The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that it's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to help employers and workers implement a coronavirus protection program and better identify risks that could lead to exposure and contraction. Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.  For more info click here.

By Deb Hilmerson, Construction Executive

OSHA

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced adjustments to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2021.

By Elizah Hulseman, Construction Business Owner

By Kim Slowey, Construction Dive

OSHA has been fairly aggressive about updating the construction industry about how employers should respond to actual and suspected cases of COVID-19 and how it will enforce suspected violations of health and other safety standards during the pandemic. 

By Lea Brovedani, EHSToday

Top safety leaders create a safety culture that shifts from a minimum requirement of compliance to a workforce where employees are committed to working safely. Safety leaders know that safety starts and ends with the people. It’s not about the confusing jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, and the piles and piles of paperwork. It’s about the deep trust that exists between the company and the workers.

Now that the Ohio BWC has moved away from using ICD-9 Codes to using ICD-10 Codes for categorizing injuries and illnesses, they will be changing from the MIRA II Reserving System to the new ACES Reserving System. The ACES (Actuarial Claims Estimating System) process will be implemented on 7/1/2020. ACES uses very similar cost drivers (input variables) as MIRA II. Reserves are a key component in determining what your company’s EMR (Experience Modification Rate) will be for the upcoming policy year. Simply put, Reserves are estimated future costs of a claim.

By Saloni Walimbe, EHS Today

Workplace hazards from contact with mechanical, physical, chemical, electrical or radiological components can lead to significant injuries. In fact, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO), nearly 2.3 million workers worldwide, succumb to workplace accidents annually, amounting to nearly 6000 deaths per day.

Facility Executive

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fiscal year (FY) 2019 final statistics show a significant increase in the number of inspections and a record amount of compliance assistance to further the mission of ensuring that employers provide workplaces free of hazards.

By Robin Skillings, Construction Business Owner

The autumn leaves have hit the ground. Frost is starting to cover the grass. Fall is in full swing, and winter is on its way. While most construction business owners and contractors will worry about extremely cold temperatures and the effects on scheduled jobs, hypothermia and frostbite are also significant concerns.