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A popular television host with a jobs-related show sometimes jokes "safety third" while he's being shown how to perform a particular task safely. The point is that safety is, as he well knows, a top priority for smart, responsible employers. In Ohio, employers indeed seem to be putting safety first, as their work to reduce the number of injury claims has contributed to an average 3.9% rate reduction for Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation premiums.
Low medical inflation costs by Ohio's counties, cities, public schools, and other public taxing districts contributed to the cut, too.
"I applaud Ohio's employers for their dedication to workplace safety," Gov. Mike DeWine said. "This commitment allows us to continue reducing rates for employers so that they can invest these savings back into their employees and workplaces."
And while it is good to know employers are doing more to keep their workers safe and healthy, the BWC's board of directors made the right move in approving the rate cut. According to the bureau, average rate levels for both public and private employers are at their lowest in more than 60 years.
"We are always looking for ways to save Ohio's employers money," said BWC Administrator John Logue. "Thanks to organizations' improvements in workplace safety, we are able to continue dropping rates for both private and public employers."
Here's hoping employers WILL continue to invest in equipment and training that will mean Buckeye State workers can go to work confident they are doing so in the safest environment possible.