'Tis the Season for Winter Safety — Just Don't fa-la-la-la-fall! It's that most wonderful time of year again, with temperatures dropping, holiday lights going up and colleagues' OOO messages rebounding back to your inbox. And while the winter holidays are a time to deck the halls, companies also need to be mindful of the seasonal risks that come along with cold weather. In fact, workplace safety is more important than ever today, with recently enacted requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration significantly upping the cost of non-compliance. Read on to learn how your company can prepare — plus, simple tips to help take the bite out of seasonal hazards this winter. The High Cost of Unsafe Working ConditionsWorkplace safety is a year-round priority for best-in-class companies today. And that starts by aligning with new OSHA standards — because, as of Jan. 1, 2019, the cost of non-compliance is going up. Starting in the new year, violations classified as "serious" as well as "other than serious" will both result in fines of nearly $13,000, while "willful" and "repeat" offenses will warrant fines of close to $130,000. Along with higher penalties for infractions, there are also new, more stringent reporting requirements you should be aware of. Most notably, all companies with 250 or more employees — as well as companies with 20 to 249 employees in industries that have, historically, had higher rates of occupational injuries and illnesses — are now required by OSHA to track and report on workplace safety with OSHA Form 300A. But the good news is that, by implementing safety best practices and ensuring that they're adhered to year-round, companies can avoid hefty fines while also cutting down on turnover and increasing overall operational productivity. Ready to get started? Here are a few areas to focus on this winter. Deck the Halls — But Prevent Slips, Trips, and FallsWinter snow and ice can create serious safety hazards — and unless you take precautions, your work site might soon start to resemble the set of Home Alone. To protect your employees from slips, trips, and falls, make sure that everyone on your work site operates with the following four guidelines in mind: Keep walkways, stairways and other heavily trafficked work areas clear of obstacles, and take action to address potential hazards such as water on floors or snow on sidewalks as soon as you see them. Always look where you're going and have your hands ready to steady yourself in the event that you slip or lose your footing. Avoid carrying heavy loads that could compromise your balance. Mark hazardous areas with signs, cones, barricades, or floor stands to warn passers-by. Promote Safe DrivingEmployees who must drive as part of their on-the-job responsibilities are at increased risk for serious injuries during winter due to icy roadways and decreased visibility. To help keep employees safe, you should take the following steps. Provide employees with safe-driver training. Create a mandatory hands-free and seat belt use policy. Sign formal contracts with all employees who drive for work purposes — that way, you can ensure that employees are aware of and understand your company's traffic safety policies and other expectations. Review and consider how telematics could be an option in your fleet and driver safety program. Take the Chill out of WinterHypothermia and frostbite are medical conditions resulting from exposure to the cold. These conditions can cause serious harm — up to and including death! (For a more detailed overview of symptoms and treatment for hypothermia and frostbite, click here.) So if you suspect one of your workers is at risk for, or suffering from, either condition, you should seek help from a medical professional — immediately. And while you wait for help to arrive, take the following steps: Elevate the affected body parts in order to reduce swelling. Move your co-worker to a warm area to prevent further heat loss. Remove all wet clothing and apply a dry, sterile bandage to the affected areas. You can also place cotton between any affected fingers or toes. Additionally, an effective job hazard analysis can help define job tasks that require additional protection from the cold. Nothin' Better than an Ugly, Fitted Holiday SweaterAs it gets colder, workers will need to pile on clothing to keep warm. However, this can create risks, too, as loose clothing is liable to get caught in machinery and can limit visibility. And that, in turn, can potentially cause serious injuries. So employees who operate heavy machinery must be extra cautious — they'll need to dress appropriately to stay warm, without increasing their risk of on-the-job injuries. When safety standards aren't met, companies face any number of risks, including lower productivity, higher turnover, and increased on-boarding costs, not to mention expensive fines. So keep these safety tips in mind this winter, and your employees will be safe and sound in 2019 — and beyond. Corey Berghoefer, Senior Vice President of Risk Management & Insurance, Randstad US, is a risk management expert with more than a decade's worth of experience in safety and risk management, underwriting and loss control, claims management, and risk financing, accounting, and insurance. As Senior Vice President of Risk Management & Insurance at Randstad, the largest staffing firm in the world and third largest in the United States, Corey manages a department of 47 risk professionals with the goal of implementing proven risk management strategies into Randstad's overall business platform. Under his direction, Randstad has become acclaimed for its enterprise-wide risk management strategies, workers' compensation practices, and comprehensive focus on talent safety. He holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Georgia. Posted on Nov 27, 2018

Active Shooters: Run, Hide, Or Fight! One of the largest threats to the workplace and even in public is the relatively new phenomenon of the active shooter. In the wake of the tragic mass shootings this year (2018), first the Florida high school shooting that killed 17 students and teachers in February, then the YouTube headquarters shooting that wounded 4 in April; the Madden video game tournament shooting in August killing 2 and wounding 10; and the downtown Cincinnati shooting killing 3 and wounding 2 more in September, it has become sadly apparent that many Americans are still woefully unprepared for such an emergency. While these terrible events have been around since at least the mid-1980s, their stunning frequency is new in the past few years. A report released by the FBI in 2015 showed a dramatic rise from an average of 6.4 events per year in 2000 to an average of 16.4 events by 2013. While there are several groups that disagree with the findings of this study, it has nonetheless prompted the Department of Defense and several news agencies to conclude that the United States is facing an "epidemic" of active shooters. An active shooter event can begin suddenly, with little warning, and is a terrifying ordeal. While it's uncomfortable to discuss, having the knowledge of how the events