Injuries due to slips and falls are one of the most frequently reported workers’ compensation claims. While these accidents can happen anywhere, any time, they typically spike during the winter months. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 20,000 workplace injuries due to falls from snow, sleet, and ice occurred in 2016. Of those, 28 percent resulted in more than a month off of work.

Employees and visitors alike are at risk, but with a proactive safety plan, slips and falls can be prevented.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 42,000 opioid-related deaths in the United States each year. And according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, drug overdoses are one of the leading causes of death for Americans under the age of 50. With the popularity of synthetic opioids surging, experts predict the death toll will only increase. 

LMC Insurance and Risk Management (LMC Insurance) announced today the launch of a new health insurance solution that is underwritten by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield for Iowa-based employers with 51-500 eligible employees. The program, referred to as the Employer Coalition, will be available beginning Jan. 1, 2019. It will provide a more predictable insurance pool with features designed to stabilize costs long term, simplify administrative burdens and help employees better understand and utilize their benefits.

“Our goal is to create an innovative, new health insurance offering derived from the results of information shared from employers across the state of Iowa in our Midwest employer benchmarking survey, Share to Compare,” said Richard DeBartolo, Senior Vice President of LMC Insurance. “Today, employers in the fully insured market are asking for more influence in the decisions impacting their health insurance programs. Employers are looking at plans and technology designed to drive better consumerism.”
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Health literacy refers to the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Health Literacy Month, observed each October, aims to close the gap that exists between the way healthcare is communicated and the ability of most people to understand the information.
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According to the National Action to Plan to Improve Health Literacy, nearly 9 out of 10 adults don’t fully understand routine health information. People who have difficulty understanding how to prevent and manage their health are more likely to skip needed medical treatment, go to the emergency room more often, and tend to make mistakes with their medications.

Did you know that 60.3 million U.S. workers are affected by workplace bullying? A 2017 survey conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute found:

• 70% of perpetrators of abusive conduct are men
• 61% of bullies are bosses
• 66% of all targeted workers are women
• Male perpetrators target females 65% of the time
• Female perpetrators target females 67% of the time
• 40% of targets are believed to suffer adverse health consequences from bullying
• 29% of targets remain silent about their abusive conduct; only 17% seek formal resolution

Bullying is generally defined as the use of intimidation through power, influence, tone or language to affect a person negatively. It is often intentional; however, sometimes the bully is not aware of his or her hurtful actions or words.
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Across the country property and business owners have been overwhelmed by damage caused by tornados, fire, flood, and other disasters. For many, this is the first time they have experienced such loss, and they become targets of insurance fraud when questionable contractors show-up in damaged communities offering to clean and repair the damage, handle the insurance claim, and other services.

You may have heard the phrase, “the only constant is change.”  Take a moment to think about everything that has happened over the course of this last year.  Have you changed jobs, gotten married, or had a baby?
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It’s true. Our lives are always changing, which is why it is essential to review your insurance needs annually. Coverage needs change as the circumstances in our lives change. Family, home, and career status should be reflected in your policy coverage.

OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, or BBP standard, requires workplaces to have policies and controls in place to protect employees from needlestick injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.  The standard defines engineering controls, such as sharps disposal containers, self-sheathing needles, safer medical devices such as sharps with engineered sharps injury protections and needleless systems that isolate or remove the bloodborne pathogens hazard from the workplace. 

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. Enforced in phases, the final phase of implementation, targeting air travel, began in January 2018.