ABSTRACT

There have been many books written about workers’ compensation. There is only one reason why workers’ compensation is included in this safety text — management does not “get it.” Workers’ compensation is a distinctively different program than safety and health. The management of safety and health is a proactive program predominately focused on prevention activities. Workers’ compensation is a reactive program predominantly focused on providing benefits to those employees who have sustained a work-related injury or illness. Workers’ compensation and safety and health are oil and water. However, often the management of companies and organizations simply do not see the difference and saddle the safety professional with both programs due to their inherent interaction at the point of the accident.