration;

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, reapply it every two hours, and wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection;

• Use short work-rest cycles, espe-cially during late afternoon, the hottest period of the day.

For more information on sum-mertime outdoor safety, send an e-mail to [email protected], or log on to ohiobwc.com and select:

• BWC Library;

• Library services.

Gear up for protection outdoors

a b

c d

e f

Stay cool: Drink plenty of water


On your side Ohio’s work force

Turning tragedy into triumph nspirational. Remarkable. Extraordinary.

Amazing.

Others may be eager to pin these

labels on Roy Mays, but the unassuming

factory worker is reluctant to do so himself. If

anything, the soft-spoken father of five shuns the

spotlight and refuses to be coddled.

“He doesn’t want to be perceived as someone

who needs special treatment,” says Kim Landman,

an independent contractor specializing in on-site

transitional work occupational therapy. She helped

Mays return to work.

A horrific injury On Dec. 2, 2003, Mays’ l ife took a

dramatic and unexpected turn when he suffered a traumatic injury on the job. At

the time, he was a punch-press operator for Defiance Metal Products, a metal

fabrication company based in the northwest Ohio town that shares its name.

When a slug from a part got stuck in the die he was working on, he reached into the press to see if he could release the jam. He glanced behind him and inadver-

tently pressed the foot pedal that activates the press, bringing it down

and crushing his left hand.“Even after it hit, I didn’t feel it,” Mays

recalls. “I didn’t know what had happened until I looked up and saw my hand in the press. I was

in shock and blacked out.”

by Erik Harden

Injured worker inspires others with remarkable rebound

I


True grit: Roy Mays’ rock-solid determination helped him return to work at Defiance Metal Products just six months after a work-related accident claimed part of his left arm.


Turning tragedy into triumph Quick-thinking co-workers and supervisors

called 911, and paramedics rushed him to a nearby clinic shortly after they arrived. Soon after, they airlifted him to a Toledo hospital, which later referred him to the Medical College of Ohio. When the initial shock of his injury wore off, shadows of fear and doubt slowly crept into Mays’ mind.

“I was scared about my future,” he says. “I didn’t know if I would ever be able to work again.”

After spending 20 years in the U.S. Navy – a stint that included service aboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower during the Persian Gulf War – and three years at Defiance Metal Products, Mays faced a very uncertain future.

He would receive a much-needed boost when the company’s owners assured him he would still have a job after he recovered. The one-time war-plane mechanic used this promise and a rock-solid resolve to make returning to work at Defiance Metal Products one of his main goals.

“I had made some good friends here over the years,” he explains. “I didn’t want to lose the social aspects of being at work.”

Healing physically and psychologically After consulting with Mays in February 2004,

doctors amputated what remained of his left hand just above the wrist. They used skin grafts to cover the wound. Infections slowed the healing process, but psychological factors also loomed large. He was worried about how others, especially his family, would respond to his hand being gone. He says the reaction of his 3-year-old daughter helped ease his mind.

“She was always curious and would ask, ‘Where’s your hand, daddy?’ I thought she would be scared, but she wasn’t,” he explains. “It really made me feel good. It took a lot off my mind.”

Ruby Schindler, a BWC disability manage-ment coordinator, played a key role in getting

Mays back to work. She says adjustment-to-disability counseling helped him cope with issues that arose at home and work. She also says the counseling helped him deal with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to the accident.

But one of the biggest steps in Mays’ recovery and eventual return to work was finding a prosthetic device to help him perform tasks at home and in the workplace. For this, Mays turned to the experts at Superior Reha-bilitation Techniques (SRT) Prosthetics and Orthotics in Bryan, Ohio.

Sam Santa-Rita, a certi-fied and licensed prosthetist with SRT, explained the pros and cons of various types of prosthetic devices and helped Mays make a final decision. They decided a myoelectric prosthesis would work best for his needs.

