Workers’ Compensation insurance for medical staffing firms and other temporary staffing companies is a significant expense, partly due to the fact that there are many claims that last long, along with rising claims costs as well as the need for employers to up their efforts to take charge of the workers’ compensation process. This includes implementing strong risk management strategies and loss control measures to help prevent workplace injuries and illnesses from occurring in the first place.
Among the Workers’ Comp insurance risk-mitigation and loss prevention programs a staffing firm should adopt are:
- Evaluating A Host’s Worksite: A staffing agency and the host employer should jointly review all worksites to which an employee might foreseeably be sent, the task assignments and job hazard analyses in order to identify and eliminate potential safety and health hazards and identify necessary training and protections for each worker. This is important as temporary workers on average have a higher rate of injury claims than regular employees, as they are not familiar with the protocols in place. Staffing agencies may be able to utilize the safety and health consultation services provided by their Workers’ Compensation insurance providers to conduct these worksite evaluations. The staffing agency should also provide a document to the host employer specifying each temporary worker’s specific training and competencies related to the tasks to be performed.
- Implementing Strong Safety Training and Employee Education: This should include a training program for all employees, and cover the company’s designated injury care process and occupational medicine program. Employers should spend the time and use their resources to develop safety procedures and train employees on how to use those specific safety tools to help avoid workplace injuries. This can be accomplished with handouts, videos on specific topics, webinars, quarterly newsletters and other materials. Along with training employees, the process must be clearly documented and made easily accessible to all employees. It must also be made very clear what measures need to be taken following an on-the-job injury. The training must be in a language the employees understand.
- Developing Return to Work (RTW) Programs: Identify and formalize transitional jobs to get an injured worker back to a productive work environment and medical release as soon as possible. RTW programs help create a proactive safety culture within an organization and ultimately save employers in both direct and indirect costs.
About Manchester Specialty
Manchester Specialty provides Workers’ Compensation insurance solutions for medical staffing firms as well as other temporary staffing agencies for non-medical exposures. Our insurance solutions are supported by our carrier partner’s customized risk management programs, industry-specific Best Practice loss control services and safety programs, and dedicated risk management professionals and teams to provide each individual staffing firm with resources specific to their needs. For more information about our Workers’ Compensation solutions and services for staffing firms, you or your local agent/broker may contact us at 855.972.9399.