Pandemic restrictions are lifting , and you ’ ve been ramping up your business . Customers are coming back and you are hiring staff . The outlook is good .

Still , you should be aware of situations in the workforce that have changed during the past few years . These new developments affect your operations , your risks , your liabilities and your ability to keep your employees safe .

If an employee is injured while in the course and scope of their job , it ’ s a workers ’ compensation claim . Even if the worker leaves your employ , the claim for the work-related injury remains the liability of you and your insurance company .

Absences due to these injuries cause disruptions in your scheduling ; sometimes , recoveries drag on , and there is a cloud of uncertainty about what ’ s going on . Here are three developments to keep in mind .

1 ) Newly hired workers are more likely to be injured on the job . In a rush to re-hire and staff up , many service businesses are seeing an increase in work-related injuries among their employees with less than three months of tenure .

When you bring multiple people on board right away , training may not be as thorough as it would have been during “ normal ” times . Data suggests that restaurants and bars employ younger workers more than other businesses , and these employees are those most likely to be injured . Inexperience in the job and less experience in life lends itself to taking safety procedures less seriously .

Look at your training program and the reinforcement of safety procedures ensuring they are up-to-date , thorough and continually enforced by supervisors . Potential opportunities to mitigate injuries include procedures around the lifting of heavy objects , decluttering spaces , installing non-slip floor coverings , wearing slip-resistant footwear and using gloves to reduce knife injuries .

While strains from slips and falls are the leading risks of injury in the restaurant industry , cuts and burns are close behind . Wearing proper attire , keeping arms covered when handling hot utensils , and using caution when carrying hot or greasy foods are necessary protective steps .

You may want to review any new processes or systems you ’ ve put in place and identify new hazards related to order procedures , how customers queue , how they are served , how they are seated and how food and beverages are served .

Your workers ’ compensation insurer or administrator can help by analyzing claims data to identify and correct prospective hazards . They can also consult with you on prevention and safety loss control measures .

2 ) Lean on technology to promptly treat and manage injuries . Just as we learned to rely on telehealth and remote doctor visits for medical care during the pandemic , we also saw these innovations becoming standard practice for workplace injuries . For example , when an accident or injury occurs , the decision must be made about what to do : Call an ambulance ? Send the worker home ? Send her to the urgent care center ? Fix her up from the first aid kit ?

Now , telephonic and virtual triage services connect supervisors and the injured employee to trained medical professionals who can immediately assess the best course of care . Digital connectivity will also speed up the treatment program , leading to faster recoveries and return to work . Doctor visits can be performed remotely ; specialists brought in for consultations can make treatment decisions immediately .

Physical therapy can also be done at home with remote coaching ; devices can measure the employee ’ s functionality and recovery . If you do not have these innovations , ask your workers ’ compensation carrier or administrator about them .

3 ) Be aware of the impact of behavioral health issues . The pandemic helped spawn an epidemic of another sort — spikes in anxiety , depression and substance abuse . Employees are especially vulnerable when they have experienced a work-related injury that results in pain , inability to work and uncertainty about their ability to recover and return to their job and normal life .

Pain and isolation are correlated to anxiety , depression and sleep disorders , which can complicate recovery and even lead to long-term disability , as well as an inability to rejoin the workforce . Case managers can screen for and spot signs of mental health problems and provide or arrange for additional coaching to help these injured employees .

Your engagement with injured worker sand your demonstration of compassion and empathy can make a profound difference . Ask your carrier what resources they provide in this area , so you know your employees will get the best care and oversight .

Jeff Gurtcheff is vice president of enterprise comp for risk management technology firm CorVel .

By Jeff Gurtcheff www . cheersonline . com Fall 2022 • 47