A myoelectric prosthetic device is the most natural and functional prosthesis available. It uses the individual’s muscles to control the hand, elbow or both – depending on the point of amputation. In Mays’ case, it sends electrical signals from his forearm muscles to a microprocessor that converts them into commands. This allows him to manipu-late his prosthetic hook or hand.

“A myoelectric device allows an individual to apply force or use fine motor skills,” Santa-Rita says. “He can do something as rigorous as manu-facturing work or something as delicate as changing a baby’s diaper. He can control the prosthesis just like you or I control our own hand.”

Injured worker inspires others with remarkable rebound

Talking together: Ruby Schindler, a BWC disability management coordinator, speaks with Mays at his workplace.


The journey back to work begins Schindler’s job at BWC is to review workers’

compensation cases with managed care organiza-tions (MCOs) to determine if and when injured workers are ready for vocational rehabilitation. Schindler had lengthy discussions with MCO personnel handling Mays’ case and convinced them he was ready to begin vocational rehabilita-tion in early 2005.

Schindler says Mays needed some coaxing to overcome his fears. However, when she explained how vocational rehabilitation could help him, he was eager to begin.

“I really think attitude is about 80 percent of returning to work,” Schindler says. “I had the feeling he wanted to come back to work, but he was just scared at first. He needed healing time, both physically and emotionally.”

The MCO brought in Landman to spearhead Mays’ transitional work plan by working on-site with management at Defiance Metal Products. Land-man and plant supervisors did an ergonomics safety

study to assess possible jobs he could perform safely and comfortably. It was necessary to match his physical restrictions with jobs that were available at the work site while avoiding tasks that would damage his prosthesis.

“It was a real team approach with the Defi-ance Metal supervisors,” Landman explains. “They were concerned about his well-being and with him being able to do his job comfortably.

“Luckily they had an existing transitional work program in place with support from upper management all the way down to the workers on the plant floor. Nobody said it couldn’t be done.”

Back on the jobMays’ original prosthesis fit properly for the

first three months. However, reduced swelling and muscle atrophy in his wrist altered the device’s original fit, causing pain and irritation. Santa-Rita says this is a common problem for amputees.

“When an individual first comes to us there is usually swelling from the initial trauma of the injury and any surgery that has taken place,” Santa-Rita explains. “As time passes, the healing process takes place and changes the shape of the limb. This can cause an ill-fitting socket and discomfort.”

Santa-Rita corrected the problem by replacing the socket on Mays’ prosthesis.

With these setbacks corrected, Mays began work trials in May 2005 to attempt work on three types of jobs. Landman, Santa-Rita and plant supervisors observed his progress and how he handled the physical nature of each job. In the end, Mays and the team decided working with a metal-piercing brake press would be the best fit.

“... Attitude isabout 80 percent of

”returning to work.

— Ruby SchindlerBack on the clock: Mays says, “… getting back to work made me feel normal again.”


Landman collaborated with Mays and plant management/supervisors to provide:

• Ergonomic changes to his workstation to avoid awk-ward arm positioning;

• An ergonomically designed chair;

• A vice clamp to help with more intricate work;

• Modif ied work to help him ease back to full-time work.

Landman also helped him with job pacing and body mechanics to avoid fatigue and overall muscle tension. She taught him stretch-ing exercises, and proper neutral posture techniques to help him at work and outside the workplace.

Everybody winsLisa Dishop, the plant’s human resources

and safety administrator, says they originally scheduled Mays for a 12-week transitional work goal. Remarkably, he met the goal in just nine weeks. She adds Landman had to remind him to pace himself.

“Kim had to tell him to slow down,” Dishop says. “We really had a hard time holding him back.” By mid-July 2005, Mays’ doctor cleared him to return to work with no restrictions.

Dale Powell, a brake press supervisor at the plant, says it was helpful to have Mays back on the job. He says Mays knew the plant well and was already familiar with the type of work he’d be doing and the machinery he’d be operating.

“He’s just another one of the guys,” Powell says. “We don’t cut him any slack because he doesn’t want any slack. To be honest, I don’t know if anybody even notices his disability. He does his job, gets things done and fits right in with all of us.”

