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Safety/Health

Are you a prime contractor? Beware liability for your subs’ safety violations

03/12/2009

OSHA is responsible for worker safety, and it takes that responsibility seriously. It recently won a significant victory in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld OSHA’s right to hold contractors liable for their subcontractors’ safety violations.

Preventing workplace violence in 5 steps

03/10/2009

There’s never been a better time to implement a violence prevention plan. Tough economic times sometimes cause people to snap—and they might do so at work. You need a prevention program that starts with employee screening and ends with publicizing your tough anti-violence policy.

Employee wellness committees focus on community service

03/09/2009

At PCL Construction in Denver, employees decide which wellness programs the organization will offer. Employee-run wellness committees at each corporate location focus on physical, financial and community wellness, as well as team building.

Free health perks help wellness, recruiting

03/09/2009

Full-time employees of Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network don’t pay for health insurance. Plus, the organization hands them a fistful of “wellness dollars”—$700 to be exact—to spend on anything from gym memberships to massage therapy. Not only does the program help current employees, but also it has improved recruiting.

Take a hike: April 29 is Walk @ Lunch Day

03/09/2009

Get ready to trade working lunches for walking lunches. On April 29, employees at thousands of companies will take part in National Walk @ Lunch Day, sponsored by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Workers’ comp deductibles, premiums to change

03/06/2009

Starting in July, Ohio employers will get their choice of five deductible levels on their workers’ compensation insurance. In exchange for lower premiums, employers will assume a larger risk for workplace accidents.

Poor worker training cited in case involving heat death

02/26/2009

In 2004, two men were fixing a pump at a plant when one of them complained of being hot and not feeling well. The other man took him to his car and returned to work on the pump. When he checked on the ill man 45 minutes later, he found him slumped over the wheel. He had died.

Beware firing after worker warns about safety

02/24/2009

Former employees and their lawyers are always looking for ways to maximize what they can get from former employers. One way is to add a wrongful discharge claim if an employee is fired after he or she complains about workplace safety. These cases can get quite expensive, as the following case shows.

Nuke plant operator fined for sleeping guards

02/24/2009

Sleeping on the job isn’t productive, and most employers have rules against it. In some environments, falling asleep on duty is downright dangerous and can result in large fines.

Last-chance agreements put employers on sure footing

02/12/2009

If you offer last-chance agreements instead of immediately firing employees, you can impose seemingly draconian measures without worrying about a lawsuit. If you later terminate an employee for violating agreement terms, most courts will take your side.