Start 2025 off right by reviewing your approach to worker injuries

As we begin a new year, it’s worth taking some time to review your approach to workplace injuries. It goes without saying that the best way to keep your workers’ compensation premiums as low as possible is to simply have no claims, but the reality is that accidents do sometimes happen, and claims are often unavoidable.
As a company, it’s in your interest to both monitor and manage those claims, since doing so will help mitigate the costs that directly impact your bottom line. The best approach is to have in place a robust system for this purpose, which not only reflects and fosters a culture of safety within your company, but can also help to control those unforeseen costs.
Here are some of the key components of such a system:
Prompt Reporting of Injuries
The first line of defence in managing workers’ compensation costs is prompt reporting of injuries. The reporting system you use should be fast, easy to use, and accessible, since these qualities will encourage your workers to make use of it when an accident happens. A swift and timely response to workplace incidents enables you to investigate and identify the root causes of the accident, which in turn allows you to start introducing corrective measures as quickly as possible. This improves overall workplace safety and limits the potential for further claims.
Efficient Claims Management
The easiest way to streamline the claims process is to have an effective system for managing workers’ compensation claims from filing to resolution. Centralizing claims management and automating as much of it as possible can simplify the process and significantly reduce administrative overhead, as well as reducing the potential for costly errors. This in turn leads to faster processing times, which allows your injured workers to receive the attention and compensation they deserve, and helps them return to work faster.
Collaboration with WCB Case Managers
Maintaining a good working relationship with WCB representatives and keeping the lines of communication open helps to ensure that the process for assisting injured workers with their recovery and facilitating their return to work is collaborative rather than combative. Engaging with case managers at the WCB as early as possible can help you as an employer navigate the sometimes complex nature of the compensation process, and thereby avoid unnecessary delays in providing timely and appropriate treatment for injured workers. This in turn helps reduce claim costs.
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Want to know more about workers’ compensation claims management and how it can improve your WCB premiums? Connect with BCL on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin, reach us via email at [email protected], or contact us directly, during business hours, using our chat feature or by telephone at 1-844-377-9545.
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Benefits of Implementation
Here are just a few of the ways that implementing a comprehensive system for managing and monitoring workers’ compensation claims can benefit your business and your workers:
Cost Control:
- Reduces the risk of fraudulent claims through immediate incident reporting.
- Minimizes administrative costs associated with manual claims processing.
Improved Workplace Safety:
- Encourages a culture of safety by addressing root causes promptly.
- Identifies patterns and trends in workplace incidents for proactive prevention.
Enhanced Employee Well-being:
- Ensures injured workers receive timely and appropriate medical treatment.
- Facilitates a smoother return-to-work process, reducing downtime
To sum up, the implementation of a proactive system for managing and monitoring workers’ compensation claims is an investment in both the safety of your workforce and the financial health of your organization. Prompt injury reporting, efficient claims management, and collaboration with WCB case managers are key components of a successful strategy; they help control costs and also create a safer, more resilient workplace for your employees. In the end, the well-being of your workers and the success of your business go hand in hand.
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Updates to Workplace Safety Rules
In addition to the points made above, it’s important to keep track of changes to workplace safety rules. In December, the Alberta government announced that it had updated several rules, including those related to violence and harassment, the use of explosives, and the rules governing oil and gas wells. The government said that the changes are intended to make the OHS Code easier to understand and also to match what other parts of Canada are doing to improve workplace health and safety.
Most of the updates — details of which can be found here and here — reflect best practices, standards and equipment that industries are already using, OHS said; others are editorial changes designed to improve clarity, remove duplication and correct errors. There is also a move towards focusing on health and safety outcomes rather than prescriptive requirements, in order to give employers and workers as much flexibility as possible in how they meet their health and safety goals.
Employers can choose to follow either the new rules or the prior rules until March 30, 2025. After that date, all employers are expected to follow the new rules. For more information about OHS Code changes, you can check out the 2023-26 OHS Code Review Plan; digital resources about the changes are expected to be available within the coming weeks, OHS said. Employers can also sign up for the monthly OHS eNews newsletter to get regular updares with information and resources.
If you would like to know more about workers’ compensation claims management and how it can improve your WCB premiums, you can connect with BCL on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin, reach us via email at [email protected], and you can always contact us directly, during business hours, using our chat feature or by telephone at 1-844-377-9545.