Orrville Area Safety Council News

Thousands of Ohio employers benefit from the education, resource sharing, and premium savings which result from actively participating in their local safety council monthly meetings. And you can join them.* BWC Safety Councils can help you: Learn techniques for increasing safety, health, and wellness in your workplace. Network and share best practices with other employers in your community. Identify resources to assist you in your accident prevention efforts. Access risk management information and strategies to reduce your worker’s compensation costs. To earn a 2% safety council rebate on your workers’ compensation premium, meet rebate eligibility requirements in one of Ohio’s more than 80 BWC-sponsored safety councils. Participation is simpler and easier than ever before. Join or confirm your existing, active membership in a local safety council by July 31, 2022. Attend 10 in-person safety council meetings between July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023: At least eight, or all 10, through attendance at local safety council sponsored monthly meetings, seminars, or special events. You can earn  external training credit for up to two meetings through attendance at BWC-sponsored in- person or virtual training courses or in-person safety training from other external sources (e.g. industry associations, third party administrators, etc.). It is the employer’s responsibility to submit documentation to safety council by June 30, 2023 for attendance at non-safety council safety training to qualify. Documentation must be an official certificate of attendance or transcript. Additional safety council rebate eligibility guidelines: A person can represent only one policy number with his or her attendance at a safety council meeting or external training event. Safety council monthly meetings do not qualify for meeting credit for any employer not enrolled in that safety council. No matter the duration of the training, seminar, or conference, only one external training credit is earned per event. Safety training conducted at an employer’s workplace does not qualify for safety council rebate program eligibility. Virtual/Online training does not qualify for safety council rebate program eligibility except BWC virtual training classes. * The rebate offer excludes self-insuring employers and state agencies. Limitations apply to a professional employer organization and its clients. To receive the rebate, employers must be current with respect to all payments due BWC. Employers may not have cumulative lapses in workers’ compensation coverage in excess of 40 days within the prior 12 months. Additionally, employers must have timely reported actual payroll for the preceding policy year and pay any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium.

Participation is simpler and easier than ever before. You can:  • Earn a 2% safety council rebate on your workers’ compensation premium* • Learn techniques for increasing safety, health, and wellness in your workplace. • Network and share best practices with employers in your community. • Find resources to assist you in accident prevention. • Access risk management information and strategies to reduce your workers’ compensation costs. Join your local safety council today

The FY23Safety Council Rebate Program External Training Credit Guide is available for download at the link below.

The Orrville Area Safety Council (OASC) held an interactive hands-on first aid workshop for local employees to refresh and practice skills during their meeting at The University of Akron Wayne College on October 12th. Four interactive stations were incorporated into the program, all featuring injuries or emergency response issues that could be encountered in the workplace. Janeen Bradford, Registered Nurse Education Coordinator, Aultman Orrville Hospital, demonstrated stroke signs and symptoms. Attendees were educated on the F.A.S.T test when determining if a co-worker could possibly be having a stroke. Aleah Neuenschwander, Wellness Specialist, Aultman Orrville Sports & Wellness, educated on orthopedic injury. Participants split up and practiced supporting an arm or leg injury with common workplace items such as a magazine and a shoestring to stabilize the limb during the wait before emergency medical help arrived. Kristen Gallagher and Elizabeth Cante, American Red Cross Northeast Ohio Region, reminded participants that when someone experiences cardiac arrest, any help is good help. Performing hands only CPR is an effective way to keep oxygen moving through the blood stream of the victim until professional help arrives. The attendees were able to practice the simple technique of chest compressions on foam ambulances with instruction.  The most popular station among the OASC attendees was emergency fire response presented by Orrville Fire Department and Wayne County Regional Training Facility. Attendees had the opportunity to practice activating a fire alarm by pulling the lever that would likely be in their workplace and then attempt to put out the fire stimulated on a screen using a fire extinguisher prop. Many volunteers had never pulled the pin on a fire extinguisher or used one before.

