Maine’s The MEMIC Group Releases Back-to-the-Workplace Safety Guidance

As states begin to lift restrictions on employers in various segments of the economy, MEMIC, a Portland, Maine-headquartered workers’ compensation insurance specialty company, has released an employer guide for safety procedures.

The MEMIC Pandemic Recovery Safety Planning template includes forms to assist with preparation, training and documentation and is available to all employers.

“Planning is the operative word when bringing people back to the workplace,” said Karl Siegfried, senior vice president of Loss Control at MEMIC, in a company press release. “We know the thousands of employers we insure want to protect their people as they regain their footing. Rushing the process without planning can undermine their long-term goal of remaining open and serving their customers.

Siegfried emphasized that employers need to concentrate on hazard identification, communication and training, as well as sanitation, distancing, compliance and exposure tracing.

“Of all the activities required to bring people back to work safely, communication and training are the most important,” he said in the release. “Persistent communication helps create understanding and emphasizes expectations of safe behavior. Training helps co-workers recognize hazards and, as important, it builds a culture of accountability to one another. And, should a co-worker be diagnosed, it is essential that all contacts at work be documented and acted upon as described in the template.”

MEMIC is urging all employers to adopt the guidelines and to share the material provided with their customers and vendors as soon as possible.

“Whether in manufacturing, education, health care or hospitality, there are fundamental steps we all need to take to avoid a resurgence of this coronavirus,” Siegried said in the release. “To that end, our template is available to everyone to help do it safely.”

The MEMIC Group includes MEMIC Indemnity Company, MEMIC Casualty Company, and parent company Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company. As a super‐regional workers’ compensation specialty insurer, The MEMIC Group holds licenses to write workers’ compensation in 46 states. In addition to its headquarters in Portland, Maine, the group maintains offices in New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida.

Source: The MEMIC Group

Topics Commercial Lines Workers' Compensation Business Insurance Training Development Maine