DHRM Spring 2020 Commonwealth Aadvantage

Spring 2020

The Virginia Department of Human Resource Management

In this Issue: Message from Director Emily Elliott p.2

The Culture of Safety p. 4-5

Serving Client Agencies p.8

Director’s Word We kicked off 2020 with a focus on workplace safety. Making sure that every employee returns home to family and friends each day is priority one. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace. As an employee, you have a critical role in identifying workplace hazards and watching out for your fellow coworkers.

At the start of the new year, Governor Northam introduced two new online training modules available to all employees. The first focused on general workplace safety, and the second module centered on actions to take during an active attacker situation. Both training modules have common sense tools and tips that anyone can use while at work or elsewhere to reinforce a safety first mindset. It is our collective hope that information like this will allow you to engage in additional conversations about your personal safety.

Our focus on safety should be yearlong. The National Safety Council has a wealth of information available online including materials to promote June as National Safety Month.

Observed annually, National Safety Month “focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road and in our homes and communities.” You can find downloadable resources highlighting a different safety topic for each week in June. You can also find information for other safety topics that focus on things like eye wellness, drug and alcohol facts, distracted driving, mental health, hearing, heatstroke and more.

If you are a supervisor, take time to talk about safety at team meetings. If you are an employee, ask to share information on a safety related topic. Encourage continued dialogue on issues that are important and specific to your work location and environment.

Talk about workplace safety not only as it relates to financial cost but also emotional wellbeing. With thoughtful and intentional efforts, safety can and will become part of your workplace culture. Everyone has a role in making that happen!

Director, Department of Human Resource Management P.S. As we were writing this edition, the (new) coronavirus (COVID-19) became international news. Information is a valuable defense in fighting off unnecessary stress and the virus. You can find out more information on the Virginia Department of Health website.

Promote Healthy Hygiene Habits by staying home if you are sick.

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Stay on Your Feet In fiscal year 2019, 1,404 claims, or 21 percent of the claims submitted to the DHRM Office of Workers’ Compensation, involved falls, slips or trips. Those claims accounted for 27 percent, or $6,294,598 of the total incurred value. Year-over-year falls, slips and trips have historically ranked in the top three for both frequency and severity.

Here are some things that you can do to reduce your risk of falls, slips and trips.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Slow down! Pay attention to where you are walking.

At corners, make wide turns.

Keep your work and walking areas clear of clutter.

Make sure your flooring is in good condition. Think things like wrinkled or frayed carpeting, broken or missing floor tiles, loose rugs or mats.

Make sure lighting is adequate for walking safely.

Carrying or pushing something? Be sure that your view is not obstructed.

Clean up spills thoroughly and quickly.

Consider the weather and the impact that might have on walking surfaces.

Avoid distracted walking; i.e., texting, phone calls, web surfing.

Keep file cabinet drawers closed.

Avoid dangling or loose cords or cables.

Use a handrail when available for changing levels.

Pay attention to changes in flooring material and adjust accordingly.

At left are agencies reporting at least an average of 10 claims per year, that have been successful in reducing the number of falls, slips and trips from fiscal year 2017 through 2019.

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Feature Story:

The Culture of Safety Safety is a culture. It can be practiced in both our personal and work lives, and should be embodied in every workplace. Our employers are responsible for providing a safe work environment and each employee is expected to adhere to safety rules and regulations for the overall goal of employee safety.

Representatives from the DHRM Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWC) sat down with C. Ray Davenport, Commissioner of the Department of Labor & Industry (DOLI), and William Burge, Assistant Commissioner, to discuss their agency goals.

The discussion focused on reducing employee accidents and fatalities, targeted training for employees, inspections of worksites and leadership education. For years DOLI was responsible for conducting workplace safety inspections but didn’t have authority to issue penalties for the violations found. A new law in 2018 directed the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board to adopt regulations for issuance of proposed penalties to the Commonwealth, its agencies, political subdivisions, or any public body for certain safety violations.

Ray Davenport, Commissioner of the Virginia Department

This legislation provides a means for DOLI to of Labor and Industry (DOLI). penalize employers when a safe work environment for employees is not provided.

DOLI offers five voluntary programs to promote and recognize exceptional safety and health efforts.

One of those is the Virginia Challenge Program, implemented in 2018. The program gives employers a step-by-step process to dramatically improve safety and health management systems as a means to reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses and fatalities and the substantial costs associated with them.

An employer who completes The Virginia Challenge will have an exemplary safety and health management system that will allow them to apply for Virginia STAR recognition. STAR is the highest level of Voluntary Protection Program participation.

