Things you should know
NCCI top ten reclassified codes
NCCI conducts classification inspections in all NCCI states to determine whether the governing classification code or other classification code(s) identified on the policy reflect the current business operations. A report provides details of the top 10 reclassified governing codes and the top code to which NCCI reassigned each governing code and explains why. Here's a summary of the codes:
- NCCI Top Reclassified Codes in 2023
Free online course: preparing for disasters and crises
A new online 90-minute course from the NIOSH Total Worker Health Center of Excellence is an introduction to what organizations should be thinking about to protect their workers in the event of severe weather, acts of violence, infectious disease outbreaks, or any other type of disaster.
ABC releases 2024 Safety Performance Report
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has released its annual Safety Performance Report, which addresses the correlation between leading indicators and trailing indicators. It identifies four foundations of industry-leading safety best practices and highlights the benefits of using key leading indicators.
Using data and AI to gain safety program insights
A new white paper from NSC Work to Zero looks at the use of data, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI) in Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) applications and how its deployment can reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs).
Spanish resources on workplace prevention and response to opioid and substance use
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' Worker Training Program has published Spanish-language versions of training resources on opioids and the workplace and the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on mental health and substance use.
First-responder PTSD comp bills effective in Arizona, Rhode Island
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1677, which will require employers to provide workers' comp coverage of MDMA-assisted therapy for first responders with PTSD. The bill provides for one course of MDMA therapy for certain first responders, and it is dependent upon the FDA approving an MDMA drug before MDMA could be utilized. In Rhode Island, SB 2059 creates a line-of-duty presumption of compensability for police officers and firefighters who seek supplemental benefits after being diagnosed with work-related PTSD.
Methylene Chloride ban
The Environmental Protection Agency finalized its risk management rule for methylene chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Brake safety inspections
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) placed 11.6 percent (570) of the trucks and buses out of service for brake-related violations during an unannounced safety blitz. Violations included worn brake lines/hoses, broken brake drums, inoperative tractor protection system, inoperative low-air warning device, and air and hydraulic fluid leaks.
CMV inspectors across North America are set to perform announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 25-31 during CVSA's annual Brake Safety Week.
Black and Hispanic workers less likely to report unsafe work conditions
Black and Hispanic workers are more likely to be injured at work and "psychological safety" is among the reasons such groups are unlikely to report unsafe conditions, according to a study by the National Safety Council.
Poor mental health and lack of workplace support are leading reasons nurses quit
A study conducted by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing at the height of the pandemic found that workplace support and mental health were the key factors in shaping nurses' experiences and intentions to stay or leave their jobs. The study, "Factors Associated with Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Intent to Stay at Current Nursing Position," is currently available to members of the American Nurses Association and will be publicly available on September 30, 2024.
State News
California
- Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Friday approved a Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) regulatory filing that claims for COVID-19 filed later this year will be included in experience rating calculations.
- New reports from WCIRB.
Impact of Economic Changes on California Workers' Compensation - 2024 update
2023 California Workers' Compensation Losses and Expenses - The Workers Compensation Institute (CWCI) says that Senate Bill 1299, which would create a presumption of compensability for farmworkers who file heat-related workers compensation claims is unlikely to improve agricultural worker safety and may even create additional challenges for employers.
- Costs for medical-legal evaluations and reports used to resolve medical disputes in workplace injury claims have increased sharply, with the average payment for a comprehensive exam up 52 percent according to a report from the CWCI.
- The workers compensation system saw a 2.45 percent increase in independent medical reviews in 2023 from the prior year, and regulators overturned 8.2 percent more utilization review decisions last year than in 2022, the Department of Industrial Relations said in its annual report. Treatment request denials most often overturned related to services for mental and behavioral health, evaluation, and management.
- The Workers' Compensation Action Network released results from a new statewide survey in which most employers gave the state's workers' compensation a "poor" performance rating and reported they are experiencing increasing costs and growth in more complex, non-specific types of injury claims.
Minnesota
- Effective August 1, 2024, an amendment to the drug testing law will permit oral fluid testing for drugs, cannabis, and alcohol.
- The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) recently completed a series of improvements to the "Documents" tab in Work Comp Campus. These changes allow users to view all documents and transactions related to a claim in one location. More information.