Insuring employees who drive for work, whether for incidental job-related activities or regularly, is a natural part of the risk management process. Auto accidents can involve layers of complexity and cost that aren’t often seen in other job-related incidents. Multiple people with injuries, a complex interplay of different applicable insurance policies, and the risk of […]
Preventing hearing damage is an important risk management consideration for many businesses. The risk may be obvious for businesses in loud industries, like construction. But employees also can be exposed to dangerously high volumes in less obvious circumstances. How does hearing loss become a business loss? Work-related hearing loss potentially presents two sources of risk […]
Many of the incidents that drive workers’ compensation costs occur at the “floor level” of a business. It’s obvious: whether it’s a construction firm, a hospital, or a staffing agency, the people who are most likely to get hurt are the ones doing the most dangerous jobs. What is less obvious is the important role […]
Accident prevention is a multilayered process for any business. Environmental factors, like trip hazards or machinery, are often the first thing managers think about when they focus on safety. But a good safety program goes a step further to study and systematize employee behaviors. Job hazard analyses, or JHAs, are used in behavior-based safety programs […]
The rise of online training programs has dramatically expanded access to safety information. Cost effective, always available, and easily tracked, online courses have plenty of advantages. At the same time, there are limitations to the online format that can leave important sources of risk unaddressed. The many advantages of online safety training A healthy skepticism […]
Managing the risks associated with workplace injuries requires a comprehensive plan. Part of the planning process needs to include looking at how an injured employee will be accommodated while recovering from an injury that temporarily prevents a return to normal duties. By offering an injured employee light duty, employers may be able to control how […]
Every employer struggles with how to address the risk of workplace violence. Staffing firms can feel especially vulnerable because of the limited insights they have into the personalities of a client’s employees. Fortunately, professional solutions are available. Encouraging employees to raise concerns early on is an important step but relying on an employee’s instincts to […]
Violence at work, especially involving firearms, has become a tragic feature of our national culture. Although such incidents are thankfully far less common than other potentially serious injuries on the job, when they happen, their consequences for everyone involved can be devastating. Fortunately, employers can take control of the problem by training employees to recognize […]
Whenever an employee makes a workers’ compensation claim, the employer needs to take the time to do a thorough review of the claim. Each investigation needs to be designed around the details of the claim. For staffing firms, an investigation often requires an extra layer of complexity due to the involvement of the client. Have […]
Before a problem can be solved, it has to be known. OSHA guidance identifies the failure of businesses to identify hazards as a root cause of injuries on the job. A conventional employer can be proactive about the dangers present in its workplace, routinely inspecting its premises and controlling for variables that increase injury risk. […]