Silica citations hit 116 in 6 months
Silica citations hit 116 in 6 months Brief: As of April 17, OSHA and state safety agencies have issued 116 violation citations under OSHA’s new silica safety rule, Bloomberg BNA reported. The regulation went into effect Sept. 23, but OSHA began full enforcement Oct. 23. The most frequently mentioned violation involved contractors allegedly failing to […]
Drivers Gone Missing
Where are they? Many of our clients we work with can’t seem to find or retain qualified drivers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor it is estimated that the industry is short 50,000 drivers and the American Transportation Research Institute stated 56% of truck drivers are over the age of 45 with a gap […]
Opioids: How Are They Affecting Your Workplace?
Opioids: How Are They Affecting Your Workplace? We hear a lot about the opioid epidemic in our country, that is, the use and abuse of pain medications including oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and fentanyl. These medications were nearly unheard of just a few years ago, but now they appear in the news almost daily. Unfortunately, when […]
Business Auto Trends
If you are not aware of where we are in the market in regards to the commercial auto we hope you find this insightful. This may also help you understand the concerns all carriers are having right now including your personal auto carrier. Georgia’s auto performance with distractive driving is terrible and one of the […]
Georgia’s New Distracted Driving Law: What’s legal, What’s not?
Georgia’s New Distracted Driving Law: What’s legal, What’s not? House Bill 673 will become effective July 1, 2018, prohibiting activities which distract a driver while operating a motor vehicle and requires drivers to use hands-free technology when using cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. But “hands free” isn’t as clear as it sounds. […]
Trench Safety Stand Down, June 18-23, 2018
Trench Safety Stand Down, June 18-23, 2018 The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and GUCA are partnering to sponsor a week-long campaign, June 18-23, 2018 to reinforce the importance of trench safety. During the Stand Down, employers across Georgia are encouraged to voluntarily stop work for one hour to review […]
Are Unemployment Claims
(by Nancy Owen, PHR) Every unemployment claim that gets paid out to your former employees has the potential to raise your unemployment insurance tax rate over the course of several years following that claim. The better you understand the process, the better your chances of minimizing the inevitable costs that follow any separation from employment, […]
What Constitutes Gross Misconduct When it Comes to COBRA?
(by Nancy Owen, PHR) First, let’s first look at what COBRA is and which employers must provide it. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA is a law that was passed in 1985 by the United States Congress and signed by President Ronald Reagan. This law makes it mandatory for covered employers […]
Proper Lifting Techniques to Protect Your Back
Introduction Preventing back injuries can be a major challenge for some employers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), overexertion was the nation’s leading event or exposure leading to an injury or illness in the workplace, accounting for 34% of all workplace injuries or illnesses in 2013. BLS also showed that the back was […]
What you need to know about cyber-crime in 2018
In the past, all businesses needed to thrive were proper planning, solid offerings, and superior customer service. With the internet and social networking, all that is changing. One of the biggest hurdles is Cyber- crime. According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2017 State of Cyber Security in Small & Medium-Sized Businesses, over 60% have experienced a […]