Commissioner Davenport was pleased to share that the Virginia Department of Corrections was recently recognized by Virginia Occupational Safety & Health (VOSH) for having 2 facilities with Voluntary Protection Programs in place. These facilities are Augusta Correctional Center and Lunenburg Correctional Facility.

OWC asked Commissioner Davenport what he believes are some of the greatest challenges or obstacles for state agencies in providing safe work environments for their employees.

“Money is a big part of it for state and local governments, but you also have to have employee involvement and management commitment to ensure a safe workplace and eliminate hazards,” he said.

“If you don’t have that, then you are not going to be able to do it because the employee has got to know that they are valued and the management’s commitment to them is to ensure a safe workplace. The employees know how to do a job and know how to do it safely and in the best way. We have found that our Voluntary Protection Programs have reduced claims costs, increased productivity for employees, improved employee morale and provided additional benefits.”

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Assistant Commissioner William Burge said while the biggest obstacle is the budget for state agencies, human nature also plays a part. “We battle human nature like short cuts; for example, not shoring up a trench right now because we are only going to be there a minute, so sometimes human nature will cause you to take a risk.”

OWC asked the Commissioners what they thought agencies should do regarding workplace safety training for their staff, given the advances in technology.

Commissioner Davenport explained that he believes training must be multifaceted and delivered where the employees are.

Left to right: Chad Smith and Kitty Hughes of DHRM, DOLI Commissioner Davenport and Assistant Commissioner William Burge.

“Our registered Apprenticeship program has a related technical instruction and a formal mentorship by someone who knows how to do the job. This is part of changing the culture and requires management commitment. We have to reach workers at their workplace with toolbox talks, 10- and 30-hour OSHA training in Spanish,” he said.

“Our tree trimming training and annual conference last year had 400 participants. We saw people come from all different employers and industries to share their experiences. Online tools can be used, but we don’t see that it is the panacea that we would like for it to be. There is a lot of good information online but we must be vigilant in assuring it is up to date and accurate.”

Assistant Commissioner Burge recommended toolbox talks be flexible, encourage participation by employees, and be customized to the specific agency. “Have someone other than the supervisor lead the talks periodically and occasionally speak on safety issues at home. People get hurt working with weed whackers or putting up their Christmas tree. If a person gets the importance of safety at work they will get it at home.”

What message would Commissioner Davenport have from DOLI to state employees? He says that individuals need to practice safety at work and at home.

“I would encourage our state employees to look at what they do on a daily basis and take a step back and say, is there is better way to do this, a safer way to do this?” he said. “I think the idea of taking a step back, improving their recognition of hazards…whether it is a grinder in the shop or a weed whacker at home, a rollover of a lawnmower at work or home due to the grade of the land.”

Assistant Commissioner Burge said his message would be don’t be afraid to ask why.

“Just because you have always done something a certain way, don’t be intimidated about challenging why a task is done that way. Participate in safety programs, liven it up a little bit and volunteer as a peer to lead the toolbox talk, “he said.

Wherever we work in the Commonwealth, practicing workplace safety is up to all of us.

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Keep Your Eyes on the Road Texting while driving is not just unsafe; it's also against the law. Despite all the rules and warnings regarding the safety hazards of using a mobile phone while driving, most drivers still use their phones at least occasionally while driving. You know the deal. You’re driving down the road, and you get a call, hear a text or email come in, and you think to yourself, Should I answer it? Should I text or email? I know it's wrong; we tell our teenage kids not to do it, but I am a good driver, and with concentration, I can safely do this. Unfortunately, most automobile crashes are caused by people like you and me who also think they can focus on the road and operate a mobile phone at the same time. Make no mistake. When it comes to driving, multitasking is a terrible idea.

It’s all about focus Driving requires your full attention. Any distraction that takes your focus away from driving for more than two seconds is a dangerous road safety issue. While driving a car traveling 55 miles per hour, looking down to check your phone for four seconds is enough time to travel over the length of a football field. Distracted driving significantly increases your likelihood of an auto accident. In the United States, 25-50% of all auto vehicle crashes are directly related to driver distraction.

Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that nine percent of fatal crashes in 2016 were reported as distraction-affected crashes.

Texting while driving is deadly Texting while driving is the most dangerous mobile phone-related hazard because it removes your eyes from the road. Your reaction time is slowed by approximately 37%, which is three times more than drinking and driving or when surfing social media on your phone while driving. Even handsfree phones, which you might think would be safer, are not. When you are engaged in conversation, be it on a call or texting—or even with someone else in the car—your attention is divided.

