Congratulations to all of the winners of 2013 risk management awards!
Each year VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) presents these awards to members with a proactive risk management attitude and commitment, excellent loss experience and reporting time, or a significant improvement in their loss ratios. The purpose of the award is to encourage and recognize outstanding risk management performance.
Four member entities were presented with risk management awards. In addition three member employees received individual risk management excellence awards.
This year’s award winners were:
Tier One: Town of Halifax
The town was recognized for their proactive stance toward risk management, resulting in a five-year loss ratio of just over 5 percent.
“Halifax has been in the program since 1989 and has only experienced three significant loss years,” said Greg Dickie, VMLIP Director of Member Services. “They have consistently acted on the safety advice offered by VMLIP staff and took on the Risk Management Guidelines program before incentives were offered.”
Tier Two: Town of Broadway
The Town of Broadway has maintained an average workers’ compensation reporting time of only 0.33 days by utilizing online reporting. Their workers’ compensation program utilizes a panel of physician and offers light-duty return to work opportunities.
“In the past town staff have worked with an injured maintenance worker and an injured police officer to provide light-duty assignments,” said Dickie. “This prevented lost wage claims and also helped these individuals make an easier return to full-time work.”
“Had they not been provided this light-duty and the ability to transition back to their full-duty positions, the claims would have been much more costly and possibly resulted in permanent work restrictions and the inability to return to their pre-injury occupations.”
The town boasts a comprehensive safety program, which is robust for an entity of their size. They utilize VMLIP’s Multimedia Library and training in many of their programs. In the last several years they have borrowed 62 videos from the library, attended 19 webinars and attended two workshops.
Tier Three: City of Emporia
The City of Emporia’s risk management efforts have had significant impacts on their loss experience. Within the last five years their property and liability loss ratio has dropped from 146 to 31 percent.
“City staff Lori Jarratt and Wendy Duncan meet with all injured employees to go over the city’s workers’ compensation policy,” said Dickie. “They utilize many VMLIP conferences and trainings, as well as our human resources consulting services.”
Individual Risk Management Excellence Award: Town of Luray – Chief Page Campbell
After the tragic mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, Chief Campbell contacted VMLIP to request any active shooter videos available in the VMLIP Multimedia Library. He utilized the video to conduct training for his officers.
“He recognized the importance of this training and proposed partnering with VMLIP to conduct active-shooter training in his region of the Commonwealth,” said Dickie. “Because of his focus on this topic of need, VMLIP worked with him to coordinate the use of PACE Survival to conduct the training, which was well received by attendees.”
As a result, more training is being proposed for other regions of Virginia this coming fund year, and will be conducted by PACE Survival and VMLIP.
Individual Risk Management Excellence Award: Linda Konczal, Upper Occoquan Service Authority
Linda Konczal personally calls claims representatives to let them know when a new claim is being reported, what the work status is, and what the details of the incident are.
“She works diligently with VMLIP staff to ensure that injured employees receive the best treatment possible,” said Dickie. “She makes sure the panel of physicians is offered and that light-duty employment is offered as well.”
Her employer, UOSA, has been a leader in offering light duty as it has been provided to UOSA employee John Connelly whose injury was first thought to be a permanent loss claim.
Individual Risk Management Excellence Award: Kathy Melton, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
“Kathy has a deep understanding of the importance of safety regulations and makes strides toward implementing and reintegrating safety rules into staff’s daily workflow,” said Dickie. “She is proactive in recognizing and addressing issues before they escalate.”
Melton maintains contact with injured workers until they have recovered and return to work fully. She pushes for additional light-duty opportunities and ensures that the organization always utilizes the panel of physicians. She helps everyone understand that work restrictions issued by the treating physician must be followed.
Margaret A. Nichols Risk Management Leadership Award: City of Harrisonburg
The Margaret A. Nichols Risk Management Leadership Award is presented each year to recognize and encourage innovation by members in the area of risk management. The award is designated for entities that demonstrate:
- Strong support from top management;
- Employee involvement;
- Innovative solutions to safety challenges;
- Injury and illness rates lower than average for comparable entities;
- Comprehensive training programs;
- Evidence that prevention of incidents is the cornerstone of the safety process;
- Communication about the value of safety; and
- Ways to substantiate the benefits of the safety process.
This year’s recipient is the City of Harrisonburg. The city utilizes the VMLIP NT24 program to report their workers’ compensation claims and has an average reporting time of 1.16 days. They also utilize the panel of physicians, the first-fill prescription program, and offer light duty in all departments.
“The city has a workers’ compensation contact in each department – which makes for efficient and effective claims handling,” said Dickie. “They each work with us to provide information, help with investigations, and help us to reach the parties involved so that a quick decision regarding claims, subrogation, and return to work can be made.”
In the past the city has worked closely with an injured employee who was experiencing PTSD to utilize light duty to eventually return the employee to their pre-injury job.
They provide workers’ compensation supervisory training periodically to each department to ensure they have a good understanding of the workers’ compensation process and what is needed to protect the employee and the city.
Their human resources staff – Jennifer Whistleman, Karen Musselmann, and Marissa Keagy are on top of all claims and are proactive in getting them resolved.
They regularly utilize VMLIP training opportunities and over the past few years have borrowed 41 videos from the VMLIP Multimedia Library, attended 39 webinars and 22 workshops. Their staff have completed 381 VMLIP Online University courses.
In addition to the awards ceremony, workshop speakers presented on a number of topics including The Impact of Workplace Incivility, Introduction to the Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program, and the transition from the HR Employment Helpline to EPL Assist.
The luncheon featured a selection of cakes from Cakes By Graham complete with winner logos.
VMLIP offers more than just coverage. We are partners in risk management. How does your insurer stack up? Having all lines of coverage with VMLIP ensures that your organization is receiving comprehensive coverage and a wide variety of value-added services tailored to Virginia’s local governmental entities. Call for a quote today: (800) 963-6800.
For more information on VMLIP visit: www.vrsa.us or follow us on Facebook.
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