Member Benefits

ACEC Ohio members have access to excellent medical and business insurance plans and retirement programs through our national affiliate, the American Council of Engineering Companies.

While the ACEC plans are administered by insurance and financial services professionals, their operations are overseen by committees comprised of engineering firm owners from around the country. This assures the programs remain responsive to the needs and concerns of ACEC members.

Click here to view a recording to hear why your firm should consider the ACEC Trusts featuring all the programs below.

Check out all of these cost-saving programs:

Ohio’s Workers' Comp
401K
Business Insurance
Health Insurance

Ohio Workers' Comp

As an exclusive member benefit, ACEC Ohio partners with Sedgwick to offer a comprehensive Group Rating Program that helps firms save on workers’ compensation premiums while promoting safer workplaces. Through expert support, no-cost safety resources, and customized analysis, this program is designed to reduce claims and improve workplace safety across Ohio's engineering industry.

For more information on the ACEC Ohio Group Rating Program, contact Paul Feck with Sedgwick at 614-906-00535, or by e-mail at paul.feck@sedgwick.com.

If your organization is not yet participating in this member benefit, and you would like to receive a free, no-obligation analysis from Sedgwick please reach out to Paul.

Sedgwick Safety Resource Page

Get a free, no-hassle savings estimate

Workplace Safety Information

As the sponsor of a Workers' Compensation Group Rating program, ACEC Ohio has the responsibility to help its members improve the safety of their workplaces and thus reduce the number and severity of Workers' Compensation claims. Check this page regularly for the latest information on how to improve safety in the workplace.

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation 10-Step Business Plan for Safety:

Step 1: Visible active senior management leadership
Step 2: Involvement and recognition
Step 3: Medical treatment and return to work practices
Step 4: Communications
Step 5: Timely notification of claims
Step 6: Safety and health process coordination and employer education
Step 7: A written orientation and employee training plan
Step 8: Written and communicated safe work practices
Step 9: Written safety and health statement or philosophy
Step 10: Recordkeeping and data analysis.

A wide array of additional safety information and services are available through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Division of Safety and Hygiene.

Safety Resources

The BWC Division of Safety & Hygiene offers educational and safety consulting services at no additional cost. Safety & Hygiene consultants assist employers by identifying safety and health hazards and assessing safety programs and making recommendations for improvements. The Division of Safety & Hygiene provides the following services:

Safety Audits
Ergonomic Studies
Industrial Hygiene Consulting
Reference Materials, Videos, etc.
Safety Publications
Employee Safety Training
Safety Councils
All - Ohio Safety and Health Congress

Click here for safety resources.

For more information, call their toll free number at 1-800-644-6292, ext. 22.

Avoid Biggest Source of Workers' Comp Claims: Back Injuries

Back strains and sprains are the single biggest source of Workers' Compensation claims for engineering firms, according to data from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Division of Safety & Hygiene.

According to the National Safety Council, 60 percent to 80 percent of all workers will experience a back problem at some time during their working careers. Back strains and sprains are the largest source of workplace claims.

Conditions in the workplace that increase the likelihood of back pain are called "risk factors.," and include:

Lifting heavy loads;
Carrying bulky loads or loads far away from the body;
Frequent lifting;
Bending the body’s trunk, as when picking items up off the floor;
Twisting the body’s trunk;
Static loading (for example, holding objects for long periods of time).

Here's what you can do to reduce or eliminate exposure to these risk factors:

Limit exposure by providing mechanical assistance, such as conveyor systems, two- and fourwheel carts, and hoists; or by lightening the load to be lifted;
Engineer safer conditions, such as by elevating the starting point of the lift, to reduce worker exposure to awkward postures;
Training employees (a safer way to lift should be considered when none of the previous methods are feasible);
Administrative controls (if the lifting is frequent, rotate the work with other workers).

If lifting can't be avoided, select the safest way to lift – one that is free from the potential for injury. However, we can lessen our exposure by using an approach that encompasses best practices that have come about through research and application. Here are some guidelines:

Plan the lift from start to destination;
Flex to loosen up your body before starting the lift;
Squat close to the load;
Grip the load firmly with both hands, not just the fingers;
Place hands on diagonally opposite corners so one hand pulls toward you and the other one lifts;
Bring the load as close as possible to the body;
Keep weight centered over your feet, with arms and elbows against your sides;
Keep your back straight, use the power in your legs to push yourself and the object into a standing position;
Avoid twisting by changing direction with your feet;
Continue to your destination with the object as close to the body as possible.

Medical Marijuana and its Impact on BWC

Provided by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Division of Safety & Hygiene.

Click here for details.

401K

The ACEC Retirement Trust is designed exclusively to give ACEC Member firms of any size the power to make the most of their retirement plans. For more than 50 years, we have examined the retirement marketplace, done careful due diligence, and assembled a team of retirement industry experts to deliver the ACEC Retirement Trust 401(k) plan at negotiated and competitive prices. With the pooled assets of every plan in the Trust, participating plans and participants benefit by receiving:

Top-notch fiduciary protection for individual retirement plans
Cost-savings administration and recordkeeping
Access to quality, low-cost investments usually out of reach for individual firms
Personalized investment advice and complimentary Certified Financial Planning services for every participant
Innovative resources to educate participants
Annual plan reviews and reporting without requiring internal effort
A valuable benefit program to help you attract and keep top talent

Enjoy the benefits of large-scale savings, reduced fiduciary risks, and a top-tier retirement plan that gives you a competitive edge.

ACEC Retirement Trust
Contact: Lydia Zabrycki
Does your 401(k) plan suffer? Click here for an informational video.
Is your 401(k) as excellent as your engineering?

Business Insurance

The ACEC Business Insurance Trust (BIT) oversees a program that provides business and professional liability insurance coverage for participating ACEC member firms. The program offers policyholders ACEC-exclusive tailored coverage and broad policy terms and conditions.

Program coverage includes automobile liability and physical damage; workers' compensation; and the "Spectrum" package policy affording protection for buildings, personal property, money and securities, business liability, equipment breakdown, drones, cyber security, computers, and media. Catastrophe liability protection is available through umbrella coverage.

The business insurance plan underwriter is The Hartford. The plan administrator is Greyling, a division of EPIC.

ACEC Business Insurance Trust
Contact: Lee Ann Wheeler

Oswald is the ACEC “Business Insurance Trust” Select Broker
Contact: Debbie Beebe

Health Insurance

The ACEC Life/Health Trust is an Association Health Plan that has been serving ACEC Member firms since 1965. They offer affordable, high quality health plans to over 1,300 ACEC Member firms nationwide. Firms of all sizes benefit, with special attention given to ensuring small firms have access to the same high-quality products and services typically reserved for larger organizations.