Most crashes are caused by drivers who think they can pay attention to the road and do something else at the same time. We only have so much attention to spare.

There is no magic number associated with how many things we can do at once, and in fact, it’s not very many.

So, keep your eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel: Don’t text and drive. Arrive alive!

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The Dangers of Distracted Walking You can’t go anywhere today without seeing people of all ages walking like zombies with their heads down, totally oblivious to what’s going on around them, while using mobile phones. Distracted walking is a dangerous habit. It has caused so many injuries and incidents that it has prompted some states to enact laws prohibiting such activity. These laws are targeting people using mobile phones while walking about without paying proper attention to their surroundings. Walking without paying attention to the environment around you can put your and everyone’s safety at risk and all ages are susceptible.

Distractions are the number three cause of pedestrian fatalities, mainly caused by use of electronic devices.

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) estimates 7,450 pedestrians died in traffic or nontraffic incidents in 2018. Non-traffic incidents occur in non-traffic areas such as driveways, parking lots, or other private property. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that in 2018, 6,075 pedestrians died in traffic crashes occurring on public roads. The NHSTA also reports that in 2018, most pedestrian traffic deaths occurred in urban settings (79%), on the open road (74%) vs. intersections (25%), and at night (76%). The most significant number of pedestrian deaths occur on Saturdays (1,031), and the majority of these deaths happen at night (837).

Except for a decline on Saturdays and Sundays, the number of pedestrian deaths during daylight hours is relatively consistent throughout the week.

However, pedestrian fatalities at night vary substantially. Nighttime pedestrian deaths are at their lowest point on Tuesdays and increase throughout the remainder of the week, peaking on Saturday.

It’s a fact that distracted walking incidents are increasing, and everyone with a cell phone is at risk. We are continually losing focus on our surroundings. A large number of distracted walking injuries occur at home, proving that we need to pay attention to our surroundings, whether indoors or outside.

Keep Your Head Up And Your Phone Down The solution: Stay alert – stop cell phone use, remove headphones or earbuds while walking in congested areas, or using crosswalks and intersections.

• Whenever possible, use the sidewalk, facing traffic; if no sidewalk or walking path is available, walk facing oncoming traffic.

• If a crosswalk is not available or your vision is obstructed, move to a place where you can see oncoming traffic.

• Always look both ways and left again before crossing the street.

• Make eye contact with drivers of oncoming vehicles to make sure they see you.

• Watch for vehicles entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.

• Wear reflective or bright clothing and use a flashlight at night.

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Serving Our Client Agencies Shortly after I came on board as the Director of the Office of Workers’ Compensation, our team established our vision: to be the most efficient and effective self-insured workers’ compensation program in the country. Being one of the largest self-insured’s in the Commonwealth makes our goal challenging, but it is attainable if we focus on being of service to our clients, state agencies.

With our renewed focus on Client Service, we have changed our organizational structure and established the Agency Relations Unit to be the primary point of contact for state agencies.

Each state agency now has an agency-specific Agency Relations Representative who is assigned to help you navigate through the workers’ compensation process. They are ready and willing to help in any way they can.

OWC Senior Management Team: from left, Dawn Mauro, Kitty Hughes, Coleen Vaughan, Aubrey Chigwada, Penny Gough, Joe Johnson and Steve Palczyski.

Our leadership team has been directed to make quality customer service to the agencies a vital part of their decision making processes. My hope is that all Commonwealth of Virginia employees who interact with us will feel that this is the case. Whether you are working with one of our nurse case managers, a benefit coordinator from our claims department, or anyone else who works within our program, I want you to come away from your experience knowing that the OWC has made a positive impact.

Not only are we here to help our colleagues when they suffer a work related injury, but we are also focused on doing all that we can to prevent workplace injuries from occurring in the first place, and certainly from the same types of recurring injuries. OWC offers various training courses throughout the year and we maintain a library of training programs that agencies are able to access through the COVA Learning Center. In addition, we are able to accommodate customized training requests to present training sessions directly to agency staff on site.

Our loss control team is also available to serve our state agencies and my hope is that we will see an increase in utilization of the services they offer. They can make a big difference in mitigating the risk exposures agencies face as part of their operations. Whether you have a particular work process, or new equipment that you would like to be evaluated, or want to have a full snap shot survey and evaluation of all of your operations done, OWC can provide these services to you.

The Office of Workers’ Compensation would like to make sure that all state employees know that we all play a critical role in ensuring a safe work environment. We believe that our joint commitment to establishing a strong, positive workplace safety culture will lead to more productive and safe workdays for us all.