will unfold, and how to best respond may save your life. Remain calm and remember: Run! Hide! or Fight! Run: If possible, get out as quickly and quietly as you can. Head for an exit opposite the direction of the shooter. Leave your personal belongings behind; you can get them later. Once outside, get away from the area and call 911. If you do not know for sure whether there is only one shooter or multiple covering the exits, then hiding may be your best option. Hide: If your only exit is blocked or exposes you to the shooter, then find a spot to hide, preferably with lockable doors and no windows. Barricade yourself as best you can and remain quiet and out of sight. If there are others with you, try to keep them calm and quiet. Fight: If you have no other options, then you must fight. This is only as a last resort. Use any tool or other objects available to you as improvised weapons, and do what you can to ambush and overwhelm your attacker, with multiple people if possible. If you must fight, commit to your actions. You are fighting for your life! When first responders arrive, the first in will be a law enforcement team that will secure the building/area. They are there to respond to the threat, not to rescue or provide medical aid. For your safety and theirs, stay out of their way and do not speak to them unless they ask you a question first. Rescue and medical personnel will follow once the security team gives the all-clear. There are a few things you can do in advance to give yourself an extra edge in the event of an active shooter. Know your exits as you would for a fire or any other emergency. Hold drills or even simulations to train for a real emergency. Last, and most importantly, stay aware of your surroundings at all times and remember, run, hide, or fight. Referenced FBI report: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-releases-study-on-active-shooter-incidents Spencer Lane is a chemical engineer with minors in materials engineering, chemistry, and physics. He has worked for the Department of Defense as a fall protection engineer, industrial hygienist, confined space safety technician, and laser safety officer. He is now running his own safety consulting practice in Colorado under the name Front Range Safety and Health Consulting. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Posted on Nov 05, 2018

Nine Essential Tips for Designing and Maintaining Rooftop Walkways Working at height doesn't have to be perilous. While falls from height account for many workplace accidents, a well-designed and -maintained rooftop walkway can reduce accidents and protect building maintenance staff. Here are some essential tips for constructing and maintaining an effective and reliable system of rooftop walkways. 1. Choose your materials carefully.Many rooftops are, in fact, nothing more than fragile substrates or membranes over the building proper. As such, they have a limited capacity for weight. So your walkway material should be relatively lightweight, with a high strength-to-weight ratio. It should also be able to withstand the rigors of all weather, particularly UV exposure. 2. Test the load bearing capacity.As well as being light, rooftop walkways need to bear the weight of foot traffic and potentially bear the weight of large units, such as air conditioners. Any roof walkway system needs to satisfy the load-bearing requirements contained in regulation BS EN 516:2006. This regulation states that walkways should be tested with a load of 1.5Kn over an area 100mm sq and deflection kept within 15 mm or 1/100 of the span, whichever is lesser. The load is then to be increased to 2.6Kn and held for a minute. 3. Ensure safe drainage.Slips and trips can easily become falls from height if they occur on roofs. Being exposed to the weather and rarely inspected, pooling water can become a serious hazard. In addition to being a danger, it can also cause damage to the roof over time. Design your walkways with drainage in mind, either by utilizing gratings or creating gully channels that lead to the rest of the roof drainage system. 4. Avoid using timber.While attractive for its many natural virtues, wood is a poor choice of material. This is primarily because when wet, wood can become a serious slipping hazard. Design your walkway with non-slip solutions in mind. This can include using spiked or tactile surfaces or fitting anti-slip treads onto otherwise slippery surfaces. Wood also has the potential to weaken and rot if poorly maintained. As a low-risk inspection area, wooden walkways can potentially deteriorate between inspections, exposing staff to the danger of injury. 5. Check that the fixings don't damage the roof.One of the major reasons for fitting a roof walkway is to protect vulnerable roofs. So take care when choosing the walkway fitting system. If it damages the roof, fitting it is counterproductive, but more importantly, it can compromise a roof's waterproof membrane. Ideally, a walkway should enable clamping to the roof profile without piercing the sheeting. This applies to both the walkway and any associated handrails. Some walkways are designed to have the handrails attached as an integral element of the walkway. This prevents the roof sheet being penetrated. 6. Plot a logical route.Roof walkways help define a clear, safe path for users. In addition to providing access to everything on the roof, walkways offer easy access up slopes and across pitched roofs. It also encourages users to stay on the path, which is important for protecting the integrity of the roof. Manage budgets effectively by planning a route that take users where they need to go as quickly as possible. This also means that people won't be on the roof for longer than they need to be. Engaging stakeholders, such as maintenance crews, can give you valuable insight in this regard. 7. Incorporate handrails where required.If the roofing structure is a fragile substrate, care must be taken to provide adequate protection, especially around roof pitches. Walkways can be fitted with handrails to provide additional safety on narrow or surfaces on gradients in excess of 10 degrees. 8. Employ flexible seasonal maintenance.Because most roof walkways are designed to facilitate roof maintenance, it makes sense to ensure that the walkway itself will not require much maintenance of its own. Having the right materials will ensure that maintenance can be minimal. However, when the time comes to undertake maintenance, it's important to consider seasonal impacts. During the spring is a good time to check for any damage the winter months may have caused. Check for any obvious signs of slipping hazards and assess the condition of the walkways to ensure nothing has been damaged. Before the colder weather sets in, make sure any major maintenance is undertaken. Repairing walkways is much more challenging in colder months. During the winter, you really don't need to do much unless an emergency occurs. After particularly bad weather, make sure to check the integrity of the walkway along with the rest of the roof. A modular walkways system makes it easy to remove and replace individual pieces without dismantling other parts of the walkway. 9. Undertake maintenance safely.While designed to be reliable and strong, accidents do happen. When undertaking roof maintenance, practice safe conduct. Never work alone and make sure no more than one person's weight is on a section of walkway at a time. Barry Eagle is Managing Director at Gripclad, a UK leading supplier of retrofit and structural anti-slip flooring solutions. Contact him at 44 23 8040 6796 or email [email protected] for advice, quotes, ordering, and samples. Posted on Oct 09, 2018

