Ladder Safety Mistakes That Injure Georgia Construction Workers Every Year

Ladders— including step ladders, extension ladders and attached climbing ladders—are an essential tool in most organizations. For such a simple staple, ladders have a deadly reputation, with more than 20,000 ladder-related, on-the-job injuries and 150 worker fatalities in 2015. EMC Senior Risk Improvement Representative Case Doorn lays the blame on common mistakes that many ladder-climbers […]

The Danger of Left Turns

How many left turns did you make on your drive into work this morning? Most have to stop and think through their commute to arrive at an answer. It’s not an experience that stands out; it’s routine and practiced for most drivers. But according to a 2001 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, […]

Loss Control Insights

What to Expect During a Loss Control Survey The phrase “loss control survey” may sound intimidating, but there is no need to be worried about the process. We conduct the surveys to better understand your organization’s operations and help your company management figure out how to better manage risks that potentially cause losses. It’s all […]

Construction Input Costs

CONSTRUCTION INPUT COSTS ARE MIXED IN JULY BUT PRESSURE INTENSIFIES ON CONTRACTORS AS YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASES OUTSTRIP BID PRICES Fuel, Metals and Wood Product Prices Post Double-Digit Annual Increases Despite Pause in July; Association Officials Warn That Additional Tariffs Are Likely to Add to Squeeze on Contractors Prices for goods and services used in construction costs […]

Construction Contract Clauses That Can Cost or Save Georgia Contractors Thousands

By: Scott Cahalan and Darren Rowles, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP This article examines liquidated damages clauses, clauses providing incentives for early completion, and the commonly held misconception that a construction contract that includes a liquidated damages clause must also include an incentive for early completion. As explained below, these clauses are independent and, as […]

Increasing OSHA fines: the importance of meeting and maintaining compliance

OSHA fines increased 78% from 2015 to 2016, AND will continue to increase each year based on the rate of inflation. This dramatic increase further elevates the importance to meet and maintain OSHA compliance. This impact your company’s bottom line SIGNIFICANTLY! To help quantify this impact, what amount of new sales does your company need […]

Selling Safety: A Path to Driving Profit

Management has the most control over safety. Posters do not sell safety. It requires a steady commitment from management, so that is the first place to start. Just ask a worker where they think safety ranks in the company. Encourage open-minded dialogue. Various studies have shown that for every $1 invested in safety, the return […]

Worker’s Compensation: Risk Management for Independent Contractors

Significant exposure arises when an Independent Contractor is uninsured and their injured workers become the responsibility of the hiring employer. This high risk exposure can be mitigated with these practices: The hiring employer can require all ICs to sign a contract that includes insurance requirements. The hiring employer should have a dedicated employee responsible for […]

How to Hire a Minor

by Laura Pokrzywa If you are an employer planning to hire a teenager, you need to be careful to comply with federal and state child labor laws. These laws set forth specific guidelines for the hiring process, the working conditions, and the hours an underage employee may work. It is more than just putting up […]

Who are Generations X, Y, and Z and Why Should Employers Care?

by Nancy Owen, PHR Most dictionaries define a generation as “a group of people born and living around the same time as each other”. Not surprisingly, people of the same generation often have similar characteristics and values. Interestingly enough, one generation can be very different from another. Of the six generations currently living, three are […]