I’m always amazed at the different corporate cultures created among businesses of the same type. For example, rank and file employees in one glass company appear to be happy and loose, while those in a similar company are wound-up tight and jumpy.

When is the last time that you or one of your employees actually used a portable fire extinguisher? I mean they actually pulled the pin, aimed at the fire, and discharged the contents of the extinguisher at the fire. If you can’t remember ever having that experience, it’s time for a little practice.

We all enjoy the internet videos of people taking unexpected tumbles or bounces off trampolines in the backyard or the ones where the old guy slips off the diving board while trying to impress his grandkids with his abilities as a circus acrobat. The commonality about slipping and falling and our enjoyment of same is that it is truly funny – when it happens to someone else.

For some time now, Employers Resource Safety and Loss Control manager have been speaking to groups of business owners and managers about the increased compliance enforcement activity exhibited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We’ve been telling anyone who will listen about the 13% increase in the number of OSHA inspectors (130-160 NEW boots on the ground), the stepped up inspection program, and the issuance of citations for even the most minor of infractions.

When I was a kid – I’m not saying how long ago, but Beaver Cleaver was a baby – nobody worried much about mosquito bites, wasp stings, poison ivy, chiggers, no-see-‘ums, and such. Being attacked by the local flora and fauna was all part of summer. You took your lumps, scratched to your heart’s content and went about the business of having fun. Ok, if it got REALLY bad, mom would put some pink stuff on the affected areas…

I was working in San Antonio this week, thankful for rental car air conditioning in the 100 degree heat and humidity. With sweat rolling down my face and heat waves dancing off the asphalt, I realized that even though the official start of summer is still a few weeks away, it is time to begin thinking about raising awareness of the effects of working outside in the hot sun.

Some of the most common, serious, and costly workplace injuries occur to the back. We only have one back – and as we get older it begins to complain more and more – especially when we fail to follow safe practices regarding lifting and overuse of muscles. This weeks safety topic comes to you from the fine folks at Business and Legal Reports, and highlights the five things that we all can do to AVOID injuring our backs.

You’ve heard it here before….   One of the MOST DANGEROUS tasks your employees can do it to get behind the wheel of a vehicle on company business.  Why?  It’s not your employees as much as it is the hundreds (or thousands) of goobers hurtling down the freeway in 2-ton steel battering rams – texting their [...]

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, the NFL is in the midst of yet another labor dispute… it must be SPRING!  Along with the change in seasons comes the possibility for severe weather outbreaks.  The middle and southeastern sections of the country have already had two or three episodes of thunderstorms and tornadoes, [...]

The other day I was in a hotel room in another city trying to find something to watch on television, when I came across a sports channel that was showing old clips from Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra’s days with the Yankees.  I noticed that NO ONE was wearing a batting helmet when they stepped [...]