R&R Insurance Blog

Do you know your organization’s incidence rate....? Each year employers should not only record the number of injuries and illnesses but also calculate their incidence rate and benchmark against other like industries to determine future safety activities to decrease employee injuries/illnesses.

The calculation is simple.

Total number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000
÷
Number of hours worked by all employees
= Total recordable case rate

(The 200,000 figure in the formula represents the number of hours 100 employees working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year would work, and provides the standard base for calculating incidence rates.)

You can also compute the incidence rate for recordable cases involving days away from work, days of restricted work activity or job transfer (DART) using the following formula:

Number of entries in column H + Number of entries in column I) 200,000 ÷ Number of hours worked by all employees = DART incidence rate

Wisconsin business - If you would like to know how your business stacks up against your peers or competition with regard to your incident rate, contact knowledgebroker Maureen Joy at R&R for more information!

Believe it or not, OSHA doesn't require that an accident investigation be performed after an an accident in the workplace. But we highly suggest that an accident investigation take place in your workplace.

[video src="http://myknowledgecenter.com/video/John_Brengosz/John_OSHA_Requirements.mp4" width="480" height="272"; poster="http://myknowledgecenter.com/video/skins/RRI_Video_logo.jpg"]

(need more info from John on this one - reasons why...

In June 2011, OSHA implemented their new residential fall protection rules. This short video explains a common sense approach to comply with these new rules. A copy of the new rules can be obtained by visiting www.OSHA.gov. This video addresses how these new rules affect the obligations of the general contractor. These rules apply to any tradesmen that work more than six feet off the ground or a lower level.

View OSHA's directive.

The new rules require fall protection for any employee working on the roof. The historical problem with this approach is that residential structures do not have an obvious attachment point for a harness. Commercial structures usually have flat roofs so a guardrail system can be used in that scenario. The pitched roofs on residential structures, with their gable ends, make the guardrail solution impractical.

By using the DBI Sala U-Bolt Roof Anchor, a personal fall arrest system can be easily attached to a pitched roof. The homebuilder supplies this device.

The framing contractor attaches the anchor to a roof truss while the truss is on the ground.

The roof anchor is easily incorporated into a contractor's use while on the roof.

An additional benefit to the homeowner is that the anchor is a permanent installation. It's there for the homeowner to use for future maintenance needs.

Wisconsin businesses, for more information on OSHA compliance issues contact knowledgebroker Paul Seitz 262-953-7245.

After the devasting effects of a fire, resist the urge to start the cleaning process right away. Improper cleaning can actually cause additional damage, rendering some items unrestorable.

Things To Do:

• Open windows for ventilation if weather permits
• If it is winter and the heat is off, pour antifreeze in toilet bowls, tanks, sinks, and tub drains to prevent freeze damage. Call a plumber to drain water lines because water pipes can cause additional damage if they burst.
• Relocate pets to a safe environment
• Empty refrigerators and freezers if electricity is off. Prop doors open to allow air circulation.

Things Not To Do:

• Turn on any electrical appliances until they have been cleaned and checked.
• Use food items or canned goods that have been exposed to heat
• Attempt to wash fire residue from walls, ceilings and other surfaces.

For more great tips and info go to www.kelmann.com or contact your Knowledge Brokers

European OSHA Reporting Increase in Workplace Violence

Bullying, harassment and physical violence are on the rise in Europe and employers and governments aren’t doing enough to prevent it, according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). According to a report entitled Workplace Violence and Harassment: A European Picture, between five and 20 percent of European workers are affected by workplace violence.While 40 percent of European managers are concerned about workplace violence and harassment, only 25 percent of them have implemented procedures to deal with it. In some European Union (EU) countries fewer than 10 percent of managers have done so.

Recently one of our LWMMI (League of Wisconsin Municipalities) insureds asked this question, "Are municipalities (and related entities) covered by OSHA?" and an issue of The Municipality, confirmed a response we initially provided...

"Local governments are not subject to state regulations, which are at least as stringent as OSHA, does not have jurisdiction over the state or local governments because the definition of "employer" under the OSHA Act of 1970 specifically excludes states and any political subdivision of a state."

"Instead, the State of Wisconsin has jurisdiction and the Wisconsin Statutes requires that the Department of Commerce adopt, by administrative rule, standards to protect the safety and health of public employees. These standards must provide protection at least equal to that provided to private sector employees under OSHA standards." - The Municipality (a publication of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities)

Students at the local Greenland Elementary School in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin are learning how to combat bullying issues through CLIMB Theater. CLIMB (an acronym for Creative Learning Ideas for Mind and Body) performs interactive drama classes on the topics of bullying prevention for second, third and fourth graders.

CLIMB's program reached almost 200,000 students last year! Congrats to Oconomowoc Area Schools and CLIMB for addressing the hot topic of bully prevention in a new fun, creative and educational way. This Full story was printed in the Living Lake Country, Tuesday January 4, 2010.

For more information on CLIMB, visit: www.climb.org.

A fleet of any size (simply the use of vehicles in a company or organization), is an exposure which can generate losses for the organization in all four categories: property, human resources, liability and net income. Risk managers recognize the importance of well-designed and properly implemented fleet safety programs. The new twist is that new technology and ever-changing laws require these plans to be reflective of these changes and dynamic for each individual organization.

In 2008, there were 37,261 motor vehicle fatalities and almost 2.5 million injuries in the United States, generating a more than $231 billion dollars in damages. Occupational fatalities associated with highway incidents in 2008 totaled 1,149, or about one in four of all occupational fatalities.

