2007 Minnesota Statutes

79.253 ASSIGNED RISK SAFETY ACCOUNT.
    Subdivision 1. Creation of account. There is created the assigned risk safety account as a
separate account in the special compensation fund in the state treasury. Income earned by funds in
the account must be credited to the account. Principal and income of the account are annually
appropriated to the commissioner of labor and industry to establish and promote workplace
safety and health programs.
    Subd. 2. Use of funds; safety assessments. The assigned risk plan shall, through persons
under contract with the plan, perform on-site surveys of employers insured by the assigned risk
plan and recommend practices and equipment to employers designed to reduce the risk of injury to
employees. The recommendations may include that the employer form a joint labor-management
safety committee. The plan shall generally survey employers in the following priority:
(1) employers with poor safety records for their industry based on their premium modification
factor or other factors;
(2) employers whose workers' compensation premium classification assigned to the greatest
portion of the payroll for the employer has a premium rate in the top 25 percent of premium
rates for all classes; and
(3) all other employers.
    Subd. 2a. Eligible applicants. An employer is eligible to apply for a grant or loan under
this section if the employer meets the following requirements:
(1) the employer's workers' compensation insurance is provided by the assigned risk plan, is
provided by an insurer subject to penalties under chapter 176, or the employer is self-insured;
(2) the employer has had an on-site safety survey conducted by a Minnesota occupational
safety and health investigator, a Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry workplace safety
and health consultant, an in-house employee safety and health committee, a workers' compensation
underwriter, a private safety consultant, or a person under contract with the assigned risk plan; and
(3) the on-site safety survey recommends specific safety practices or equipment designed to
reduce the risk of illness or injury to employees.
    Subd. 3. Incentives and penalties. The assigned risk plan shall develop a premium rating
system subject to approval by the commissioner of commerce that provides a reduction in
premium rates for employers that follow safety recommendations made under this section and an
increase in rates for employers that do not. The system must be sensitive to the economic ability
of an employer to implement particular recommendations.
    Subd. 4. Grants and loans. The commissioner of labor and industry may make grants or
loans to employers for the cost of implementing safety recommendations made under this section.
    Subd. 5. Rules. The commissioner of labor and industry may adopt rules necessary to
implement this section.
History: 1992 c 510 art 3 s 8; 1995 c 231 art 2 s 8; 1997 c 200 art 1 s 46