Although the calendar shows winter is still a month away, employers would be wise to think now about how they’ll handle the challenges hazardous winter weather will bring.
When snow, ice, or other extreme weather shows up in the forecast, employers’ thoughts turn to how weather might prevent employees from getting to work and how those [...]

Headlines abound about tragic car accidents resulting from drivers distracted by cell phones. Many of those reports involve drivers taking calls or texts while they’re on the job. Such tragedies have prompted a number of employers to develop policies aimed at curtailing use of phones while employees are driving. Those tragedies also have prompted juries [...]

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a national outreach initiative to educate workers and employers about the hazards of working outside in hot weather. The effort builds on last year’s successful summer campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of too much sun and heat.
With the temperatures so far this summer breaking [...]

by John Hall
When your friendly Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspector comes a-knockin’, it’s usually too late to get your house in order. Here are some dos and don’ts to prepare you for an OSHA inspection and minimize your chances of citations.
Preparation is your best defense
Don’t wait until OSHA is at your door to [...]

Third of four parts
When bedbugs invade your office, factory, or other building, they aren’t the only pests employers will be feverishly wanting to get rid of. The other dreaded workplace pestilence — plaintiffs’ attorneys — may not be far behind, scratching around for an opportunity to file bug-related litigation for any number of reasons. As [...]

by Boyd Byers
Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an initiative to combat work-related distracted driving. OSHA’s first point of focus is texting while driving.

by Joseph C. Pettygrove
Employers are increasingly looking at the feasibility of scanning hard copies of various types of employment documents and retaining only the electronic copies in the routine course of business. Generally speaking, you are allowed to do that if you ensure that your electronic record maintenance systems are secure, accurate, reliable, and accessible [...]

By Jim Stanley, president, FDRsafety
When Labor Secretary Hilda Solis warned business last year that there was ”a new sheriff in town,” she wasn’t kidding — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is packing big new six-guns. The only problem is that it may be shooting itself in the foot.

Imagine for a moment the employee who seems just a little off — having disproportionate negative reactions to criticism, having strange obsessions with weapons or death, being unusually hot-tempered, demanding, or controlling, or having other odd or erratic behaviors.
Now imagine that despite the employee’s peculiarity, he’s an above-average worker and his job performance is otherwise [...]

It’s time to post your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A, the summary of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year. Unless you have 10 or fewer employees or fall within one of the industries normally excused from the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s (OSH Act) recordkeeping and posting requirements, you’re required [...]