Safety/Health

OSHA inspectors are at your door … Are you prepared?

02/02/2009

An unexpected visit from a government regulator such as OSHA is often unwelcome—and unsettling, too. If you have taken the time to prepare for an OSHA inspection, however, it need not be traumatic. Advance planning and preparation not only make the inspection proceed without difficulty, but also allow you to be in control.

Costs rise as workers skimp on health care

01/27/2009

Consumers are hanging on tightly to every penny. One main cost they’re skimping on: their own health care—a move that experts say will lead to sicker Americans and higher health care costs down the road for U.S. employers. Here are three ways your organization can keep workers focused on their health even as they skimp on other expenses.

What’s your duty to accommodate domestic violence victims?

01/16/2009

About a dozen states have laws that allow employees to take job-protected leave to deal with domestic violence issues. But take note: Even if your state doesn’t have a specific law, you may need to grant such rights as a matter of “public policy.” A recent court ruling from Washington state shows the legal risks.

Driving on company business: Who’s liable?

01/16/2009

Q. Say an employee driving his own car on company business to make a bank deposit gets into an accident and is slightly injured. Is it his responsibility to go to his own doctor to seek immediate treatment and then to the workers’ comp doctors? And who covers the damage to the car?

Independent contractor can sue top contractor for injuries

01/15/2009

If you thought that one advantage of using independent contractors was that those contractors couldn’t sue you for injuries suffered at work, think again.

4 ways to bring domestic violence out of the workplace shadows

01/13/2009

There’s a widespread understanding of the grave impact domestic violence has on personal lives and the havoc it wreaks on families and communities. Now more attention is being paid to its effect at work. Sometimes, incidents of domestic violence actually happen in the workplace. But the impact goes far beyond immediate safety concerns.

Family of trampled Wal-Mart worker files suit

01/09/2009

The family of Jdimytai Damour, the temporary worker who was trampled to death by shoppers at the Valley Stream, Long Island, Wal-Mart on Black Friday, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company.

OSHA adds teeth to protective equipment standards

01/06/2009

The stakes just got higher for employers that fail to provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) or give employees the necessary safety training. For every PPE and training violation, multiply the OSHA fine by the number of employees affected.

Encourage healthy behavior with wellness reminders

01/05/2009

A good wellness program can spur employees to ditch unhealthy behaviors, reducing their health care costs and helping them work more productively. But that’s only if they participate. Here are four ways your organization can bolster participation by improving the way it communicates wellness to employees.

3 ways HR can help employees cut their health care costs