Pub. 14 2015-2016 Issue 1

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S I S S U E N O . 2 , 2 0 1 5 12 new jersey auto retailer NJ CAR’s Workers’ Comp Program Unveils ”Zero Injury Program” to Assist Dealers With Risk Management & Loss Control I n early May, NJ CAR’s Workers’ Comp Program unveiled its new Zero Injury Program (ZIP)—a total safety, loss control and claim analysis initiative, targeted at eliminating loss exposure and behaviors that cause workplace injuries. What is the NJ CAR “Zero Injury Program”? The Zero Injury Program (ZIP) is a mechanism to help dealerships reduce workplace injuries and thereby reduce the cost of Worker’s Compensation Insurance. The program was developed by NJ CAR staff and its consultants working with dealerships that have experience modification factors (experience mods) as low as .519 and determining what best practices those dealerships have adopted to reduce work-related injuries in their facilities. There are five components to developing an effective Zero Injury Program for a dealership. They include: • Commitment to Workplace Safety by “Leadership Team”. The success of a Zero Injury Program is incum- bent on the Dealer Principal, General Manager and Service Manger actively embracing and supporting efforts to build BY CHARLES RUSSO a “safety” culture within the dealership. This “leadership team” must communicate to rank-and-file employees (on a regular basis) that workplace safety is a continually-evolving process and is fully supported by the dealership. • Establish a Safety Committee. A Safety Committee must be formed and have the authority to implement actions necessary to create a safe work environment. This groupmust also be accountable for making sure that there is continual improvement in workplace safety. The Safety Committee works closely with the Service Manager, General Manager, Dealer Principal, Safety Advisor and Claims Administrator. • Selecting and Training Employees. Particularly in the Service Department, careful vetting and selection of new technicians is vital to achieving a safe work environment at a dealership. Comprehensive functionality tests, background screenings and drug and alcohol testing are among the initial screening tools that can be utilized. Alsomentorship of recent tech school graduates will help to weed-out those individuals who repeatedly demonstrate “at-risk” behaviors. In addition, dealership-specific safety training should be conducted in conjunction with a qualified safety consultant. • Reporting. To maintain awareness and active engagement of the Leadership Team, both ad-hoc (inspections and inju- ries) and regularly scheduled reports should be prepared and distributed by the Safety Committee. • Recognition. Finally, and especially in the early stages of establishing the Zero Injury Program, the Leadership Team must recognize positive safety outcome, in order to reinforce the right behaviors. Why Implement a Zero Injury Program at your dealership? Statistics have shown that Service Technicians have the high- est incidence (almost 60%) of workplace injuries in dealerships. The largest percentage of Technicians’ injuries fall into three