The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the availability of $12.787 million in FY 2026 Susan Harwood Training Grant Program funding to support workplace safety and health training initiatives. The funding will be awarded through two grant opportunities: Targeted Topic Training grants and Training and Educational Materials Development grants, both aimed at helping employers and workers recognize, prevent, and address occupational safety and health hazards. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by July 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The Susan Harwood program, administered by OSHA, supports organizations providing education and training to workers, particularly those in high-hazard industries and underserved populations.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released a report, the Relationship Between Benefits and Wages, examining how wages relate to workers’ compensation losses, finding that payroll remains an effective and practical exposure base for ratemaking, despite variations across different wage levels. The analysis found that indemnity claim severity generally increases wages before leveling off at higher earnings, while medical claim severity tends to rise more consistently across all wage tiers. At the same time, claim frequency typically decreases as wages increase, creating differences in how closely benefits and wages align.
Integrated Specialty Coverages (ISC) announced the launch of its workers’ compensation platform. The platform will provide workers’ compensation coverage through independent agents in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana, and is accepting submissions for policies effective October 1, 2026, and later. The program will offer monoline workers’ compensation insurance and serves industries including construction, manufacturing, retail and wholesale, agriculture, service businesses, and financial services.
State and local governments are taking a more active role in regulating workplace heat exposure as federal OSHA's proposed heat standard remains unfinished. New York City recently directed agencies to develop heat illness prevention plans, while Colorado expanded its workplace temperature protections to cover a broader range of industries. Experts say employers should proactively address heat risks by providing water, shade, rest breaks, training, and written prevention plans, as heat-related hazards can affect both outdoor and indoor workers. The growing patchwork of state and local requirements signals that heat illness prevention is becoming a significant compliance and workplace safety issue nationwide.
Oregon– Oregon’s Workers’ Compensation Division will hold a virtual hearing on July 23 at 11 a.m. regarding proposed rule changes implementing HB 4040. The proposal modifies multiple workers’ compensation rules to change how nurse practitioners and physician associates are addressed in the system, including removing the term “authorized nurse practitioner,” eliminating certain time-based limitations, and allowing these providers to serve as attending providers and authorize time loss in specified circumstances. Written comments will be accepted through July 30 and can be sent to WCD.Policy@dcbs.oregon.gov.
Pennsylvania – SB 1398 was referred to the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee late last week and is currently awaiting a hearing. The bipartisan bill would establish a Firefighter Cancer Screening Program within the Department of Insurance to cover the cost of screenings. To qualify, firefighters must have responded to at least 15 fire or rescue emergencies during the previous calendar year. Participants would be required to undergo at least one screening within three years of becoming eligible. The bill provides $50 million to launch the program, with ongoing funding to be determined through future General Fund appropriations. The program is intended to cover annual cancer screenings not paid for under firefighters’ health insurance policies.
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