Secure Your Farm

Denise GillinAgribusiness, Risk Management

By Timothy M. Murray, GSP, Risk Control Consultant All industries need security and farming is no exception. In addition to fire and safety, identifying vulnerable property and assets, and keeping online confidential information secure as outlined by Rural Security Planning (Purdue), make sure you have physical protection in place. Below are some suggested steps taken from the American Dairy Association North East for those in the agricultural industry to consider to make their property and operations more secure: Take basic steps to secure your farm and facility, making it more difficult to access by intruders. These include no trespassing signage, motion-sensor lighting, security cameras, gates, fencing, etc. Consider what is visible from the road. Consider the “curb appeal” of your …

Winterize Your Home

Denise GillinHome and Auto Insurance, Risk Management

Home Winterizing Checklist by HomeAdvisor With the passing of the holiday season, winter isn’t over. There are still cold days and even snow in our near future. Make sure your home is secure in the months ahead. Be Prepared. Make sure you have a snow shovel or snow blower if you have a large area to clear. And, it’s never a bad idea to have some extra canned goods and cases of water. Gutters & Downspouts If you didn’t clean and clear your gutters in the fall, double check them to make sure they are clear before the next snowfall. It’s a good idea to install leaf guards, if you don’t have them, to keep your gutters and spouts clear. …

Exhausted warehouse worker sleeping n packages in distribution warehouse.

Five Ways to Reduce Worker Fatigue and Improve Safety

Denise GillinRisk Management

By Toby Graham on the Succeed / KPA Risk Management Platform Give us a break! Literally, if you’re tired of inaction on this critical issue and want to ensure the members of your workforce are well-rested – and therefore safe and able to perform at their best – here are a few workplace practices to adopt today: Know the signs. Know what to look for. The NSC recommends staying mindful of cognitive issues, such as “decreased vigilance, attention, memory, and concentration.” Break up long shifts. Try to avoid having an individual work for longer than 10 hours straight, and schedule frequent breaks. Pay close attention to night shift workers. Whenever possible, avoid overtaxing your night shift workers, give them plenty …

Is it Carbon Monoxide Poisoning or COVID-19?

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced when fossil fuel is burned by furnaces, portable heaters, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges or fireplaces. The National Safety Council warns that winter can be a prime time for carbon monoxide poisoning as people turn on their heating systems and mistakenly warm their cars in garages. Use these flyers to warn family members, employees and others of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning: CDC Protect Your Family From CO Poisoning NSC CO FAQs Prevention …

Winter Safety – Preparation

Denise GillinRisk Management

By Ryland Overly, GSP, Risk Control Consultant While snowfall can be fun to play in and look pretty, planning ahead is crucial to preventing slip and fall and vehicle accidents as well as keeping everyone safe and healthy – particularly for business owners. Following are some winter preparation tips you can use to help prevent accidents, prepare your property and protect people during winter storms: Some common dangers in cold wet conditions include slips and falls as well as vehicle accidents. Use extra caution around stairs, ramps, parking lots and when entering and exiting your vehicle. This Winter Preparation Training Short has more information you can use to prevent accidents and injuries. Sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots covered with snow …

group of worker factory wearing mask protection face for safety stands in machine industrial factory..and checking warehouse machine. (group of worker factory wearing mask protection face for safety stands in machine industrial factory..and checking w

OSHA Quick Takes – Delivery and Warehousing Industry

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

By Timothy W. Braun, Risk Control Specialist Did you know? OSHA has an online Quick Takes newsletter called “Did You Know?” It’s a free service to give subscribers twice monthly updates to their phone, tablet, or other device. DYK topics provide the latest information on timely topics from OSHA. This recent DYK gives ideas and tips for protecting workers in the warehousing and delivery industries from COVID-19: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/12072020#covid-warehousing-delivery There are many other topics including: COVID-19 and enforcement actions COVID-19 protection for employees in various work settings Assistance with OSHA compliance Training Resources …and much more. I encourage you to check into these.  To learn more or to subscribe, go to: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/ Contact Tim at 717.224.1835 or another member of the Murray …

Black young receptionist checking the body temperature of customer before entering the establishment

OSHA DIY Quick Takes – Healthcare Industry

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

By Timothy W. Braun, Risk Control Specialist OSHA has an online Quick Takes newsletter called “Did You Know?” It’s a free service to give subscribers twice monthly updates to their phone, tablet, or other device. DYK topics provide the latest information on timely topics from OSHA. This recent DYK gives ideas and tips for protecting workers in the Healthcare industry from COVID-19: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/12162020 There are many other topics including: COVID-19 and enforcement actions COVID-19 protection for employees in various work settings Assistance with OSHA compliance Training Resources …and much more. I encourage you to check into these.  To learn more or to subscribe, go to: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/ Contact Tim at 717.224.1835 or another member of the Murray Risk Control Team at 717.397.9600 …

Portrait of a happy construction worker at a building site wearing a facemas with a group of workers at the background (Portrait of a happy construction worker at a building site wearing a facemas with a group of workers at the background , ASCII,

OSHA DIY Quick Takes – Construction Industry

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

By Timothy W. Braun, Risk Control Specialist Did you know? OSHA has an online Quick Takes newsletter called “Did You Know?”  It’s a free service to give subscribers twice monthly updates to their phone, tablet, or other device. DYK topics provide the latest information on timely topics from OSHA.  This recent DYK gives ideas and tips for protecting workers in the construction industry from COVID-19: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/12172020#covid-construction-industry There are many other topics including: COVID-19 and enforcement actions COVID-19 protection for employees in various work settings Assistance with OSHA compliance Training Resources …and much more. I encourage you to check into these.  To learn more or to subscribe, go to: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/ Contact Tim at 717.224.1835 or another member of the Murray Risk Control …

Developing a Behavior Based Safety Culture

Denise GillinRisk Management

By Timothy M. Murray, GSP, Risk Control Consultant A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is the evaluation of hazards and risks associated with a particular job task. The majority of safety professionals use the terms JHA and Job Safety Analysis (JSA) interchangeably. Developing a JHA is the first step to an effective behavior based safety approach. A JHA, along with excellent training and observations, is the start to your organization developing a true safety culture. A JHA is a technique used to identify the dangers of specific tasks in order to reduce the risk of injury to workers. Listed below are just a few of the many added benefits to completing a JHA / JSA: Clearly defines each worker’s job description: …

Don’t Let Your Holidays Go Up In Smoke

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

By Eugene V. Schmitt, CSP, ARM, CHST, CFPS, Risk Control Specialist Christmas is a special time but safety shouldn’t take a vacation. According to the United States Fire Administration, more than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles and more than one in every five Christmas tree fires are caused by a heating source too close to the tree. This holiday season, remember these fire safety practices: Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable materials. Keep your tree at least three feet away from sources of heat, such as fireplaces. Inspect light  for damage or frayed wires. If you have a live Christmas tree, water it daily. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Following these practices only …