Category Archives: News

Quality and Safety Manager Earl Menser explains how building and maintaining a work safety program is paramount to the success of Hibbs ElectroMechanical Inc.

What type of business is Hibbs ElectroMechanical?

Hibbs ElectroMechanical Inc., based in Madisonville, Kentucky, is a solutions provider for electrical motor repairs for many different industries, which include power plants, gas plants, manufacturing, coal mining, aggregate operations, and more.

How big is your workforce?

We currently employ about 60 people.

How important is safety to the success of your business?

Unlike manufacturing where the end user isn’t necessarily concerned about the factory’s safety record, our customers expect a proven record of a successful safety program.

Our field service team regularly visits our customers’ sites and properties. Not only must we adhere to our own safety policies, but to our clients’ stringent safety policies as well.

We train and test regularly with customer-specific safety requirements for multiple industries. Our safety record and stats are continuously monitored through contractor websites, databases, and direct reporting methods.

What new safety training or practices have you added to your program?

As 3D virtual tour technology grows, we continue to expand the use of 3D virtual reality for orientation, shop tours, recruiting, and sales.

In addition to training through our innovative 3D programs, all new field service teammates receive a 10-hour OSHA card within their first 30 days of employment, along with other safety certifications and cards required by our customers.

How has KEMI helped your company enhance workplace safety and reduce claims?

KEMI helps us maintain a low experience modification rating and is our preferred source for CPR and first aid training. We appreciate that KEMI provides on-site training since we need flexibility with our work shifts, plus the cost per teammate is extremely affordable.

What notable safety milestones or recognition has your company achieved during the past several years?

We achieved 8 ½ years without a single lost time injury in 2019. We experienced one lost time injury later that year but immediately bounced back with a no lost time record the following three years.

We were also recognized by KEMI for our outstanding safety success by earning the 2022 KEMI Destiny Award for Workplace Safety, which Hibbs has earned eight years in a row. Our entire organization was honored to receive this prestigious award affirming the hard work we invest into maintaining our safety culture.

KEMI’s bilingual Customer Service team recently traveled to Churchill Downs to provide translation services for a policyholder during a safety audit.

Marisol Rose, senior bilingual customer service representative, and Marie Schardein, bilingual customer service representative, accompanied Eli Roberts, senior safety & loss control representative, to the on-site meeting to support the policyholder while ensuring a smooth flow of communication.

The visit occurred Monday, May 8, two days following the running of the 149^th Kentucky Derby.

While there, Rose and Schardein saw Derby contender Cyclone Mischief and the horse Fire on Time.

Translation assistance through the bilingual Customer Service team is included at no cost with KEMI’s comprehensive policyholder services. Call Customer Service at 1-800-640-KEMI (5364) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or complete the online contact form anytime to request help with translation.

J.C. Lyons, Frankfort Plant Board safety director, shares how building a strong safety program positively impacts employees and enhances business operations.

What is your primary business?
Frankfort Plan Board (FPB) is a municipal utility that provides electric, water, and telecommunications to the citizens of Frankfort, Kentucky, and neighboring communities.

How many workers do you employ?
We have approximately 200 full-time employees.

What role does safety play in your organization’s culture?
Our objective is to build on our strong safety and health program to keep the number of injuries and illnesses to an absolute minimum. FPB’s goal is to surpass the best safety and health experience of operations that are comparable to ours.

The personal safety and health of each employee is paramount, and we believe maintaining a safe workplace is every employee’s responsibility at all levels.

Safety and health in the utility business must be part of how we operate every day – without exception! All employees have the right to stop work, and no employee is required to work at a job he or she knows is not safe. Employee cooperation in detecting hazards and, as a result, controlling them is a condition of employment.

How has KEMI helped your company enhance workplace safety and reduce claims?
The keystone of FBP’s successful safety program is preparation, and we appreciate KEMI’s contributions to our ongoing employee training.

The KEMI Safety & Loss Control unit was on-site in 2022 to guide team members through the rigors of CPR and first aid training, and this year 124 employees have already completed this life-saving course.

KEMI has also conducted a 10-hour OSHA construction training for FPB, and we are currently working with the Safety & Loss Control unit to schedule a forklift training.

KEMI has been a wonderful partner by providing exceptional customer service, free training resources, and high-quality educational events.

What impacts or benefits have you seen resulting from a strong safety program?
To the greatest degree possible, management provides all tools, equipment, and training required to ensure everyone is educated and accountable and to keep our safety standards high.

Results from an intentional approach to our safety culture include improved employee morale, lower workers’ compensation premium costs, and a reduction in risk of accidents.

What notable safety milestones or recognition has your company achieved during the past three years?
FPB is a 10-time recipient of KEMI’s Destiny Award in recognition of our outstanding safety program. We are also pleased to share that a new achievement for FPB during 2022 was qualifying for American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Safety Awards – Honorable Mention in Group E.

KEMI raced to the rescue for the safe return of LexArts Horse Mania 2022 statues to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and KORE Academy in Lexington, Kentucky.

Students at each school painted the horse and foal as part of Horse Play 2022, a special program accompanying Horse Mania 2022 that offered all public and private schools in Fayette County the opportunity to participate in this public art initiative.

The horse “Dreams to Share,” created by Dunbar Students and pictured below, and the foal “Uniquely Created,” developed by KORE Academy students, were on display in downtown Lexington through December 2022.

KEMI President & CEO Jon Stewart and KEMI Safety & Loss Control manager Jeff Floyd delivered the statues to the schools on March 1.

