AHSA 2009 Highlights

AHSA made significant gains in 2009 which will benefit the industry into 2010 and beyond, if current trends continue. 

Key achievements

2009 results the industry should be proud of: 

• Nearly 200 fewer claims in the hotel industry than in 2008. The biggest year over year decline for the industry over the past 5 years! 

• A more than 25% reduction in overall claims costs for 2009 compared with 2008 and similarly, a 25.5% reduction in the number of time-lost claims.

• 2,834 fewer days lost than in 2008 and again, the biggest decline in 5 years (Again, a 26% reduction from 2008).

• Your members with a COR who are participating in the PIR program, employ nearly 12,000 workers. This equates to roughly one third of all workers in your industry being covered by a COR and the PIR program.
 
Thanks to the efforts of the AHSA and its members:

• A lot of workers have a better chance of going home each day after work without injury, and

• A lot of employers are enjoying the benefits and cost savings of having a strong health and safety and disability management program.

There remains opportunity

1. The hotel industry lost 7,900 days because of work related injuries in 2009 – or 21.6 years. The decline from the over 10,000 days lost in 2008 is a significant achievement in the drive to minimize this number. 

2. For the first time in the past five years, there was less modified work available to workers in the industry: 444 claims had modified work compared with 730 a year earlier. There is some opportunity here for you.

The path from here

The key is to focus on two things:

1. Prevention – the injury that never happens is the very best injury of all - for your workers, for their families, for your workplace and for your costs.

2. Modified Work – Getting someone back to work as quickly and as safely as possible minimizes their time off, minimizes the impact their injury has on your organization and their lives, and minimizes costs on your experience rating. 

a. Using programs like OIS clinics and predetermining modified work arrangements for your top three soft tissue injury types makes a significant impact on days lost from work and gives you a template you can put into action if the need arises, without delay.

b. Setting a target for yourselves to have modified work on 85% of your claims. You were close in 2008 with 84% but slipped to 66% last year. Stay focused on return to work – plan for it, prepare for it and most importantly, implement it – it will make a difference.

AHSA has done an outstanding job in organizing health and safety efforts within this industry. The employers within the industry have done an outstanding job in managing disability before it happens and managing ability when it happens.  The investment in the Association has shown tangible results.  This year’s PIR refund for members of the Alberta Hotel Safety Association is $ $414,548.47. 

Congratulations to the Association its members on this significant achievement.

Pieter Lambooy,
Director, Customer Service and Risk Management
WCB-Alberta