Objects falling from above and striking people below have caused serious industrial injuries and account for a number of fatalities every year. Although the exact number of “falling object” injuries is difficult to determine, documents produced in several recent court cases suggest that the practice of “high stacking” materials and supplies poses a serious safety threat to those below.
Provide Adequate Warning – Workers or customers below depend on those working above for their safety. If you’re going to be doing work overhead, warn those in the area either verbally or with signs, ropes or barricades. For those below, it’s their responsibility to be aware of the work being done overhead and observe the warnings and barricades.
Whenever there’s a risk of falling objects at a worksite, an employer is required to provide protection for workers and visitors to the site. Hard hats and safety shoes are examples of personal protection against falling objects.
If you need to be covered for Workers Compensation, contact us today.
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320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
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Ask your accountants to look for red flags that could indicate fraud. Among the methods accountants often recommend are accounting controls, built-in detection mechanisms, and reconciliation of records. Businesses increase the probability of discovery with frequent audits that include steps to uncover fraud. Make sure that accountants understand that you view the discovery of insider theft as an aspect of their duties and services as well as Risk Management. Utilize your accountants to survey either all employees or randomly chosen employees from time to time, asking whether they are aware of any misappropriation of company money, property, or resources.
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As a worker, your two most important tools are your hands. Unfortunately, those two vital tools suffer through a great deal of wear and tear. On the worksite, your hands might be exposed to harsh weather conditions, dirt, chemicals, fuels, grease, solvents, oil and other unforgiving substances. Plus, if you’re handling sharp tools and heavy equipment constantly, you’re putting your hands at risk every day on the job.
For more information on how to keep Workers Compensation claims low, contact us today!
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320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
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As the economy begins to grow again, businesses will start to add workers to their payrolls. This is good news for those workers and for the economy, but statistics show that the first year on a new job is also very risky to the workers’ health. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 41% of work-related injuries occur each year to workers who have been on the job for less than a year. On top of that, younger employees get hurt on the job more often than do their older colleagues. A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study showed that workers under age 24 are twice as likely as older workers to have non-fatal workplace accidents. In addition to the pain and suffering these workers endure and the disruption to their lives, employers face increased Workers Compensation costs. Therefore, preventing new employees’ accidents should be a top priority for all employers. There are several things employers can do toward that end.
Review and update job descriptions. If management has not compared job descriptions to the actual work being done recently, this is the time to do it. Work tasks are changing constantly as new tasks take priority, old tasks become less important, and technology changes how workers perform current tasks. Without a clear understanding of how employees are performing their work (or, more importantly, how they should be performing it,) managers will be unable to train new employees effectively or to determine why they are getting hurt and how to keep Workers Compensation claims down.
Conduct training programs that require the employee’s active participation. When people learn how to drive, they do not just watch a video or listen to a lecture about which pedal is the brake and which is the accelerator. They get behind the wheel and actually drive. Safe job performance works the same way. An employee will retain the knowledge far better if he watches a demonstration and then performs the tasks in a safe, controlled environment.
Closely supervise new employees. Interactive training alone will not guarantee safe work performance and help to keep Workers Compensation claims low. Supervisors should pay close attention to new workers during their first days and weeks on the job to make sure that they are using the knowledge gained during training and not falling into bad habits. Pointing out unsafe practices and correcting them quickly should instill good habits and make working safely an automatic part of the employee’s routine. Ideally, the employee should need less supervision the longer he is on the job without injuring himself or others.
Every day in business, competition becomes more fierce; only high-value, low-cost providers of products and services can thrive. A company gains an edge by attracting and retaining excellent workers and by holding down variable costs. Preventing workplace injuries does both. By making the effort to keep all employees, especially new employees, safe, the company will develop a reputation as a good place to work and reduce Workers Compensation costs, adding dollars to the bottom line. Businesses should view workplace injuries as a preventable expense that they do not have to accept.
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