Heather Collins, head custodian at Garth Elementary within the Scott County Schools system, saved a life on Friday, Jan. 13, by performing the Heimlich maneuver on a child who was choking. See the full WKYT story here. The lifesaving action by Collins highlights the importance of safety training and readiness.

Scott County Schools, a Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI) policyholder since 2012, maintains a steadfast commitment to workplace safety. That commitment is reflected in an excellent safety record for the school system. “They have always trained more people than is required, and this story bringing recognition to Ms. Collins for her quick action is great news,” said Jeff Floyd, Safety & Loss Control manager for KEMI.

KEMI’s safety team recently conducted a training class for school system employees at the Scott County Board of Education office. “We’re committed to promoting safe workplaces,” continued Floyd, “which is why we provide training and resources to all KEMI policyholders at no additional cost.” KEMI Policyholders are encouraged to contact safety@kemi.com to schedule safety training classes and to access safety resources at worksafeky.com.

A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” of Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance Authority (KEMI) (Lexington, KY).

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect KEMI’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile, and appropriate enterprise risk management.

“KEMI is pleased to once again earn an “Excellent” rating for our financial strength and stability,” said Jon Stewart, KEMI president & CEO. “Our team is dedicated to meeting the needs of Kentucky businesses and injured workers, and this rating from A.M. Best demonstrates that commitment.”

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Posted November 22, 2022

KEMI Announces Destiny Award Winners for 2022

At a time in which most businesses are struggling to hire and retain employees, keeping available workers healthy and on the job is imperative. Yet, the Bureau of Labor Statistics cited 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2020, within the private industry alone. Many of these injuries, and the personal and professional difficulties that they caused, could have been prevented.  

That’s why Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI), the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, recognizes employers for their commitment to workplace safety annually.

This year, KEMI will present 28 Kentucky organizations with the 2022 KEMI Destiny Award.

The Destiny Awards are presented to policyholders that best exemplify KEMI’s motto, “Control your own destiny.” The awards symbolize what can be accomplished when organizations work together to improve workplace safety.

Policyholders that earn the KEMI Destiny Award effectively demonstrate their ability to manage a formal safety program, provide on-site training and regular safety meetings for employees, and display an ongoing commitment to safety from all levels throughout their organizations.

The following businesses were selected as winners after meeting a stringent set of criteria set forth by KEMI:

• Adair County Board of Education
• Asbury University
• Asbury Theological Seminary
• Barren County Board of Education
• Bell County Board of Education
• Big Rivers Electric Corporation
• Brandenburg Telephone Company
• Corbin Independent Schools
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Edmonson County Board of Education
• Elizabethtown Board of Education
• Frankfort Plant Board
• Glenwood Electric
• Hancock County Board of Education
• Hibbs Electromechanical
• Hilton Kennedy Company Louisville
• Hinkle Holding Company
• Independence Fire District
• Industrial Field Maintenance
• KI USA Corporation
• Merkle Lawn Care Company
• Metcalfe County Board of Education
• Northern Kentucky Water District
• Ray St Clair Roofing
• Storm Security
• The Corken Steel Products Company
• Union County Board of Education
• Warren County Board of Education

“Destiny Award winners are part of an elite group of organizations that have emphasized safety each day and demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of Kentucky’s workforce,” remarked Jon Stewart, president and CEO of KEMI. “Some have received the Destiny Award multiple years, and we appreciate the opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with them and all policyholders to elevate safety programs throughout the commonwealth.”

KEMI offers the public free safety resources through worksafeky.com, a website anyone can access. It has and array of safety articles, best practices and helpful links.

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Posted October 24, 2022

KEMI extends our sympathy to those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods resulting from the recent disastrous floods in eastern Kentucky.

KEMI will be suspending cancellations and expirations through September 1, 2022, for policyholders located in the counties directly affected by the flooding.

We are steadfastly committed to supporting policyholders facing financial hardship, in both the short term and throughout the extended recovery process. We will be working closely with agents and policyholders to provide flexible payment terms, revise payroll estimates, or delay premium audits. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Posted August 2, 2022

The dividend follows an $8.2 million dividend paid in August 2021

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI), Kentucky’s leading workers’ compensation insurance provider, is issuing a dividend of $8.3 million to eligible policyholders. The dividend is a result of proactive management of claims by KEMI and its policyholders.

“KEMI is one of the few insurance companies in Kentucky that pays dividends to clients,” said Jon Stewart, president and chief executive officer of KEMI. “Our steadfast commitment to responsible financial management is critical for positioning KEMI to give back to our policyholders.”

More than 14,000 policyholders will receive a 10% dividend payment from KEMI. To qualify, policyholders must:

• Have a current active policy with KEMI.
• Have had an active policy for all 12 months of 2019.
• Have had a loss ratio of less than or equal to 65% for the 2019 policy year.

Dividend checks will be distributed throughout the month of August.

Between 2010 and 2021, KEMI issued six dividend payments to policyholders totaling $61 million. Since 2011, KEMI has also systematically lowered noncoal rates by more than 40% resulting in substantial savings for policyholders. Stewart explained, “As a mutual insurance company, we continuously innovate so that we can identify ways to keep rates competitive.”

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Jon Stewart, President & CEO of Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI), has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

WCRI is a national research organization that focuses on improving workers’ compensation systems by providing the public with objective, credible, high-quality research regarding public policy issues related to workers’ compensation. Board members are elected for staggered three-year terms and are responsible for all policymaking activities.

Stewart said that he is “looking forward to serving alongside other industry leaders to help make workers’ compensation systems more efficient and equitable for the benefit of workers and employers.”

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800

Posted June 29, 2022