In complex industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and construction, injuries are an unfortunate part of operations. But when incidents happen repeatedly—and in familiar patterns—leaders may feel like they already know the How? and the Why? For example: “Of course our nurses have the most injuries. We’re a skilled nursing facility.”
It’s a common conclusion—but often incomplete. The real insight comes when we ask more targeted questions:
- What shift were they working?
- What task were they performing?
- Was the incident related to patient handling, environmental hazards, or equipment?
These questions are difficult to answer with surface-level claims data. That’s why Amerisure utilizes Enhanced Location Coding (ELC) to help our policyholders—and our own teams—go deeper, improve operational insight, and support safer outcomes.
What is Enhanced Location Coding?
Enhanced Location Coding (ELC) allows claims to be tagged with three additional, customizable fields—such as: Shift (e.g., first, second, or third), Job Description (e.g., housekeeping, dietary, maintenance), or Cause of Injury (e.g., slip/trip/fall, needlestick, combative resident). These filters add vital context to each incident, empowering risk managers to analyze trends with greater accuracy and clarity.
For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently reported that healthcare and social assistance workers experienced 455,700 nonfatal injuries, the highest among all private-sector industries. Of these, over 346,000 resulted in days away from work, restricted duty, or job transfer—often due to overexertion, slips, and interactions with patients.
“It’s not just about recording what happened. It’s about understanding why—and taking informed steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” says Ed Sowers, Risk Management Service Specialist at Amerisure. “ELC gives us and our policyholders the clarity to move from reaction to prevention. With better data comes better decisions—and ultimately, safer outcomes.”
How Amerisure Uses ELC to Improve Operations
Amerisure’s internal adoption of ELC has helped us deliver smarter, more efficient service. Through this initiative, we’ve enhanced the integrity of our claims data, created a streamlined and consistent process for coding, and empowered service teams and policyholders to act on better insights
Our Claims Department plays a key role in the process, ensuring each applicable claim is coded accurately and promptly. This allows us—and our agency partners—to identify and address root causes with greater speed and precision.
Who Benefits Most from ELC?
While ELC is beneficial across industries, it’s especially valuable for organizations that meet criteria such as:
- High Claim Frequency (e.g., 30+ claims annually)
- Diverse Departments (e.g., multiple job functions or roles)
- Decentralized Operations (e.g., locations with independent oversight)
- Strategic Reporting Needs (e.g., internal tracking for executives or board reporting)
In healthcare, common incidents—such as needlestick injuries or injuries from combative residents—can be better analyzed with ELC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that hospital workers experience over 385,000 needlestick and sharps-related injuries annually.
In manufacturing, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most reported injuries. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), MSDs account for nearly one-third of all worker injury and illness cases. ELC helps correlate these injuries with specific tasks or shifts. In construction, recent BLS data shows that struck-by incidents resulted in over 21,400 nonfatal injuries in 2022. ELC can help determine which crews, tools, or job stages pose the most risk.
Key Benefits of Enhanced Location Coding
Organizations that implement ELC gain:
- Deeper Loss Insights: Analyze trends with greater clarity and specificity
- Root Cause Confirmation: Move beyond assumptions to verify contributing factors
- Targeted Loss Allocation: Assign losses to specific departments or shifts
- Customized Data Structures: Tailor filters to the needs of your business
- Improved Claims Analysis: Support more strategic decisions and prevention planning
These benefits align with OSHA’s recommendation for data-driven safety programs, which emphasize early hazard identification and customized safety planning. Amerisure teams are committed to working directly with policyholders and agency partners to determine the most relevant filters for your business. Whether you’re managing a skilled care facility, a manufacturing floor, or multiple job sites, we’ll help you align ELC with your operations.
Looking Ahead
Building a culture of safety requires more than reporting—it demands clarity, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By implementing Enhanced Location Coding, you can empower your team with the tools and knowledge needed to identify root causes, prevent repeat incidents, and operate with confidence every day.
At Amerisure, we believe smarter data leads to safer decisions. Ask your Risk Management Consultant if Enhanced Location Coding could be the right tool for your safety strategy.
