2024 Theo Award Winner: Orange County, North Carolina

Orange County, North Carolina, faced unique challenges in managing workplace injury claims across its diverse departments and locations.

With hundreds of potential incident sites spread across the county and operating around the clock, timely and accurate reporting of injuries was a complex task.

The County recognized the need to improve its incident reporting process to better protect workers and efficiently manage claims. Their goal was to enhance accuracy, speed up reporting, eliminate paperwork, and reduce the lag time between incidents and formal reports.

Tackling the Problem

To address these challenges, Orange County selected “incidentli” to partner with for its jobsite incident recording app. This mobile solution was rolled out to over 200 County employees, who received comprehensive training on both the app’s functionality and the County’s data collection policies.

Melissa Tegeder, risk management director, Orange County, North Carolina

The implementation focused on four key objectives: improving accuracy of incident reports, increasing the speed of reporting, eliminating paper-based processes, and reducing the time between an incident occurring and the formal report being filed.

County supervisors were empowered to document injuries directly at the point of occurrence. The app allowed them to collect all relevant information, including photographs and witness statements, and instantly upload this data to the County’s incident server.

This real-time reporting capability ensured that the risk management team received immediate email notifications, allowing them to begin processing claims without delay.

The new system also automated the population of carrier- and state-required forms using the collected data.

These forms could then be submitted electronically, further streamlining the process and reducing potential delays or errors from manual data entry.

Success to Build On

Orange County’s innovative approach to incident reporting has yielded impressive results, dramatically reducing the time required to submit a workers’ compensation claim to the County’s insurance carrier. What once took days or even weeks is now accomplished in less than an hour.

Organization: Orange County, North Carolina * Location: Hillsborough, NC * Number of Employees: 1,600 * Category: Government & Public Sector

This significant improvement in reporting efficiency not only enhances the County’s ability to manage claims effectively but also demonstrates a strong commitment to worker safety and well-being.

By ensuring that incidents are reported and processed quickly, Orange County can respond more rapidly to potential safety issues and provide timely support to injured workers.

The success of this initiative showcases how local governments can leverage technology to improve administrative processes, enhance worker safety, and ultimately provide better service to both employees and the community at large. &

The Theo Award celebrates its inaugural year, honoring 31 workers’ compensation programs for their excellence and service to workers across the nation. To learn more about the award and amazing qualities each winner possesses, visit here.