Santa-Rita adds, “Most amputees, whether they will admit it or not, have something to prove. They want to show they can still be productive. From the beginning, I knew he was a worker and was very motivated.”

“A lot of my co-workers say they admire that I came back because many people in my situation wouldn’t really try,” Mays says.

“I was kind of shocked. I thought people were going to treat me differently, but I get a lot of sup-port from my co-workers. Actually, getting back to work made me feel normal again.”

A winning hand: Mays uses a myoelectric prosthetic device to perform work tasks.

Pressing matters: Mays operates a press at Defiance Metal Products.


- Largest Group Rating Administrator- Highest Discounted Rating Programs- Self Insurance Administration- Drug Free Workplace Program- Unemployment Compensation- Actuarial Analysis and Review

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��


Workers’ Comp Quarterly

provides 144,000

Ohio employers,

employees and

health-care

providers with the

information they

rely on to stay

safe and keep

their workers’

compensation

costs low. To receive your free subscription, or to report an address change, contact:[email protected].

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ CompensationGovernor Bob TaftAdministrator/CEO William E. Mabe

Magazine now available onlineTo download and print current volume issues, simply visit ohiobwc.com and click on:

• BWC Library;• E-Publications;• Workers’ Comp Quarterly magazine.


Roundtable

Commitment from the top even when the top is miles away

Closing the

distance

Up-front and personal: Cindy Young and Tom Wick traveled from Wick Building Systems Inc. corporate headquarters in Wisconsin to thank their St. Paris, Ohio, plant employees.Roundtable features

BWC customers and part-ners sharing their views on workers’ compensa-tion issues and events.

Here we highlight Wick Building Systems Inc., a Wisconsin-based employer with an Ohio presence. Wick offers complete building services, from research, engineering and design, to manufacturing and construction. The com-pany specializes in build-ing churches, commercial and retail structures, and equine facilities.

When Wick Building Systems plant employees in St. Paris, Ohio, worked 1,000 days without a lost-time claim, Vice President and General Manager (GM) Tom Wick made the trip from corporate headquarters in Mazomanie, Wis., to thank them. Cindy Young, human resources manager, also made the visit.

During the November 2005 celebration, the company presented each employee with a winter jacket with his or her name and the words, “1,000 days” stitched onto it. The company also treated them to a steak dinner, and each employee received a certificate of appreciation.

The St. Paris plant, which opened in December 2000, employs about 70 people from the surrounding community. Thirty of them work in the field, often in other states.

The celebration marked the west central Ohio plant’s victory in improving its workplace safety and workers’ compensation program.

“Wick’s upper management has always been dedicated to safety. This is not a sudden change. It’s a refinement of a culture,” explains Terry Howell, Wick Buildings’ regional manager for seven years. He’s responsible for 20 states, including Ohio.

Howell notes Wick is in an industry with high amounts of workplace accidents. Although the company had safety programs in place on a corporate level in Wisconsin, management realized it needed to refine and refocus them to better meet the needs of its Ohio plant.

In the beginning, not understanding Ohio’s workers’ com-pensation system hurt Wick’s employer experience rating. That was the company’s wake-up call to better manage its workers’ compensation program.

Beginning the journey“It’s extremely beneficial for an out-of-state employer to

understand Ohio’s workers’ compensation system,” Young states. “I was lost, and I didn’t have a clue.”

Before Young started at Wick Buildings, the company did not properly manage its workers’ compensation claims. As a result, its premiums grew out of control.

“We had just a few claims in 2000. They get away from you, unfortunately,” the human resources manager admits. “The claims’ rating stays with you for the next four years. Our experi-ence rating is high now because, at the time, no one understood the system.”

The first thing Young did was contact Wick’s employer services specialist, Kevin Spellman of BWC’s Springfield Cus-tomer Service Office. Over the course of several meetings, they discussed Wick’s challenges, and the programs and services the bureau offers to help address those issues. Spellman also informed Young about BWC’s educational services, such as the Division of Safety & Hygiene’s seminars, Workers’ Compensation University (WCU) and the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo.

