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Workers compensation payers disbursed 3.8% less for prescriptions in 2018, including a 15% drop in opioids, due to a decline in utilization and overall cost per prescription, according to a drug trends report released Thursday by MyMatrixx, a subsidiary of Express Scripts Holding Co. Overall, 65.9% of comp payers spent less on opioids in 2018, with 17.7% of injured workers…

Some companies may be exposed to more asbestos lawsuits under proposed legislation now on Illinois Gov. J.B Pritzker's desk. The legislation, Senate Bill 1596, which has passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly, attempts to overturn a 2015 Illinois Supreme Court ruling in Folta v. Ferro Engineering, which essentially barred the plaintiff from suing in civil court and upheld…

The Indiana House on Wednesday unanimously approved amendments to a bill that would fine Indiana employers up to $132,598 for a worksite fatality stemming from workplace safety standard violations, according to the state’s legislative website. The Senate unanimously passed H.B. 1341 on April 2. The bill amends Indiana code on workplace safety, which stipulates fines of $7,000 to $70,000 for…

Increasing the availability of personal protective equipment for women are among keys to bringing and advancing more women in safety roles in organizations, according to a report released Thursday by the American Society of Safety Professionals. Other areas to focus include offering more advancement opportunities to women and reducing violence against women at work, according to the report, which the…

The annual Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index documents the top 10 causes of the most serious workplace injuries – those causing an employee to miss five or more days from work – and ranks them by their direct cost to employers, which consists of medical and lost-wage payments. The insurer’s report also identifies the top causes of serious workplace injuries…

Workplace injury and illness rates have continued to decrease in the U.S. across all demographic categories but are dropping the most among younger workers, according to a study released Monday by the National Council on Compensation Insurance Inc. Incidents of workplace injury and illnesses are continuing to decline about 2% to 3% annually, according to Boca Raton, Florida-based NCCI. In…