Confined Spaces: HSE's Revised Workplace Exposure Limits Workplace exposure limits (WELs) are the legal limits that have been set on the amount of dangerous substances that can be present in a workplace. In August 2018, the Health and Safety Executive updated its list of WELs and published a guide that includes the new limits for 31 substances. Substances on the list include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide – all of which can be present in confined spaces. They are classified as dangerous to the health of those working in confined spaces. This means that if substances are in a confined space they need to be tested, monitored, and controlled with the right tools. Exposure – What Does It Mean?"Exposure" or "being exposed" to a substance means it is someone within someone's body. Examples of this type of intake exposure include: Swallowing Skin contact Injection Breathing dust, gas, mist, or fumes There can be thousands of harmful substances in confined spaces and environments – although only 500 of them are on the Workplace Exposure Limits. They are listed on the EH40 WELs file. How to Check Workplace Exposure Levels Knowing whether hazardous substances are below workplace exposure limits can only be done by monitoring a space. Exposure measurement requires a survey to assess employees' exposure to substances in the workplace environment. The survey should also aim to discover how and why this exposure happens, and what can be done to stop it or at least minimize the exposure amount.   Personal sampling also can be performed – this entails taking an air sample close to the worker's breathing zone to measure the volumes of airborne elements present. Points to consider when carrying out exposure measurement: Exposures can vary from day to day If results for a given task are below one third of the exposure limit, your controls are most probably good enough and don't require improvement Measurement of exposure is not to replace controlling exposure. Exposure measurement is to be done after controlling measures have been put in place Carrying out a COSHH Risk AssessmentA Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessment focuses on identifying the hazards and risks in your workplace and implementing a system to improve the working environment. Steps of a COSHH risk assessment generally involve: 1. Identifying the hazards. Identify substances that may be harmful to employees in the workspace. 2. Discover who might be harmed and how. There are a range of points to take into consideration when focusing on this part of the COSHH assessment. You'll need to think about how might workers be exposed to the harmful substances, how long people are being exposed for, and is anyone being exposed to the substances by accident? (This could include cleaners, maintenance workers, etc.) 3. Evaluating risks and implementing a prevention plan. Once a risk assessment has been carried out, deciding on which prevention route to go down is key. This ultimately depends on your workplace preferences, alongside complying with workplace health and safety laws. Keeping Your Team Safe When the reviewed workplace exposure limits are in place it will be more important than ever to have monitoring and risk prevention plans in place. You can learn more about new workplace exposure limits by visiting the HSE website and by downloading the new EH40 booklet. In addition to monitoring exposure limits within your workplace to enforce safety importance, you can also widen your team’s knowledge of health and safety with a bespoke confined space training course. Maddie Cartledge is a content marketing professional working on behalf of MRS Training & Rescue. She is experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to health and safety topics and training that can help prevent serious workplace incidents. Posted on Oct 03, 2018

Effective Safety Training is a Win-Win-Win for Workers, Companies, and Communities The importance of a well-trained workforce cannot be overstated. Well-trained workers are safer workers and, in turn, more productive workers. This simple equation is particularly important in sectors that provide critical services, like the water sector, to people throughout the United States. When people and communities are depending on a water utility to provide them with clean and safe water and water services, a stoppage due to an avoidable worker injury not only causes harm to the worker and the company, but to the community as well. This is why American Water has been working with the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and Power 4 America, a training trust fund created by UWUA that operates as an independent nonprofit, to help ensure that our employees are prepared for the potential dangers that are inherent in our work—which takes place at times during inclement weather and often with challenging physical demands. Through P4A, nearly 800 American Water employees have received training in the last two years on Focus 4 hazards. This program is funded in part by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Susan Harwood Training Grants, which are intended to fund critical training programs like those that P4A offers to help ensure workers and employers in high-hazard industries maintain safety and worker protection in the workplace. Unfortunately, Susan Harwood Training Grants have been targeted for elimination in the last two administrative budget requests. These grants have been a critical source of funding for programs like P4A that help to keep workers safe, maintain workplace productivity, and ensure that customers and communities receive safe and reliable service. UWUA uses funding from the Susan Harwood grants—in addition to contributions from partners, including American Water—to host union-led trainings focused on a host of hazards: falls; getting caught in or in between machinery, materials, or other objects; being struck by machinery, materials, or other objects; and electrocution. Currently, UWUA conducts P4A trainings in 11 states. P4A has seen success in safety trainings led by individuals with experience in the industry. Learning from a peer who has a deep understanding of the day-to-day of the job makes trainees more receptive to the lessons being taught. American Water has seen firsthand the success of UWUA’s union-led trainings. The company first sent our employees—both union members and management—to P4A's trainings in 2016. The success of the trainings fostered a continuing partnership between the union and American Water. The company, having recognized the value of the training, continues to send employees and provide additional funding. Susan Harwood grants helped foster this cooperative partnership between American Water and P4A. This successful program has proven critical to UWUA and American Water in ensuring that workers are safe, the company is productive, and their communities receive the best service possible. While the grant program made it through the latest government funding process for fiscal year 2018, it is already back on the chopping block, proposed for elimination in the fiscal year 2019 budget request. Congress must again reject the proposal to cut this beneficial and successful partnership program. Eliminating the program would cut off a crucial resource for companies that understand that the benefits of having well-trained workers extend far beyond the work site. This op-ed was written by Utility Workers Union of America President Michael Langford and American Water President and CEO Susan Story. For more information about their organizations, visit https://uwua.net and https://amwater.com/. Posted on Sep 18, 2018