“As soon as we got a clue from Kevin, we realized there’s a lot more to this than we ever dreamed of,” Young confides. “Without Kevin’s guidance in the beginning, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Howell agrees. “In going through the transition in Ohio when we first realized some of the consequences of the claims, it created an environment where we needed to be more active. Kevin was very helpful in terms of wanting us to improve. It made for a real effective team. I don’t think you get that in other states with private industry.”


Promoting a safety culture: BWC’s Kevin Spellman, left, and Wick’s Terry Howell participate in a planning meeting.

Connecting flightsWick Building Systems markets its services in 34 states and

has crews in 14 states. Except for Ohio, those states have private workers’ compensation insurance systems.

Spellman says Wick had the challenge all out-of-state employers have at first. They aren’t familiar with Ohio’s state-fund system.

“They were trying to make decisions at the corporate level without a clear understanding of how things work here, and that created roadblocks,” Spellman explains.

Out-of-state employers also may not know they can partner with BWC and get help in managing their workers’ compensation programs. And they may not know how third-party administra-tors and managed care organizations work within Ohio’s system. Spellman explained this information during meetings in St. Paris with Wick management and crew leaders.

“They would always do a phone conference with many of the members of their senior management team whenever I visited them,” he says. “On several occasions, members of management would make a special trip to Ohio to meet with me.”

Young and several other Wick managers and supervisors now attend WCU, as well as other BWC seminars and training ses-sions. The company also joined the Champaign County Chamber Safety Council, providing leadership and support to help promote safety within the community as well as the workplace.

“They sent eight people to one of the training classes. They were half of our class,” Spellman marvels. “Cindy developed a relationship with the local level. They have taken advantage of all the things I have explained to them to be better managers of their workers’ compensation plans.”

BWC’s programs and services point to the difference between state-fund and private insurers. In other states, the insurance adjustor is the one that handles the claim. The employer doesn’t participate in claims management.

“There are no discount programs,” Young says, pointing to other differences she has noticed between BWC and private work-ers’ compensation insurers. “They’re not proactive in terms of safety programs and policies,” she adds. “They have some minor things, but nothing on the scale of BWC.”

At Spellman’s urging, Wick Building Systems joined the bureau’s Premium Discount Program + and the Drug-Free Workplace Program in 2002. The company also implemented a transitional work plan.

Safe landings“Our employees are considered our most important

resource,” adds GM Wick, who shares the same last name as the company’s founding family, but is not related. “Part of that philosophy is keeping them safe – having those field people return home at the end of the day safely.”

In 2005, Wick Building managers and staff realized the culmination of their efforts. They had only three medical-only claims and no lost-time claims.

“Some employers attribute that to luck, but I don’t feel that’s the case,” Spellman says. “It’s engrained in Wick’s culture. It has

to be engrained for it to be sustained even as you grow. If there were other companies that took the steps they took, think of how much safer the building industry would become.”

Wick notes the company’s overall workers’ compensation experience has been much more positive. “Fewer incidences of claims are the rewards, and the satisfaction of having safe employees and a reduction in cost. But I wouldn’t say Wick Build-ing is into the safety to save money. Good people are hard to find, so you can’t take the chance of losing them even for a day.”

Howell seconds this sense of responsibility for employee safety. “There’s a moral obligation to make sure everyone is doing everything they’re supposed to do to remain safe on the job.”

Wick’s positive experience with Ohio’s workers’ compensa-tion system has had an impact across the organization. The company now uses the Drug-Free Workplace Program and transitional work plans at facilities it operates in other states.

