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BWC featured items
Ohio Safety Congress
BWC joined the Ohio Farm Bureau Podcast to talk Ohio Safety Congress®. Listen here and make plans to join us March 27-29 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Mowing Safety
Warmer weather is just around the corner, which means it’s almost mowing season! We’ve created a series of short training videos on mowing safety covering topics like mowing on slopes, mowing near drop-offs and embankments, and equipment training.
OHID for BWC
Exciting news! OHID, your one-stop shop for secure and convenient access to various state agencies, is coming to BWC soon! Say goodbye to juggling multiple logins and passwords - with OHID, you can manage everything with just one set of credentials. As we move towards this upgraded system, it's important to note that OHID will become the only way to access your BWC accounts. This change is aimed at boosting security and simplifying your user experience. For more information, visit OHID for BWC customers.
March BWC In-Person Training, Safety Webinars, and Virtual Training Classes
The BWC has numerous safety training opportunities for you and your employees.
Private employer rate reduction
Ohio’s private employers will pay nearly $67 million less in premiums next fiscal year due to a 7% rate reduction approved by BWC’s Board of Directors Feb. 23.
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 Monthly safety topic
Spring Farm and Field Safety Tips
As the weather gets warmer, we’re excited to start on our fields, gardens, and lawns. You may think of this as the pre-season, but the tasks we’re performing now can be just as hazardous as during our peak busy season. Here are some tips:
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Equipment maintenance: Keep those fingers safe! Turn off all power sources and use blocks to prevent unexpected movement of parts while cleaning and servicing. Stay away from power take off shafts under power.
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Ladders: If it’s broken, don’t use it. Whether it’s a portable ladder, fixed ladder, or part of your machinery, make sure the parts aren’t bent, broken, rusted, splintered, or otherwise unsafe. If they are, fix or replace them.
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Roadway safety: Check all blinkers, brake lights, and reflectors before heading out on the roadway. Drivers should check the Speed Identification Symbols (SIS) emblem to verify the maximum speed for driving or towing farm machinery. Stay clear of overhead power lines. Power lines can arc and shock you even if you’re not close enough to touch them.
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Fertilizers and pesticides: Read and follow all manufacturer’s instructions from the label and the safety data sheet for mixing and application. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Review operation of all valves and levers before filling nurse tanks or hoppers.
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Breathing: Ammonia for fertilizer, methane from animal waste, nitrous oxides from silage – they can all cause loss of consciousness and death within minutes. If you can’t measure the levels in the air, avoiding these gases is the best way to stay safe.
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 BWC Library question of the month
A question received by the library over the past month with our response.
Question: What is the average claim cost for an OSHA recordable finger fracture?
Answer:
The most recent available BWC claim data from 2021 shows a range of an average of $1,200 for a medical only claim to $30,500 for a lost time claim for finger-related injuries. The National Safety Council's info page on workers' compensation injury cost statistics for 2020-2021, lists the average cost for an injury to the hand/fingers/wrist to be $14,576 and indemnity to be $11,708 for a total of $26,284. A caveat is that it appears to cover all types of injuries to the hand/fingers/wrist (and these are not broken down). OSHA's inspection/citation/penalty database contains the penalty costs that OSHA assigned for the October 2022 - September 2023 period by two-digit NAICS code for the OSHA 1910.138: Hand Protection standard. There is also a five digit, more specific NAICS breakdown.
If you need help with understanding safe statistics, contact BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene. Consultation services are free for employers with a BWC policy. Do you have a question for our library? You can submit a question to us, anytime!
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 Other news
NIOSH Total Worker Health® Program
This new NIOSH publication in the Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine describes the current and future goals of the NIOSH Total Worker Health® Program and describes the program’s past and current success.
Transportation Safety Data
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) updates the National Transportation Statistics (NTS), a guide to historical national-level transportation trends, on a monthly basis. Data tables include Injured Persons by Transportation Mode (contains data going back to 1960), Transportation Accidents by Mode, Transit Safety Transit Safety and Property Damage Data, and Railroad and Grade-Crossing Fatalities and Number of Injured Persons.
Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
More devices in our homes and workplaces are powered by lithium batteries. These batteries present unique safety hazards when not handled and stored properly. Do you know what they are? The National Fire Protection Association has information to stay safe by preventing battery fires.
The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.
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BWC's Division of Safety & Hygiene provides a variety of programs, services, and resources to help Ohio employers create a safe and healthy workplace.
Visit bwc.ohio.gov or email BWCDSH@bwc.ohio.gov or call 1-800-644-6292.
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.
Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving 257,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $21 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit bwc.ohio.gov.
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