The Back-Breaking Cost of Back Pain It's no secret that back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work; 80 percent of the general population will suffer from a severe episode of lower back pain at least once in their lifetime. It's one of the most common workplace injuries and costs the nation $100 billion every year. With back pain in the workplace on the rise, what can businesses do to protect their employees and their bottom line? The Cost of Back PainThe cost of back pain in America is both high and far reaching. As the leading contributor to sick days, back pain costs businesses in workers and productivity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this costs employers $1,685 per employee every year. Across the nation, that equates to a loss to businesses of $225.8 billion. And that's just the loss of productivity. The average claim for back pain against an employer will pay out between $40,000 and $80,000. But it isn't just with jobs that involve heavy amounts of physical activity that we see these claims being made. More than half of the workers who experience low back pain spend the majority of their work day sitting down. In fact, if you work in the construction sector, you're more likely to be hit by a vehicle or a falling brick than you are to suffer a back injury. Short- and long-term disability insurance costs, on average, 30¢ per employee per hour worked. As the leading cause of long-term disability insurance claims, back pain costs employers $624 a year per full-time employee. Back pain is the leading cause of loss of productivity, workplace injury claims, and job-related disability. Back Injury ClaimsBack pain accounts for almost 20 percent of all workers' compensation claims, with half a million employees making claims each year. While many claims are denied on the basis of a pre-existing condition, the average compensation to an employee with back pain is $24,000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, metal workers generate over three-quarters of back claims. Industries involving high levels of activity will naturally generate a decent share of personal injury claims. But they are environments where personal safety is central to the work. Construction, metal work, and horticulture are industries where manual handling training is expected. However, it is the rise in injuries sustained in more docile work environments that most concerning. Back Injuries in the WorkplaceIn a recent survey, 54 percent of workers who suffer back pain spend the majority of their working day sitting down. This has contributed to the startling discovery that in 2016, the only sectors to increase the number of annual workplace injuries were finance and insurance. Back pain for seated employees can occur in more ways than you might think. The most common cause is lower back pain as a result of prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position. The natural curve of the spine isn't supported and as such, aches and pains begin to occur. Another cause of workplace back injury is through manual handling. This can range from injuries sustained when lifting heavy objects to bending unsafely to pick up pieces of paper on the floor. For some people, back pain is intermittent and can be managed. They only need to adjust their chair and they start to feel better. Over time and with some exercise, back pain can go away on its own. However, this is not the case for everyone. The amount of time people take off due to back pain hit businesses hard. This is especially true for small businesses that don't have the resources to maintain a proper level of service if people are off regularly, or off long term with some sort of back-related injury. Back pain is especially effective at keeping people off work. This is a serious problem because studies have shown that the longer someone is off work, the higher the chance he or she will not return to work. “If an individual has been off sick with back problems for 1 month, there is a 20% chance of them still being off work one year later. If they have been off sick for 6 months, there is a 50% chance of them being off work one year later.” (Waddell, The Back Pain Revolution). Back pain is persistent in part because it is so hard to diagnose and treat. As a result, employees who suffer from back pain can take a very long time to return to full function. Only 10 percent of patients identify the cause of their back pain. This is because your back is a complex system of overlapping muscles supported by a delicate and intricate spine. Simply identifying muscular pain from spinal pain is a difficulty in itself. Treating Back PainTreatments for back pain vary from medication to physical therapy to surgery. And while 90 percent of reported back pain injuries are resolved within six weeks, it's thought that between 60 and 80 percent of employees experience the same issues within two years. A study published by the American Center for Progress found that the average cost of employee turnover was about 21 percent of an employee's annual salary. Replacing employees who make more than $75,000 a year can be much more costly, and jobs that require more specialized education tend to have more expensive turnover than jobs that do not require specialized education. Large businesses would struggle to have people off sick for six months at a time, let alone smaller ones, which begs the question… What Can Businesses Do to Prevent Employees Suffering from Back Pain?There are a number of things companies can do to help prevent back pain and the costs to productivity and their bottom line that come with it. 1. Encourage employees to move. Getting staff to move around a little has a variety of benefits. It promotes blood flow to the extremities, is good for maintaining good eye health, and is good for the back. Doctors recommend short periods of stretching and moving every 30 minutes if you're a desk worker. Employers can encourage this by moving printers, water coolers, etc. a little farther away without disrupting the natural flow of an office environment. For other seated jobs, such as long-distance drivers, getting up and moving around is more difficult. However, taking regular breaks to get out and stretch will help, as well as encouraging exercises that you can do without getting out of your seat. 2. Promote regular exercise. For offices, promoting exercise can be a great team-building opportunity, as well as a way to reduce the effects of back pain. Gym subsidies, cycle to work schemes, and even morning yoga sessions are just a few ways to build regular exercise into everyone's work lives. Regular exercise keeps your muscles and joints healthy and reduces the chances of causing muscular seizing in your back muscles. 