Aubrey Chigwada Director, DHRM Office of Workers’ Compensation

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Safety Training Opportunities Commonwealth’s Workplace Safety Training • Virginia State Employee Safety and Disaster Awareness Training – developed by Virginia Department of Emergency Management and required of all employees annually.

• Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) developed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and required of all employees.

Visit the COVA Learning Center.

Safety Training by Request Loss control consultants can assist state agencies in developing new or modified safety training programs upon request, delivered in a train-the-trainer environment. Send your _____________ request to Johnny Nugent, DHRM Risk Management Specialist.

Upcoming Training DHRM offers in-person, webinar, and FOCUS formats for training. We also conduct OSHA 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training for General Industry. Register at https://covlc.virginia.gov/Default.aspx.

Date

Class

Location

Webinar?

May 7, 2020 May 7, 2020 May 12, 2020 June 9, 2020 June 18, 2020 June 18, 2020

Seven steps to effective training (NEW) Silica: The hidden danger Protecting employees in roadway operations Creating effective safety committees Seasonal safety Your safety training toolbox

Monroe Building Monroe Building Monroe Building Monroe Building Monroe Building Monroe Building

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

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Health Impact: Stress and What You Can Do About It Waking up startled, realizing the alarm did not go off. Fumbling through the dark to find your phone to figure out what time it is, what day it is for that matter. You rush around to make it out the door, to discover a frozen sheet of ice on your windshield. Heavy traffic during your commute and your boss is texting you to remind you of your crucial 9:00 a.m. deadline‌.you get the picture. During this very typical start of the day for many of us, your heart rate rises due to an increase in adrenaline, your breathing rate increases to allow more oxygen to get to the brain, cortisol floods your system causing a spike in blood sugar levels.

You may experience tension in your neck, shoulders, headache, jaw clenching, sweaty palms, dry mouth just to name a few. These are all characteristics of the stress response.

Beginning in the brain as a biological and biochemical process, it spreads throughout the autonomic nervous system causing a release of powerful hormones and ultimately impacts an entire series of body systems, including the immune system.

What one person finds stressful may not be stressful for another. Research shows that our perception of our experiences can have a powerful protective effect against damaging effects of the stress response.

Call 1-844-342-1791 or visit capitolsquarehealthcare.com

Stress in the workplace can result from a mismatch between employer expectations and employee abilities, employees feeling a loss of control of their work environment, or lack of effective two way communication between employee and employer. There is an association between an increase in stress and the development of numerous health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, depression, headaches and chronic back pain. According to a 2016 study by Eastern Kentucky University, workplace stress costs US employers over $300 billion per year related to medical and legal costs, reduced productivity, employee turnover and absenteeism.

The Capitol Square Healthcare clinic for state employees is ready to help you manage your stress. Getting started with a wellness checkup in our patient centered care environment with one of our providers may be your first line of defense. There are additional services available to you, including the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and preventive health screenings.

Employees in the Cova Care, COVA HealthAware or COVA HDHP state health plans may enroll in health coaching to partner with the onsite health coach. Coaching is available to you for guidance and support in developing healthy stress coping techniques such as learning breathing exercises, mindfulness, meditation, and healthy communication. The clinic offers individual coaching, group coaching and lunch time presentations, among other services.

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Did You Know?

It’s Time for Annual Open Enrollment Do you want to change to another state health plan? Enroll in a Flexible Spending Account? In April, the Spotlight on Benefits newsletter and other materials were mailed to employees about Open Enrollment for Health Benefits and Flexible Spending Accounts. The Open Enrollment period for making elections began May 1 and ends on May 15, 2020. Changes are effective on July 1, 2020. Information is also posted on the DHRM website . Questions? Contact your agency benefits administrator.

When You Are a Working Parent….

Virginia state government proudly employs thousands of people in diverse careers. We recognize that work/life balance is important to an individual’s success on the job, and the challenges you face when juggling both a career and children. View new resources on DHRM’s website geared toward informing and supporting working parents and their supervisors.

Workers’ Compensation Accidents on the Decline!

Incidents of workplace injury and illnesses are continuing to decline about 2-3 percent annually, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. So how is the Commonwealth’s Workers’ Compensation Program performing?

Since fiscal year 2011 statewide claim volume has declined by an average of 4.6 percent. We acknowledge and applaud all workplace safety efforts.

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dhrm.virginia.gov Look out for our next issue in the fall. Thank you for reading!

Spring 2020

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