OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations

Matt OlphinRisk Management

OSHA has released the top 10 safety violations for the last fiscal year. If they look familiar – they should! They could have just said “See last year’s list” because it is the same ten violations. The troubling thing is that, even though these violations don’t change from year to year, there is little improvement being made. Last year 4500 workers were killed in the workplace and another 3 million were injured. The list Here is the list of these top 10 violations: 501 – Fall Protection 1200 – Hazard Communication 451 – Scaffolding 134 – Respiratory Protection 147 – Lockout/Tagout 178 – Powered Industrial Trucks 1053 – Ladders 305 – Electrical, Wiring Methods 212 – Machine Guarding 303 – …

Workplace Violence

Angela MackleyHuman Resources, Risk Management

Workplace violence has emerged as an important workplace safety and health issue. It is defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as “any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site”. Although there is not a single risk factor that can predict when a workplace violence situation may arise, companies need to be aware of behaviors and job tasks that may increase employee exposure. When it comes to employee behavior, managers need to be on the lookout for tell-tale signs that a staff member might go down a darker path. Some examples of these behaviors include becoming increasingly belligerent, threatening colleagues, displaying outbursts of anger, and being …

As Opioid Epidemic Rages, Worksite Policies Overlook Prescribed Drugs

Matt OlphinHealth Benefits, Human Resources, Large Group Benefits (100+), Risk Management, Small Group Benefits (2-50)

Opioid use in our communities, is an issue that is exploding at an exponential level.  As opioid abuse becomes more prevalent, it’s presence in the workplace is an increasing concern for all employers.  As stated below, most employers want to be part of the solution, meaning that they want to help employees return to work at the appropriate time in their recovery process.  Having the appropriate policies in place is critical to the success of that effort.  Please contact us if you would like assistance modifying your existing drug and alcohol policy, or creating a new policy to deal with these issues. Questions? Contact Matt Pfeiffenberger, Vice President, Health Benefits Solutions, or Matt Olphin, CPCU, CSP, ARM, Vice President, Risk Control …

More Employers Turn to Outsourcing for Leave Management

Tom HenschkeHealth Benefits Administration, Human Resources

The Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act have been around for decades, but today’s employers continue to struggle with managing employee leave. That’s why, in response to overlapping state and federal laws and expanded mandates for disability leave coverage, more employers are outsourcing their paid leave plans by a rate of double digits in the last two years according to the Website “ebn”. This was the finding of the 2016 DMEC Employer Leave Management Survey, a study of more than 1,100 employers of various-sized American businesses. The study was sponsored by the Disability Management Employer Coalition, and was conducted by Spring Consulting Group. Read the full article >>> For more information, contact Tom Henschke, Assistant Vice …