3. Review your workstations. As mentioned, one of the main causes of lower back pain is due to your employee's workstation. Make sure that all the ergonomic features of your employees desks are full adjustable. This will allow them to adjust their monitor, keyboards, and seats to a way that is comfortable and safe. A popular idea among some businesses is the introduction of standing desks. Removing the chair from the equation altogether could drastically reduce the number of back pain complaints at work. 4. Train staff. Manual handling is a task that occurs in a variety of job roles, including certain desk jobs. If your staff are lifting and moving heavy items, such piles of files, boxes of paper etc. it would be wise to provide manual handling training. Not only does manual handling training protect your staff, it will protect you in the event that legal action is brought against your company. 5. Monitor sickness absences. Take advantage of HR software to get a better picture of your staff's health and safety needs. Record when and why people are off sick to get valuable data about their needs. You can then use these data as a basis for making policy changes. If you can see that back pain and other musculoskeletal issues are a cause of absence, it may be time to discuss what you can do to help out your staff. In industries where physical injury is not obvious, the threat of back injury is so much higher. People only notice back problems when they start to hurt, but back pain in the workplace is actively preventable if safety is at the front of their minds. Make your office a safe environment by having supportive and functional desk furniture. Provide extra training on ergonomic seating and manual handling, so staffers can protect themselves. It's an investment that yields dividends in a variety of ways. You don't just make people's lives better, you boost the operational abilities of your company and will be more profitable overall. Businesses need to invest in supporting their staff, figuratively and literally. Gary Webb is Director at FMP Global, which helps companies efficiently use their HR & Payroll resources. Phone 800-234-1840 or email [email protected]. Posted on Sep 12, 2018

Return-to-Work Means Return to Profitability In the world of workers' compensation, a Return-to-Work Program is one of the biggest impacts an employer can have on cost and employee morale. A Return-to-Work Program helps injured workers transition back to the workplace by performing meaningful work within their capabilities. You may hear it referred to as light duty, limited duty, modified duty, alternate duty, or transitional work. It is intended to be a bridge back to full duty. The national unemployment rate in July was 3.9 percent, down from a 2009 high of 10 percent during the Great Recession. Though that's good news for workers, it has created a tight job market. With more baby boomers retiring, it is going to get even tighter. The job market cannot afford anyone to be out of work because of an injury; it simply costs a lot of money to hire and train a new employee, and likely at a higher wage. Every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs six to nine months' salary on average, says the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 to $45,000 in recruiting and training costs. At MEMIC, we don't even write a workers' compensation insurance policy unless the employer has a Return-to-Work Program or has committed to starting one; that's how important we think it is to keep costs down. It also demonstrates the attitude of an employer, it demonstrates the employer really cares about its employees, which helps in attracting and retaining the best talent. Before MEMIC writes an account, we send out safety experts to the workplace to evaluate safety practices and workplace culture. A Loss Control & Claims Service Action Plan is then shared with the agent and potential customer when we prepare the proposal. You may think having prerequisites like this for writing an account would hamper business growth, but last year we saw new business up 14 percent. We've found an incredible need for carriers and agents who have the knowledge to be hands-on partners in improving employers' productivity and profitability. When Natalie Campaneria, one of MEMIC's safety experts, is asked what the key is to a successful Return-to-Work Program, she says it is leadership's commitment and finding the right doctors. Some states don't allow employers to select the doctor providing care for an injured worker, but employers may still be able to suggest an appropriate medical provider to an injured employee. Selecting the right medical care provider to treat injured employees is a critical decision that can have a significant impact on the cost of claims. Ideally, the preferred provider should specialize in occupational health. An occupational health provider is better able than a typical primary care physician to evaluate an injury, assess what the employee does for work, and make recommendations about work capacity and therapies to speed recovery. Occupational health providers also have a better understanding of causation and other medical and legal issues that arise. After a preferred medical provider is chosen, the employer should post information about the provider throughout the workplace so everyone can be aware of who may be treating their work-related injuries. It's especially important that supervisory staff is aware of the preferred provider so appropriate medical choices can be made at the outset of an injury. The employer should appoint someone at work to be the contact among employer, employee, and medical provider. Developing a relationship with a preferred provider is an ongoing dialogue. An employer should get an understanding of the provider's philosophy, as well as other services they can offer, such as post-offer physicals and hearing testing. The employer should identify major jobs and perform a job analysis that captures tasks and physical requirements of each job. These should be used to make sure the medical provider understands the employer's business and its Return-to-Work Program. If the medical provider can't visit the work site, it may be helpful to send them a short video of the jobs at your work site. At MEMIC, we have ergonomic experts who offer advice on how to improve processes, through in-person visits or via video, to help make workstations and employees more efficient and safer. The