Category: Special Topics in Safety Management

Don’t let a potential killer into your home. Although many people don’t realize it, radon kills thousands of Americans every year. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer—smoking is the first. Radon gas comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. From there it gets into the air […]

Yesterday, we talked about employee involvement in safety programs. Today, we focus on safety leadership. No matter how engaged employees are, there can be no successful safety program without full participation of management. Dr. Terry McSween has developed a five-stage patented process he calls Values-Based Safety® that identifies leader behaviors essential for positive safety change. […]

The goal of social distancing is to avoid contact with others as much as possible when contagion is a risk to avoid the spread of infection. Here are some suggestions for the workplace. The Utah Department of Health defines “social distancing” as a technique used to “minimize close contact among persons in public places, such […]

Let’s say an employee has a contagious disease, and he’s told all his co-workers. The supervisor tells you the co-workers workers are worried and feel at risk. Now you’re worried about endangering employees, as well as following the law. What can you do? There are a couple of things to consider in this situation, says […]

Let’s say an employee has a contagious disease, and he’s told all his co-workers. The supervisor tells you the co-workers workers are worried and feel at risk. Now you’re worried about endangering employees, as well as following the law. What can you do? There are a couple of things to consider in this situation, says […]

Yesterday, we reported the views of a safety expert who is concerned that safety incentives may motivate some workers to hide safety problems. Today, we present the views of another expert who believes that with the right approach incentives can work. “To say that incentives don’t work is hogwash,” says Bill Sims, president of Bill […]

You’ve seen them, used them, or maybe even rejected them. For decades businesses have encouraged safe behavior with incentives. But are they a benefit or a liability? Ball caps, jackets, logoed merchandise, pizza, points, gift cards, and discounts… the list goes on. Whatever the reward, the idea is generally this—employers give workers something in exchange […]

Although most employees on workers’ comp follow their rehabilitation programs conscientiously, a few workers fabricate symptoms, cancel therapy appointments, and are insincere about getting off compensation and back on the job. The costs of workers’ comp fraud fall not only on employers, but also on the malingerer’s fellow employees. They are often the one’s who […]