“It’s all from the culture of the company and what you portray that to be,” Young says. “The last thing an employer ever wants to do is call an employee’s loved one and say, ‘I’m sorry. He won’t be coming home to you.’” — PSM


Dates and locations

6.13.06 Garfield Heights

7.26.06 Mansfield

8.23.06 Dayton

9.07.06 Canton

9.14.06 Toledo

10.25.06 Governor’s Hill

11.07.06 Garfield Heights

12.06.06 Columbus

To register, log on to www.bwclearningcenter.com and enter the keyword “drug,” or call 1-800-OHIOBWC, and press 2 and then 2 again.

Learn the basic requirements of BWC’s

Drug-Free Workplace Program (DFWP)

and Drug-Free EZ (DF-EZ). Drug-Free

Workplace: How to Implement BWC’s

Program provides you with insight

about how to design your own program.

Components include written policy,

employee education, supervisor

training, drug and alcohol testing,

and employee assistance.

Drug-Free Workplace: How to

Implement BWC’s Program (course code

RIS101) is a half-day course for newly

enrolled DFWP and DF-EZ participants,

and designated coordinators.

BWC offers free training

It’s convenient, effective and free to Ohio employers.


Drug-Free Workplace: How to Implement BWC’s Program


BWC offers free training


Beginning in July, register online atohiobwc.com, or call (800) 466-6292.

03 Cambridge

06 Portsmouth

07 Cincinnati

13 Toledo

19 Akron

21 Columbus

26 Cleveland

28 Dayton

Meet us in …

Exhibit at WCUReach thousands of customers by showcasing your products and services at this one-of-a-kind event.To become a WCU exhibitor, please contact BWC’s tradeshow manager Garrison & Associates Inc.

(614) 273-1400 (614) 273-1401 fax [email protected]

Who we are, what we do

Author and poet Lewis Carroll once said,

It’s an idea born in the Victorian era, but it still rings truetoday. It’s also a philosophy embodied by the employeesof the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).

This fall, rediscover BWC’s commitment to customer serviceat Workers’ Compensation University (WCU) – our free,educational conference offered at locations throughout thestate. At WCU, dedicated individuals will help you:

� Discover proven methods for protecting your workers;

� Impact your bottom line through claims-managementand cost-saving programs;

� Develop strategies for safely returning injured workersto their jobs;

� Understand legal and health-care aspects of workers’compensation;

� Earn continuing education credit and Step 6 credit forBWC’s 10-Step Business Plan.

… all that is really worth doingis what we do for others.

Rediscover who we areand what we can do for you.


For subscription maintenance only Workers’ Comp QuarterlyBWC/OhioP.O. Box 201Middlebranch, OH 44652Fax (607) 272-1307

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDITHACA, NY

PERMIT # 476

Total Copies 150,000 • Unit Cost: $ .225 • Publication Date: 06/06

• The Latino population in Ohio grew by 55 percent from 1990 to 2000, according to the U.S. census. • With the number of Latino workers on the rise in Ohio, communication issues in the workplace can put many of these workers at higher risk of accidents and injuries.• Get the resources you need to successfully compete in this changing demographic landscape.

Seminar dates and locations

Understanding and Protecting your Hispanic/Latino Work Force

Free half-day seminars for Ohio employers

For more information or to register

Aug. 1 ColumbusBWC’s Ohio Center for Occupational Safety & Hygiene, PickeringtonPresented by: The Ohio State University, Alber Enterprise Center

Aug. 8 ToledoOwens Community College, NorthwoodPresented by: Owens Community College, Workforce and Community Services

Aug. 29 ClevelandBWC’s Garfield Heights Customer Service OfficePresented by: The University of Akron, Workforce Development and Continuing Education

Sept. 6 CantonBWC’s Canton Customer Service OfficePresented by: The University of Akron, Workforce Development and Continuing Education

Sept. 27 CincinnatiBWC’s Governor’s Hill Customer Service OfficePresented by: Miami University, Hamilton Campus, Continuing Education and Business & Industry Center

Log on to bwclearningcenter.com,and enter the keyword “Spanish.”

Call 1-800-OHIOBWC, and press option 2 and then 2 again.

ruby’s world · ruby’s world working behind the scenes to rehabilitate injured workers 5 from...

Documents