long-term success of an employer's relationship with a preferred provider will depend on maintaining open lines of communication. A physical assessment form should be sent with an injured worker on every doctor visit to help the medical provider determine whether alternate duties are appropriate. When conducting a company-wide job analysis, the employer should note which jobs are prone to injuries and establish a baseline for the types of alternate duty appropriate for each position. If the employer has questions about the injury or concerns about the employee, the employer needs to contact the provider and make them aware of the issues. The care they provide is only as good as the information they have. MEMIC's data are clear that the longer an employee is out, the less likely he or she is to return to work. Return-to-Work Programs really are a win-win for employers and employees alike. Employers win by keeping a valuable, trained employee while minimizing workers' compensation costs. And employees typically recover faster, build self-esteem, and reduce their financial loss of not working. Roger Comer and Bethany Moreno are Senior Production Underwriters for The MEMIC Group. Posted on Sep 10, 2018

So, You Think You Have a Safety Program? In case you have any doubts, use this checklist as a starting point to evaluate your program and customize your own list. Do you have an assigned person responsible for your safety program? Is safety his/her only responsibility? If not, which responsibility is he/she evaluated on? What is their status in the organization? Do they report to upper management? Do they have management's ear? Is his/her word the law when it comes to safety? Do you have a written Safety Program? Does it contain procedures, safety rules, and policies? Does it provide "how to" guidance on all matters of safety? How many elements does it contain? 30? 40? More? Is it available to all workers or just filed away? Are appropriate warning signs posted? Do you publicize safety performance on bulletin boards? Are employees trained effectively on mandatory elements? Hearing Conservation Bloodborne Pathogens Respiratory Protection Personal Protective Equipment Material Handling Fire extinguishers Hazard Communication Defibrillators Do you have qualified trainers? Are employees authorized to perform certain critical functions (PIT; LoTo; Confined Space)? Is there a Job Hazard Analysis for each job? Are supervisors knowledgeable in safety and trained to recognize unsafe behaviors? Do they mentor anyone found to be lacking? Toolbox talks? Discipline? Do you have Safety Committees? Central Safety Committee with management and wide representation from workforce? Department Safety Committees? Toolbox talks, Morning Huddle? Are minutes of meetings distributed/posted? Are actions taken to address issues? Is there a budget for PPE and safety training? Is there a strong safety culture? Do employees buy into safety? Is there a process for reporting accidents, incidents, and near misses? Do you conduct accident investigations on accidents, incidents, and near misses? Are root causes identified? Are corrective actions put into place? Are issues resolved? Are routine safety inspections conducted? Who conducts them? Are findings disseminated? Are findings addressed? How are items resolved? Is there a safety incentive program? Are incentives based on positives, rather than lack of reported incidents? Is there any fear of reporting accidents? Is there a Management of Change process? How are changes disseminated and implemented? Are Lockout/Tagout procedures posted on all machines? Are there Authorized Employees to perform LoTo procedures? Do Affected Employees understand what LoTo tags mean? Do you have a sufficient supply of LoTo devices to handle all situations? Are all machines appropriately guarded? Barriers; interlocks; light curtains; proximity sensors; foot pads Do employees know not to bypass guards? Is there a copy of the OSHA regulations in the facility? Are evacuation drills conducted? Are evacuation paps posted? Evacuation paths clearly marked? Are drills coordinated with assistance from local emergency responders? Are there assigned gathering points? Clearly marked? Signs to direct people to gathering points? Assigned Evacuation Monitors? What procedure is used to account for all employees, contractors, and guests following an evacuation? Is there a Contractor Safety Management program in effect? Is there mutual understanding of each other's procedures and responsibilities? Do you conduct contractor safety briefings? Is Hazard Communication training up to date? Are all containers labeled? Is there a fire safety program in effect? Is there a alarm system in place? Do employees understand what each type of alarm means and what to do? Are flammables stored appropriately? Is there a fire suppression system in place? Is it inspected regularly by a service organization? Are fire extinguishers inspected weekly and serviced annually? Are fire extinguishers appropriate to the fire potential? Are employees trained in the use of fire extinguishers, or, instructed to evacuate? Are there fire hoses attached to standpipes? Are employees trained to use, or are they for fire dept. use only? What is the organization's Lost Workday Incident Rate (LWDI)? What is the organization's SIC/NAICS code? How does the LWDI compare to organization’s SIC/NAICS rate? What is the Severity Rate? Are these data posted? Is the organization's safety program audited? Internally or externally? Recordkeeping Is the 300A Log posted from February 1 to April 30 each year? Are 300 Logs on file for past five years? Is current year's 300 Log up to date? Entries made within five days of learning of an incident? Is a 301 completed for each 300 Log entry? Is the organization required to electronically report? Are new employees provided a safety orientation? Are new employees provided a mentor? What are the organization's main causes of accidents? Are safety efforts based on number of accidents or severity? Emergency response What is the internal reporting system? How are outside resources notified? What is the relationship with local responders? Is there a relationship with a local medical facility?Are there trained first aiders on site? How are injured personnel transported? Are there eyewash/body wash stations? Sufficient number based on risks? Installed per code? Inspected per code? Proper signage? Unobstructed access? Do employees know how to use them? How is PPE selected? Based on hazard assessment? Employee input? Do employees have choices regarding fit, comfort, and style? Is training provided when required (Hearing Conservation; Respiratory Protection; etc.) What procedures are to be followed in the event of an OSHA inspection? Who receives the OSHA inspector? Who is to be notified? Who participates in an OSHA inspection? What needs to be done if citations are issued? Joseph J. Werbicki holds a Master's Degree in Chemistry from Northeastern University and a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry from Brown University. He is a Safety Consultant/Trainer, having retired as Manager of Safety Compliance for a multi-national government contractor. He served as Chairman of the Board for the Massachusetts Safety Council, and as President of the Safety Association of Rhode Island. His papers have appeared in EHS Today, Occupational Safety & Health, and newsletters of the Boston, Springfield (MA), and the Worcester/Green Mountain ASSE chapters. He is the author of a comprehensive workplace safety training program, "Safety - From Core to Edge". He can be reached at [email protected]. Posted on Sep 06, 2018