Every organization that uses vehicles in any manner should enforce a fleet safety program that at the minimum contains these components:

• Driver Qualification and Training
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) review
• Vehicle Inspection & Maintenance
• Tracking, Monitoring & Documentation

Driver Qualification and Training
Most organizations require basic state licensing and may elect to impose minimum requirements for age and experience of drivers for certain applications such as product load, people transportation etc.

Training drivers in defensive driving techniques and other fleet safety topics can be accomplished through online programming, behind-the-wheel coaching, and classroom instruction.

MVR Review
Regular evaluation of MVRs is a standard component in fleet safety programs. For MVR review to be successful, employers must consider exactly what records will be evaluated, and how they will guide employment and driving assignment decisions.

The MVR monitoring process can be outsourced to companies that provide background screening services for new and existing employees. These services monitor activity associated with fleet drivers and immediately notify fleet managers of any negative activity associated with an employee driver.

Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance
A comprehensive program for regular safety inspections and mandatory maintenance and repairs for fleet vehicles is an extremely important part of a fleet safety program that is often overlooked.

If any claim were to go to litigation, a defense attorney could take full advantage of any evidence indicating a delay in important safety precautions such as tire replacement or brake repair. Therefore, it’s not only important to stay on top of all vehicle maintenance requirements, it’s also essential to keep accurate records of maintenance and repair schedules in case it needs to be proven in court.

Tracking, Monitoring & Documentation
New technologies such as Global Positioning Systems, Ignition Interlock Devices and the onset of extensive mobile device usage has increased the need for close monitoring, highly documented policies and knowledge of the law.

Tracking Location
Global positioning systems (GPS) installed in vehicles can provide fleet owners with many useful tools to not only manage vehicle utilization, but also operational safety. These systems can measure and communicate the exact location and vehicle speed on a real-time basis to a central point. For an organization that must maximize efficiencies to survive, control speeding and other misuse of their vehicles, GPS technology used to monitor the actions of employees behind the wheel can be an important new tool to compliment a fleet safety program.

Ignition Interlock Devices
Another area of technology that is impacting fleet management policies is the use of ignition interlock devices (IIDs) by drivers convicted of DUI. These devices require the driver to blow a sample of their breath through the device before the vehicle’s ignition will start. IIDs can be court ordered for an employee convicted of DUI. The question for business owners and fleet managers is whether to allow IID installation in a company vehicle to accommodate a legal requirement imposed on an employee. It is important for fleet owners to understand the laws, and plan ahead for how they will respond to an IID order for one of their employees.

Mobile Devices
One of the most significant new challenges for fleet safety programs is managing the use of mobile devices on the road. The use of cell phones and other portable devices for talking, texting, email, social networking, and navigation while driving is now commonplace, especially among younger drivers.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that drivers engaged in texting while driving increase their chance of being in an accident by 23 times. A troublesome reality for fleet owners is how easy it is to prove that a driver was texting at the time of an accident, due to the precise time stamp assigned to every message. These distractions must be considered and addressed in every company’s updated fleet safety policy. Every fleet owner must evaluate the communication needs of their drivers, device policies, and the law to manage that risk appropriately.

Business owners and fleet managers face a intimidating task to develop and implement fleet safety programs that comply with applicable laws and reduce risk to their property, their people and their profitability. A successful fleet safety program for your organization begins with a tailored plan that addresses the specific needs of your organization and then remains flexible enough to respond to changes in technology and the law.

Fred Hosier from Safetynewsalert.com posted an article that I feel is important for employers in Wisconsin to be aware of - I do also recommend taking a look at his website as he has some very good safety knowledge to offer.

If a company fails to provide safety training required by federal law to 11 employees, can the employer be fined just once or 11 times?

A federal court says the government can fine the company 11 times.

The decision comes in the case of employer Erik Ho. He hired 11 workers to renovate a building containing asbestos.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found Ho failed to train them about asbestos removal or provide them with respirators, two violations of federal safety regulations.

OSHA issued 22 citations to Ho. On appeal, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, an independent appeals board, found that the existing regulations didn’t allow OSHA to issue 22 separate citations. Instead, Ho faced just two fines.

In response, OSHA changed its regulations in late 2008 to allow for per-employee fines for lack of safety training and personal protective equipment.

That regulation was challenged by the National Association of Home Builders and other groups. They argued that OSHA had no authority to specify whether citations could be issued on a per-employee basis.

Now a federal court has ruled that OSHA is allowed to make such changes to federal workplace safety regulations.

What does that mean for employers? The maximum OSHA fine for one serious violation is $70,000. Multiply that fine by 11 employees, and it becomes $770,000.

Cite: National Association of Home Builders v. OSHA, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, No. 09-1053, 4/16/10.

A job safety analysis (JSA) is not always best left only to a safety supervisor. Your workers' experience in doing a job gives them superb knowledge of what can go wrong from a safety and health standpoint.

While some hazards can be obvious to everyone, many workers probably encounter situations that haven't been considered by others. Your workers' insights are vital.

Conducting a JSA is also valuable as a training guide for new employees, a "refresher" for existing employees and as a tool for determining why an incident happened.

John Brengosz, loss prevention specialist at R&R, is a resource I consistently offer to my clients as he has extensive experience in conducting JSA's. The other piece is that John has a real talent for getting supervisors to "buy into" the process, which can often times be half the battle. Currently, I have a client doing JSA's department by department and the response by the supervisors and the employees has been terrific. Now, evaluating the work station at the beginning of a worker's shift has simply become a natural "step one" before work begins - It's just a part of the culture!

If you would like to know more about how we help our clients conduct JSA's, keep their employees more safe, and ultimately, make them more profitable, please contact me.