AGC/SAIF Members Rewarded for Safety Efforts
The Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter (AGC) and SAIF announced today a $7,876,242 retrospective return for the 638 companies who participated in the AGC/SAIF group workers’ compensation program during 2016–2017. This represents a 22.2 percent return of paid premiums during the policy year.
These are remarkable results for any industry, but particularly in the construction industry, where increasing construction activity and a continued shortage of qualified workers have presented unique challenges this year, making these results more significant. The actual total payout to participants will surpass $9.3 million after the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) and non-disabling claim reimbursement adjustments are made. Individual results and retro checks will be mailed directly from SAIF to policyholders in mid-August 2018.
The retro return combined with the impressive 10 percent upfront premium discount savings creates a total combined savings this year of 32.2 percent. A retro return has been paid out to AGC members 25 of the past 26 years. Total retro returns spanning the 26-year history for the AGC/SAIF program now surpass $188 million.
Employers will see additional savings this year due to a significant reduction in Oregon pure premium rates for 2018. The contracting industry decreased 12.6 percent overall, and the AGC group weighted average rate decrease is 15.2 percent. While employers pay less in initial premium, those decreases put pressure on continued safety performance, and employers and employees alike must remain vigilant with their safety efforts.
“This has been a successful partnership, and our members continue to produce tremendous results,” said Mike Salsgiver, Oregon-Columbia Chapter executive director. “Our goal is to create safer workplaces, reduce workplace injuries and illnesses, save lives, and save money.”
The retro return is based on the safety performance of all group members, so it is truly a team effort. Employers in the program make investments and commitments to safety and training. Employees carry out the work, utilizing safe work practices and behaviors. And industry professionals from SAIF, AGC, and agent brokers work diligently to train and educate, manage claims costs, and help injured workers get back to work.
“For 26 years, this plan has had consistently strong results—due to the partnership between workers, employers, agents, AGC, and SAIF,” said Christy Witzke, VP of marketing, sales, and communication at SAIF. “The true success is that thousands of Oregon construction workers go home safe and healthy day after day because of the hard work of all those involved.”
Dennis Barlow, AGC director of safety services, added, “The ultimate reward of programs like this is the success of creating and maintaining a safety-focused environment that encourages and rewards people to be safe and productive on the jobsite. Each year we improve this program to provide optimum results. Year after year, we see improvements in our members’ safety leadership, culture, and commitment. The premise that ‘safety pays’ is clearly understood.”
About AGC
Since 1922 the AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter has served as the voice of the commercial construction industry. The association provides its members with a forum for the exchange of ideas and services designed to enhance the professionalism of the construction industry, including workers’ compensation and health insurance, legislative and governmental representation, safety management consulting, professional education, training, and workforce development programs.
About SAIF
SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company. Since 1914, we’ve been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.