Emergency Preparedness Goes Beyond Having What You Need Natural disasters occur all over the world. Tornadoes, hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes, fires, and countless other events happen without warning throughout the year. Though the nature of these disasters varies greatly depending on geography, being prepared is the best possible way to help ensure that you and your loved ones are as safe as possible if the unexpected were to occur. In an effort to inform and support the public, several organizations around the world – including The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center – provide education and offer guidance on how to prepare for an emergency and why preparation is important. Additionally, global safety science organizations such as UL work with industry and other stakeholders to help ensure that the safest emergency preparedness products make it to market. It may never be possible to be fully prepared for the unexpected, but there are several steps health and safety professionals can take to help reduce confusion and panic, ensure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency, and mitigate the harm that may be caused. By thinking about disaster preparedness in three separate categories – what, how, and where – you can help everyone feel as ready as possible and prepared to act safely if the need arises. What to PrepareWhen deciding what to prepare for a potential natural disaster, there are some considerations that will be specific to the natural disasters most likely to occur in your area. However, some aspects of disaster preparedness should be part of every effort. Ultimately, everything should always start with a good plan. Ideally, this plan should address key aspects, including; How to respond – Knowing how to safely exit or congregate, depending on the nature of the event, can alleviate panic and helps eliminate potentially unsafe routes. Where to meet – A safe meeting spot offers optimal safety and shelter from the event and gives everyone a chance to respond and regroup. Who to contact – If groups are separated at the time of the event or find themselves separated as the emergency unfolds, having an established contact chain makes it easier for everyone to stay connected. How to receive emergency alerts and information – Having a robust notification system in place, and having employees proactively familiar with the system, helps everyone stay updated. This can include SMS text message alerts, radio, TV, or other sources. After ensuring the basics are in order to help everyone feel safe and connected as quickly as possible, safety professionals should assess the environment to understand the unique needs of those who may be impacted by the disaster. In this situation, the environment includes both the building and those in it. Traits to consider include the age of everyone at your site or business, medical needs that may exist and could require extra attention or equipment (medication, oxygen, special physical needs, batteries, etc.), dietary restrictions, and even languages spoken. Having all of this information in advance can reduce confusion and help provide a better assessment of needs in an emergency situation. For occupational safety professionals, the foundational effort is to establish a fully developed plan that has been proactively developed with your unique considerations addressed and coordinated with local public safety officials. As a part of this plan, it is imperative to understand the proper use of any tools or specialized equipment associated with  the preparedness plan. All too often, tragic stories emerge of appropriate emergency tools being accidentally misused (or not used at all), risking the lives of those in the area. How to Use Tools SafelyImagine, for a moment, the following scenario: Your facility is hit by a significant storm surges that causes a power outage. Everyone is safe, but the building is dark. A safety professional remains calm because a plan is in place, but does everyone know how to operate the backup resources? For some basics – first aid supplies, blankets, contact phone numbers – nobody needs to think twice, but what about portable generators? Stationary generators are installed with a more specific operation scheme in place. On the other hand, it is easy to give something like a portable generator little thought because it isn't something that is needed very often. In fact, it was most likely purchased and stored and not previously used. If there has been no prior training on safe use of the portable generator, the worst possible time to teach how to safely operate it is during an emergency situation. If your facility or site has a portable generator or is considering purchasing one, take the time to familiarize the team with its basic operation. This includes some seemingly simple things, such as how to connect it to your building or facility, how much power it supplies and, perhaps most importantly, in what locations it can be safely used. Where to Use a Portable GeneratorFirst – know where NOT to use it. One common misconception with portable generators is that they can simply be placed indoors so they're easy to access and users are protected from the elements. However convenient this may seem, operating a portable generator in indoor locations is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Portable generators produce carbon monoxide (CO). This odorless, colorless gas is toxic and can lead to poisoning or even death with prolonged exposure. According to the "Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Deaths Associated with the Use of Consumer Products 2014 Annual Estimates" from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, carbon monoxide produced by portable generators has been associated with an estimated 696 non-fire CO poisoning fatalities since 2004, the highest number of fatalities from any single consumer product covered by CPSC. The number of reported poisonings is significantly higher. When using a portable generator, it is never safe to do so inside, even if windows or doors are kept open. Rather, the generator should be placed at a distance of at least 20 feet from a building. In order to promote the safe use of portable generators, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has published the Fact Sheet "Using Portable Generators Safely". When a generator is used indoors or simply too close to a building, carbon monoxide poses a significant risk. As part of CPSC's efforts to help reduce these easily preventable tragedies from occurring, the organization turned to UL for help developing a safety standard. UL, in collaboration with CPSC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and other parties, recently developed a standard that takes a two-pronged approach to creating a safer environment for use of portable generators. Generator manufacturers wishing to have their products listed as compliant to ANSI/UL 2201, Standard for Carbon Monoxide (CO) Emission Rate of Portable Generators, an American National Standard, must demonstrate that their portable generators both meet requirements for reduced carbon monoxide emissions and have a system that will shut down the generator if excess levels of the toxic gas are detected.  