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HR Outsourcing News Roundup: Workplace Safety Edition
No CommentsWhen it comes to hot button topics in HR, safety isn’t usually at the top of the list. Avoiding slips, trips and falls is classic advice that’s not going anywhere, right? Yes and no.
Employers still need to worry about taking classic safety measures, but new issues are emerging too. Many states have adopted medical marijuana legislation, for example, and two now allow recreational use. Technology is allowing lifesaving equipment to be used by laypersons now, not just medical staff. All this can affect your workplace safety plan.
This week’s HR Outsourcing News Roundup brings you articles and blog posts with the latest information and advice on workplace safety issues.
Workplace AEDs, Response Programs Can Save Lives. SHRM: “Around 10,000 sudden cardiac arrest events occur each year in the workplace, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Most of those victims will die, often within minutes. In fact, sudden cardiac arrest—when the heart stops beating, abruptly and without warning—is the leading cause of death in the workplace, however most employers have not prepared their workforce to respond when a colleague goes down.”
Medical Marijuana and Workplace Safety. Safety + Health: “Workers should treat medical marijuana the same as other prescription drugs such as Vicodin or Percocet, which can impair mental and physical abilities and affect worker safety, said Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, a senior economist with Santa Monica, CA-based nonprofit research institute RAND Corp. Workers also should know the rules of their state and their employer, particularly if they are subject to Department of Transportation regulations or if their employer has federal contracts – both of which can supersede protections in state laws.”
Workplace Safety: Avoiding Common OSHA Violations. SmartBlog on Leadership: “Falls continue to be one of the most common causes, if not the most common, of serious work-related injuries and deaths, accounting for over 200 fatalities each year. Many OSHA citations in the workplace are for failing to meet requirements for protection in construction projects. Other common citations involving fall protection include roofing and holes in the floor and walls.”
How One Association Started a Conversation On Workplace Safety. Associations Now: “A 2013 survey of roughly 2,000 State Bar of Arizona members found that 42 percent had been threatened or physically assaulted at least once while serving as a legal professional. This is on par with other state bar surveys taken in Utah, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon, and North Carolina. Featuring advice and tips from law enforcement, a psychologist, and a police-officer-turned-attorney, the roughly hour-long webinar had more than 1,000 views when it was originally live streamed in August 2013.”
Trouble Ahead for On-the-Job Post-Accident Drug Testing? The National Law Review: “OSHA, in a ‘Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking’ published recently in the Federal Register, announced that it is considering clarifying a requirement that employee reporting of occupational injuries and illnesses be ‘reasonable and not unduly burdensome,’ by prohibiting employers from disciplining or taking ‘adverse action’ against employees for reporting injuries and illnesses to their employers under the recordkeeping rule. In public meetings conducted by the agency on its original proposed change to the recordkeeping rule (mandating electronic recordkeeping and posting of employer data on OSHA’s website), OSHA recounted, ‘Adverse action mentioned by participants included … requiring an employee who reported an injury to undergo drug testing where there was no reason to suspect drug use….’”
If you have questions about workplace safety or would like assistance designing and implementing an emergency response plan, contact us. We’re here to help.
HR Solutions is a human resources outsourcing firm based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We eliminate human resources headaches for businesses with 10 to 1,000 employees by handling their payroll, employee benefits, regulatory compliance and other staffing needs. Contact us to learn how we can streamline your company’s human resources function to save money and reduce risk.
