TY - JOUR
T1 - Workers’ compensation loss prevention representative contact and risk of lost-time injury in construction policyholders
AU - Schofield, Katherine E.
AU - Alexander, Bruce H.
AU - Gerberich, Susan G.
AU - MacLehose, Richard F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Authors
PY - 2017/9
Y1 - 2017/9
N2 - Introduction Insurance loss prevention (LP) representatives have access and contact with businesses and employees to provide targeted safety and health resources. Construction firms, especially those smaller in size, are a high-risk population. This research evaluated the association between LP rep contact and risk for lost-time injuries in construction policyholders. Methods Workers’ compensation data were utilized to track LP rep contact with policyholders and incidence of lost-time injury over time. Survival analysis with repeated events modeling calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Compared no LP contact, one contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk (HR = 0.73, CI = 0.65–0.82), two with a 41% (HR = 0.59, CI = 0.51–0.68), and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk (HR = 0.72, CI = 0.65–0.81). Conclusions LP reps appear to be a valuable partner in efforts to reduce injury burden. Their presence or contact with policyholders is consistent with reduction in overall incidence of lost-time injuries. Practical applications Reduction in lost-time injuries, resulting in reduced workers’ compensation costs for policyholders and insurance companies, builds a business-case for safety and injury prevention. LP reps are often a low or no-cost benefit for insurance policyholders and may be an important injury prevention resource for small firms and/or those with lack of safety resources and staff.
AB - Introduction Insurance loss prevention (LP) representatives have access and contact with businesses and employees to provide targeted safety and health resources. Construction firms, especially those smaller in size, are a high-risk population. This research evaluated the association between LP rep contact and risk for lost-time injuries in construction policyholders. Methods Workers’ compensation data were utilized to track LP rep contact with policyholders and incidence of lost-time injury over time. Survival analysis with repeated events modeling calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Compared no LP contact, one contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk (HR = 0.73, CI = 0.65–0.82), two with a 41% (HR = 0.59, CI = 0.51–0.68), and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk (HR = 0.72, CI = 0.65–0.81). Conclusions LP reps appear to be a valuable partner in efforts to reduce injury burden. Their presence or contact with policyholders is consistent with reduction in overall incidence of lost-time injuries. Practical applications Reduction in lost-time injuries, resulting in reduced workers’ compensation costs for policyholders and insurance companies, builds a business-case for safety and injury prevention. LP reps are often a low or no-cost benefit for insurance policyholders and may be an important injury prevention resource for small firms and/or those with lack of safety resources and staff.
KW - Business-case
KW - Injury
KW - Safety
KW - Survival analysis
KW - Workers’ compensation
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsr.2017.06.012
DO - 10.1016/j.jsr.2017.06.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 28882256
AN - SCOPUS:85021642154
SN - 0022-4375
VL - 62
SP - 101
EP - 105
JO - Journal of Safety Research
JF - Journal of Safety Research
ER -