BWC Medical & Health Symposium April 26 - 27

Registration is open for the fourth annual Ohio Workers’ Compensation Medical & Health Symposium April 26 - 27 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Themed “Comprehensive Care for an Injured Worker,” the free symposium features education tracks and credits for health care practitioners, their staff and legal professionals. (Click here for information on featured sessions and continuing education credits.)

“This year’s symposium offers outstanding learning opportunities led by local, national and international experts on some of the most pressing health and medical issues of our time,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud.

The speaker lineup includes pharmacist Chris Hart, who will share his journey of chemical dependency to recovery, including relapse. On Saturday, Hart provides an open question-and-answer session giving attendees an opportunity to Ask an Addict.

Robert Stutman, one of America’s highest profile Drug Enforcement Agency special agents and formerly “the most famous narc in America” (New York magazine), tells how our current drug epidemic differs from previous generations.

The symposium also features speakers on medical marijuana, traumatic brain injuries, patient collaboration, chiropractic care and more.

Registration is free. For questions, call BWC’s provider contact center at 1-800-644-6292, option 0-3-0, or email medsymposium@bwc.state.oh.us.

We look forward to seeing you April 26 – 27 in Columbus!

Warm weather means more work zones - be careful on the road!

After the long winter months, the orange barrels of roadwork zones are a rite of spring in Ohio. Along with these orange barrels come road crews with lots of workers.

National Work Zone Awareness Week was last week but the theme applies every day of the year. Drive Like You Work Here asks us all to view work zone safety as if we were part of the crew working to upgrade our roadways. Recent statistics from the National Highway Safety Administration show we can all think about work zone safety a bit more. For example, from 2016 to 2017, there was a 2-percent increase in total work zone fatalities and an increase from 668 to 710 total work zone crashes. 

In 2017 there were 710 fatal crashes resulting in 799 deaths in work zones. Most of the fatalities were motorists – 132 of them were worker fatalities. As drivers, we can all do our part to protect ourselves and the men and women working in already hazardous conditions. The following tips from the Federal Highway Administration can help prevent accidents and save lives.   

• Stay alert and minimize distractions – Avoid changing the radio station, using a mobile phone, eating, or other distractions that can remove your concentration from the road.
• Keep your headlights on – Improve visibility, especially in bad weather conditions, by keeping your headlights on.
• Pay attention to the road – Watch traffic around you and be prepared to react.
• Merge into the proper lane – Merge well before you reach the lane closure.
• Don't tailgate – Follow other vehicles at a safe distance.
• Obey the posted speed limit – Slow down to save lives and to avoid hefty fines.
• Change lanes safely – Change lanes only where pavement markings indicate, and only when traffic conditions permit.
• Expect the unexpected – Workers, work vehicles or equipment may enter your lane without warning.
• Be patient – Impatience often leads to erratic and dangerous driving.

Be sure to follow the Ohio Department of Transportation on Twitter for more tips and graphics regarding the importance of work zone awareness.

BWC eBriefs

From the BWC Blog

Eric Giguere knows firsthand the dangers of working in a trench. He was lucky to survive being buried alive under 2,000 pounds of dirt. You don’t want to miss his story – and important safety lesson - in our blog, Trench collapse survivor tells his story to save others.

April employer webinar

Our next employer webinar is scheduled for April 25. We’ll cover several topics, including the importance of reviewing your estimated annual premium notice and the benefits of paying your premium in full versus installments.

Follow this link to attend online: Thursday, April 25 at 11:30 a.m.

Or sign up to attend in person at one of our service offices. Don’t forget to visit the Employer webinars page to view recorded presentations from past webinars.

Spotlight on trenching safety

Spring ushers in the construction season and with it a rise in trenching and excavation work. What is the most important consideration with this work? Safety.

Every trench must be protected to prevent cave-ins. If you’re in this line of work, remember, never enter an unprotected trench! How do you know if a trench is safe? Keep this trenching safety card with you at all times.

If you’re an employer, please keep these  cards on your job site and distribute them to your employees.

Contact BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene for free trenching safety resources and information at 1-866-644-6292 or bwc.ohio.gov.

Safety Update

Find the latest news in occupational health and safety right here in the April Safety Update.