The Portage County Safety Council invites Orrville Area Safety Council members to participate in a free webinar on October 6. Presented by Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP, Senior Program Director at Specialty Technical Consultants, Inc. This presentation was previously featured during the 2022 Ohio Safety Congress at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. During this session, current philosophies about how to lead will be challenged to uncover myths and misconceptions attendees may be unconsciously holding onto that are hindering the success of their leadership efforts and how workers see and engage with them. This session will also align these concepts to inclusive leadership approaches, which are becoming critical skills for today’s OSH leaders. Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP has nearly 25 years of experience helping organizations create sustainable occupational safety and health programs. She specializes in conducting safety and health management system assessments and integrating risk management programs that assist organizations improve bottom line performance. This training is ideal for executives, supervisors, safety managers & human resources managers! Please register online no later than 12pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. This training is open to all current & former safety council members, Portage Development Board members, PCHRA members and local chamber members.  Please Note: this event does not qualify for safety council rebate attendance credits or external training credits.

When it comes to worker safety, We’ve Got You Covered at the 2023 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo® (OSC23®). We are excited to be back, live and in-person at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, March 8 -10, 2023. We know safety is your top priority. Save the Date and plan to attend educational sessions by leading experts and connect with hundreds of vendors at the Expo. With nearly 100 sessions and workshops to choose from, you are sure to find exactly what you need to expand your safety knowledge at OSC23®. Business Strategies Construction Safety Governance and Regulatory Government Employee Safety Leadership and Professional Development Manufacturing Safety Safety Management Systems Technology and Innovation Total Worker Health Workers’ Compensation New this year, we will be streaming the keynotes and multiple sessions each day! Whether you plan to attend in-person or online, We’ve Got You Covered. Visit www.ohiosafetycongress.com for more information. Education sessions are being finalized now. Registration opens in January.  We can’t wait to see you!

Human beings make decisions about safety every moment of every day. Most of the time we make these decisions without actually giving them much thought – speeding through a yellow traffic light, standing on a chair instead of a ladder, texting while driving a motor vehicle. Dale Lesinksi, Vice President, DiVal Safety Equipment, shared a different approach to workplace safety with 70 local employers and safety managers at the Orrville Area Safety Council’s (OASC) lunch and learn program August 10. The meeting was held at The University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville. According to Lesinski, there are four reasons that cause accidents, environment, training, procedures and behavior. Of these four, behavior is by far the leading contributor to injuries and accidents in the workplace. “The fact is we as humans are not wired to be safe,” stated Lesinski. “That is why the conventional approach to employee safety often delivers meager results. The only way to get employees to value their own safety is to make it about them.” Lesinski used humor, audience participation and real-world situations to motivate attendees to value their own personal safety and watch out for others. He asked everyone to think of four people that you would never want to see hurt. These four people are the “Right Reasons” to put safety first – the people in your life that are counting on you to come home each day. “We need to be safe ourselves because our actions or inactions affect those four people,” Lesinski explained. “Remind your team members of the four people they have in their lives who are the reasons why they need to be safe.” Every attendee received a magnet picture frame with the Safe 4 The Right Reasons slogan on the border. Lesinski asked everyone to find a picture of the 4 people you want to be safe for and place the magnet in your work area as a reminder. The OASC meets on the second Wednesday of each month for a lunch and learn program at The University of Akron Wayne College, Student Life Building. Orange Circle Sponsors for the FY23 Program Year which began in July include: Bekaert, McElroy Packaging, Orrvilon and P.Graham Dunn. Additional Black Circle Sponsorship support from MARS Horsecare, Orr Construction, OrrVilla Retirement Community, JAG Healthcare Orrville Pointe, and Preferred Airparts. The OASC is sponsored by the Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Division of Safety & Hygiene and Massillon WestStark Chamber of Commerce, to provide Ohio employers with access to occupational safety and health, workers’ compensation and risk management education, networking, and resource sharing.  The next OASC meeting will be September 14. The Impact of Slips, Trips and Falls will be the program topic. Visit www.orrvillesafety.com​​ for information and to register.

Welcome Back Orrville Area Safety Council! Monthly lunch and learn meetings begin soon. Show your support for workplace safety. Buy a T-shirt $16. Deadline to order is July 19.  Buy Your T-Shirt Here