SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers Launches Workplace Safety Program

SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers has launched a workers’ compensation safety program – Three Sixty Safety – designed for implementation into current safety protocol that provides training, education and claim assistance when necessary. Three Sixty Safety is part of SGB-NIA’s “Road to Zero” project to get members to zero workplace accidents.

“After stabilizing for years, workers compensation rates are going to climb for years. The only way to face these increases is to reduce accidents in the workplace,” said Jim Scanlon, CEO of SGB-NIA in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Scanlon said the problem with many company safety programs is that they encourage employees not to report injuries so they can win a prize or a free lunch. “That’s wrong. It’s better to encourage employees to create safe workplaces and to report even small injuries before they become serious.”

Three Sixty Safety aims to change company safety culture to one that promotes taking an active role in the responsible handling of claims. While many traditional safety programs offer incentives for completing a cycle without an injury claim, Three Sixty Safety incentivizes employees to deal with a possible claim promptly and responsibly. Statistics have shown that by addressing a possible injury claim immediately, employees can greatly reduce the risk of having a minor injury develop into something more severe or even chronic.

Three Sixty Safety provides a nurse triage hotline for employees that has been shown to cut down on severe or chronic injuries by at least 48 percent. By calling the hotline, employees can more accurately determine whether their injury should be addressed by medical personnel or if their needs can be sufficiently met by simply taking leave for the day or by taking over the counter medication. This often results in a decrease in the amount of money spent on hospital bills without any adverse effect on employees’ health and or morale.

Three Sixty Safety also focuses on changing company culture by incentivizing responsible behavior as it pertains to workplace safety.

“Nearly 80 percent of workplace accidents are caused by bad or neglectful behavior,” said Joe Goyeneche, SGB-NIA safety consultant. “Workplace environment does play a role, and environmental assessments are a part of our overall program.”