Editor's Note: This article has been contributed by KevinRing, director of community growth for the Institute ofWorkComp Professionals.

In Part 1 of this series, we discussed how the term “older worker”is being redefined in today's workplace, as well as costsassociated with typical injuries sustained on the job andhow injury prevention should be a crucial componentof the hiring process.

Now let's focus on injury reporting and what employees mustknow before they suffer an injury,including whom they should contact when they get hurt.Immediate injury reporting is a key to keeping injury costs as lowas possible. Studies have shown that the costs of an injury go upwhen there is a delay in reporting. Make it your policy that anyemployee injury is reported before the end of the shift.

Once the injury is reported, getting the proper treatment iskey.

Building Relationships

Agents should help employers build a relationship with anoccupational medical provider in your area. You can find boardcertified occupational doctors on the web at acoem.org. Even ifthere isn't an occupational medicine specialist in your town, youcan develop a relationship with a physician and send your injuredemployees to that doctor.

The goal of having a relationship with a doctor is to ensurethat the doctor knows the business and the physical demands thatemployees are under. They should also have a good knowledge of thetransitional work that the employer has available. When a doctorknows that you will accept an employee back to work on transitionalduty, they are far more likely to send them back to work ratherthan send them home to sit on the couch and watch infomercials forattorneys at 1-800-SUE-THEM. When an employee is at work, they are lesslikely to hire an attorney and more likely to work hard to get backto their full duty position. This process not only gets employeesback to work more quickly, it also reduces the amount of money thatthe insurance company spends on employee injuries, reducing theclients experience mod and therefore their workers' compensationinsurance costs.

The workforce is getting older, and we need to be mindful ofaccommodations that older workers may need today that they didn'tneed before. However, this new research from NCCI should sharpenemployers focus on what can drive down injury rates and costs, likehiring the right people, training them to do their jobs safely andwhen accidents do happen, have them reported immediately andtreated by a skilled physician that will send them back to work,rather that send them home.

If agents help employers follow those steps, then having older,experienced workers on the payroll can be a great asset rather thana potential liability. It can also create clients for life.

Kevin Ring is a licensed property and casualtyinsurance agent and co-developer of a new workers' comp softwaresuite designed to help insurance professionals in working withemployers. He may be reached at 828-274-0959 or [email protected].