The year 2020 wrought changes in the workplace that were unprecedented in scope and completely unexpected. Most companies, it is fair to say, found themselves unprepared. It is estimated that 42 percent of the United States labor force began to work at home at some point during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some temporary workplace changes became [...]
By Barbara Semeniuk, 2021 A vital part of a safe workplace is developing and executing an Ergonomics Program for employees. The benefits derived from a good plan are long-lasting, cost-effective, and rewarding. Your employees may be suffering from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). What are musculoskeletal disorders? MSDs are disorders of muscles, tendons, joints that are caused [...]
Concern about the level of effort we take to control serious injuries and fatalities is growing because the number of deaths is not decreasing; it has plateaued. Companies and society cannot accept worker fatalities as just part of doing business. Our mandate is clear - we must improve how we protect workers. How to Better [...]
Almost every organization in the country has to supervise, manage, and coordinate workers' safety. If your organization has older workers performing work that is physically challenging and must have an awareness of safety and health, this article contains valuable advice. However, even if your organization's work does not primarily entail physical labor, there still remains [...]
By Barbara Semeniuk, 2021 These are challenging times. Companies are focused on survival; quite literally, it is life-and-death! Safety professionals have been hit hard by COVID-19. In tough times they are the first to be laid off because companies believe they, like human resources and training, do not directly contribute to the bottom line like [...]
We’ve spent nearly a year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, and the emotional wellbeing of employees is as important as ever. The stress of contracting the illness and passing it on to others has caused fear and anxiety for many. Isolation from family and friends has also been a trigger for depression and other [...]
By Barbara Semeniuk, 2020 Business structure and protocols are continuing to change in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. As some businesses are reopening, they must make decisions about bringing employees back onsite, letting them operate remotely, or creating a hybrid model. State guidelines, business size, and work functionality are factors involved in determining the [...]
By Barbara Semeniuk, 2020 E-cigarettes, the electronic alternative to traditional cigarettes, have continued to rise in popularity among smokers since first introduced to consumers around 2007. The e-cigarette is now the most widely used form of non-tobacco nicotine (NTN). Marketing tactics first labeled e-cigarettes as a healthier option of tobacco use for the smoker and [...]
By Barbara Semeniuk, 2020 Safety in the workplace takes proper training, planning, and implementation. With OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout program (LOTO), employers can stay up-to-date regarding safety measures for their employees who use industrial machinery and equipment. Consistency in a Lockout/Tagout program is vital, for both employers and employees to avoid serious injuries and citations. For instance, [...]
A safe company demands continuous improvement to management programs, and measuring safety performance adds accuracy to your efforts. Use tools and resources to determine the success of the current environment as well as preventative measures. To track accidents and incidents, use both lagging and leading statistics to gauge safety performance. Lagging indicators for past safety [...]