The standard was written to be agnostic in terms of how these two requirements are met, but proven methods to meet both of these requirements already exist in the market – including electronic fuel injection options long used by the automotive industry. Several portable generator manufacturers have already taken the initiative to produce safer products that meet the requirements of UL 2201. To determine whether your facility's portable generators have been certified to UL 2201, look for the UL Mark on product packaging or on the product itself. Also, best practice is to update your procurement policies to require a generator that is UL certified for safety to UL 2201. The UL Mark indicates that the product has met the rigorous requirements of the standard and has been tested by UL, an independent third-party safety science organization. When faced with an emergency, safety professionals should remember that the placement of a portable generator when in use is critical – at least 20 feet from the building. Practicing safe operation while also using a portable generator from a manufacturer that has demonstrated a strong commitment to safety by meeting the requirements of a rigorous standard such as UL 2201 demonstrates best OHS practices, which can provide peace of mind. And, in cases of emergency, some peace of mind is always welcome. Ken Boyce is, Principal Engineer Director at UL. For more information, visit UL.com/PortableGenerators. Posted on Aug 01, 2018

Self-Driving Cars Could Save Our Roads About 90 percent of car crashes are attributed to human error — let that sink in for a minute. In fact, preliminary information from the National Safety Council estimates that 40,000 people died and 4.6 million were seriously injured in car crashes in the U.S. in 2016. One of the biggest concerns is distracted driving, with some estimates attributing it to eight out of 10 crashes. The Distracted Driving EpidemicOne of the largest threats to the safety of our roadways is distracted driving. It only takes a split second of driver inattention for a collision to occur, so it's imperative to keep our eyes on the road at all times. An Esurance survey found that 58 percent of drivers admit to occasionally or frequently engaging in distracted driving — but what's most shocking is that those drivers who admit to driving distracted are 36 percent less likely to be "very concerned" about the issue than those who claim to be rarely distracted. What's worse, the auto technology designed to help keep motorists safer (like lane-change assist and blind-spot detection) could be distracting more than they're helping. Many drivers believe their vehicle's autonomous warning signals are the most distracting aspect of all this new auto technology. So if many drivers who engage in driving distracted don't see it as a significant problem (not to mention that fact that autonomous safety tech actually may be distracting us more), how are we supposed to address one of the biggest issues plaguing our modern roadways? Well, lawmakers across the United States are coming together to form solutions using driverless car technology as a basis for eliminating human error from the transportation equation. Numbers Don't LieTouted by some as one of the most transformative public-health initiatives of the 21st century, driverless cars could save a lot of lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016 alone saw nearly 3,500 distracted-driving-related deaths, and in 2015, 391,000 people were injured in a crash involving distracted driving. Even eating or drinking (non-alcoholic drinks) while driving can be distracting, with one study by Exxon Mobil of 1,000 drivers citing that 70 percent of motorists eat behind the wheel, while 83 percent drink beverages. A separate study by Lytx in 2014 found that someone who eats or drinks while driving is 3.6 times more likely to be in a crash. These numbers are further proof of what we already know — a large percentage of crashes could be prevented by simply remaining attentive while driving. Furthermore, driverless cars could be the ultimate solution to distracted driving (and really, all human error behind the wheel). After all, if your car's driving for you, you could safely have a steak dinner in the car. Self-Driving Cars Still Need Some WorkThere's a good reason we still don't have fully driverless cars on our roadways yet — the tech behind them still needs a significant amount of improvement. And while automakers and tech companies are working to address concerns – both from consumers and legislators – they still have a ways to go. Then there's the public trust issue — not only is there a technological obstacle, but a cultural one, as well. Even though some advocates believe we should put driverless cars on our roads as soon as they're even just slightly safer than human drivers, many people won’t want this technology implemented in the real world until it's definitively safer than human drivers. In fact, according to Esurance's survey, 83 percent of Americans cannot imagine giving up control of driving in favor of being auto-chauffeured. Clearly, some major work needs to be done to build public trust in the technology itself before most people will even set foot into a driverless car. Autonomous Vehicles Show Major PromiseDriverless cars show major promise for myriad reasons — number one being the removal of human error from our roadways. While many vehicles produced in 2014 or later have standardized semi-autonomous tech like lane-change assist, automatic braking and blind-spot detection, drivers still need to have their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road at all times. Entirely autonomous vehicles, on the other hand, don't need any input from humans at all, relying on computers, sensors, lasers, and other advanced, up-and-coming tech. Fully driverless cars introduce a new way to travel, with safety and convenience at the forefront of their benefits. Of course, much work still needs to be done to produce reliable tech (and public trust of it), but the majority of experts in this field believe it's an entirely achievable goal that we'll all bear witness to in the very near future. Haden Kirkpatrick is the head of marketing strategy and innovation at Esurance. He is an innovator who is constantly thinking about how autonomous vehicles will impact the auto insurance industry. In his spare time, he is also a mobile guru, aspiring yogi, and mixed martial artist. Posted on Jul 25, 2018