The Changing Face of Workers’ Comp

Posted on: December 14, 2017 by Signature Insurance Group

Dealing with the aftermath of a workplace injury can be a big loss for employees and businesses alike. Luckily, the market has seen the need for change and responded with an array of technologies to make workers’ comp easier to manage, resulting in less workplace disruption and safer, happier employees.

Paperless Reporting

Traditional workers’ comp reports had several serious flaws. Compared to electronic data, paperwork simply takes longer and costs more to process. Employees and managers often miss important lines of information when completing forms, and many times illegible handwriting can cause significant oversights and mistakes. With paperless reporting, all of these problems are resolved. The software can be set to not allow the report writer to skip necessary input and, of course, the issue of handwriting is eliminated.

Workers’ comp reporting software can also be set to require specific kinds of information. For example, when asking where the accident occurred, different employees may report a street address, a floor number, or even the hospital at which they were treated. When a particular format is required, the software can prompt the reporter to reformat their answer, saving time that would otherwise be spent by management tracking down the employee and correcting the information.

Another benefit of paperless reporting in today’s workers’ comp environment is the ability to pre-fill forms. The company’s information, for example, can be automatically applied to all relevant forms. Syncing with an employee database can allow reporters to skip inputting their own name, address, phone number, and other information

Additionally, the ability for improved workers’ comp technology to automatically submit reports is a much-needed time-saver. Once completed, reports can be instantaneously sent to supervisors, safety officers, human resources, the insurance company, and even a triage department using telenursing, another big tech breakthrough for workers’ comp.

Having access to electronic reports also allows management to keep a better eye on the statistics of injuries to help prevent future accidents. For example, if they notice multiple reports are tagged as hand injuries, the safety team can require employees to wear gloves for particular tasks.

Wearable Tech

The second biggest tech contributor for improved workers’ comp is wearable technology. Think of this as a specially designed FitBit that workers wear around their wrists or as a vest.

These devices work primarily as a means of preventing workplace injuries. The device can monitor for fatigue, a potentially dangerous condition which can lead to accidents. It can also warn employees and supervisors of repetitive motions, signaling a need for a break before an injury can occur. For employees working outdoors or in hot conditions, like a steel mill, the device can also monitor body temperature to ensure heat exhaustion is detected before heat stroke can cause serious illness. Other devices allow vibration and light strobes to alert workers to dangerous conditions.

Wearable tech can also be used as a call for help, allowing workers to simply press a button if they are injured. The device can notify supervisors of the worker’s exact location.

With all of this technology available now, the face of workers’ comp is rapidly changing. Businesses that don’t take advantage will be left with more of the same: lost time, lost money, and injured workers.

About Signature Insurance Group

Signature Insurance Group has been working since 1969 to provide comprehensive insurance solutions to individuals and businesses across the United States. We offer a range of insurance products and services in risk management, employee benefits, business insurance, and personal insurance, and we pride ourselves on our commitment to creating “Signature Relationships” with our clients where we commit to providing the best, most comprehensive service possible. To learn more about our goods and services, contact us today at (800) 464-3606.

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