Health, Safety, & Security Questions of the Week

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Workers Are Back in Offices And So Are the Bedbugs

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In the latest article from Business Insider, bedbugs are quietly hitching rides into the workplace as more people return to the office and our very own Andrea Whalen of Clark Schaefer Strategic HR sounds the alarm.
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What To Do In An Active Shooter Incident

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Training Supervisors on How to Handle Workers’ Compensation Situations Effectively

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How Can I Support Employee Well-Being Beyond the EAP?

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HR Question: Our HR team is exploring ways we can support employee well-being in addition to offering an EAP. What should we consider in our approach? HR Answer: While many organizations have implemented an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as an important way to support their employees’ mental health, that is only one component of well-being. […]
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How to Simplify Your Work Life

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Are Evacuation Drills Mandatory to Meet OSHA Training Requirements?

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How To Handle Expired Prescription Drug Use In The Workplace?

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How to Handle Bed Bugs at Work

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An employee has indicated that she has bedbugs in her apartment building. What responsibility do we have as an employer towards our other employees?
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Marijuana in the Workplace

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HR Question: Now that Issue 2, legalizing recreational marijuana in Ohio, has passed, what does it mean for my employment policies? Does this mean my drug-free workplace policies are no longer valid? How should I navigate marijuana in the workplace? HR Answer: Medical marijuana was legalized in Ohio in September 2016, and retail sales began […]
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Good Samaritan Law

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Question: If an employee tries to medically help someone during a medical emergency are they or our company liable if something should go wrong? Answer: If you work in Ohio you are covered by something called the “Good Samaritan” law that protects bystanders who provide emergency aid from financial liability if there is an unintended injury […]
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What Is a Safety Audit and How Can Job Hazard Analysis Help?

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My manager is concerned about our company’s ability to pass a safety inspection and wants us to do a safety audit. What is a safety audit?
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How To Handle Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the Workplace

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HR Question: I am part of our HR team, and a supervisor approached me because they suspect one of their employees may be drunk or on some type of drug that is inhibiting their performance. We have a policy prohibiting workplace drug and alcohol abuse that allows us to test if we have reasonable suspicion. […]
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Do I Need a Heat Safety Plan? How Do I Build One?

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HR Question: As an employer, I understand it’s my responsibility to take precautions when employees work outside in the heat. Additionally, I learned that OSHA is now conducting Heat Safety Inspections. Do I need a heat safety plan? If so, how do I build one? HR Answer: As summer heats up and the temperatures rise […]
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How Do We Create An Emergency Preparedness Plan?

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HR Question: We don’t have a formalized emergency preparedness plan, and I think we should probably have one, right? What should we include? HR Answer: You’re right. Every employer needs an emergency action plan for many reasons, including to be compliant with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1020.38(a) requirement. Beyond the […]
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How Can HR Professionals Reduce Workplace Violence?

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HR Question: How can we reduce workplace violence? HR Answer: The numbers are staggering and undeniable. According to SHRM’s 2019 study, 48% of HR professionals reported some type of workplace violence incident in their organization. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported in the same year there were 888,220 events or exposures involving injury […]
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Ensuring Safety in the Workplace

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We seem to be experiencing a flare up in minor workplace accidents. What are some steps we can take to raise safety awareness and reduce the number of incidents?
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Work Related Injuries from a Home Office

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I have "virtual" employees who don't spend all their work time in the office. How do I know if an employee’s injury is work related if they work out of their home?
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Who’s Using Your EAP

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Question: We just implemented an Employee Assistance Program. What do I need to know about EAP use in order to better share this new resource with employees? Answer: Although depression is a primary reason employees call their Employee Assistance Program (EAP), many other services are available. In addition to personal and family counseling, most programs […]
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Rating Employees On Safety

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Question: How do we rate employees on safety? Answer: Rating employees on safety starts by having an organization whose norms, beliefs, attitudes,and practices are concerned with minimizing exposure of employees to workplace hazards.Having an effective Safety Incentive Programs can definitely help and, although all are not alike,it is important to consider some of these basic […]
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OSHA 300-A Log

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Question: I know I am supposed to take my OSHA 300-A log down on April 30.  How long do I have to keep it after I take it down? Answer: You are correct!  The log can come down on April 30, but according to OSHA Standard – 29 CFR -1904.33(a), employers must save their OSHA […]
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How To Determine If A Home Office Injury Is Covered By Workers’ Compensation

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HR Question: Our company has agreed to allow employees to work a hybrid schedule, allowing them to work from home on multiple days during the week. Although this has been very well received by employees, we have seen an increase in the number of injuries from employees working from home. How do I know if […]
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Emergency Response Plans: Preparing for Emergencies & Natural Disasters

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HR Question: Do we need an emergency response plan? HR Answer: Would your team members know how to react if there was a tornado? What about a fire or an active shooter? These questions matter because emergency response plans are becoming more critical than ever. Emergency response plans should include the actions that need to […]
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Mental Health Concerns in the Workplace

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In today’s chaotic environment, many American workers have been searching for ways to cope with the “new normal.” Between the pandemic, civil unrest, a divisive and contentious election, and frequent changes in their day to day life, it’s no surprise that mental health concerns in the workplace are on the rise. What impact can your […]
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Does My Company Need an AED?

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Question: AED’s have been mentioned in safety demos and tutorials that I have attended. Does my company need one of these devices? If so, what type of training is needed in order to use it? Answer: The safety and well-being of your employees and anyone who visits your place of employment should be top of […]
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Do Injury Prevention Programs Really Work?

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Question We’ve experienced an increase in work-related injuries this year.  Do injury prevention programs really work? Answer: The answer is a resounding YES! Quality onsite injury prevention programs accomplish over a 50% reduction in musculoskeletal recordable injuries and the associated cost along with a 30% reduction in non-work-related musculoskeletal issues. This is a key point […]
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What Does It Mean To Be a Partially Exempt Industry Under OSHA?

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Question: According to our company’s NAICS code it says we’re a Partially Exempt Industry. Do we have to complete the OSHA Form 300A each year? Answer: If your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code classifies you as a Partially Exempt Industry, it is not necessary to complete OSHA injury and illness records (including the OSHA Form 300A). Unless you […]
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The Opioid Epidemic and Its Cost on Society and the Economy

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Submitted by Signet Screening How Prescription Painkillers Led to the Opioid Epidemic The dependence on prescription painkillers and synthetic opioids has exploded into a full-blown epidemic in America. The problem is a 50-state issue that public health officials are calling the worst drug crisis in the American history. The epidemic’s roots are in chronic pain […]
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What Should Ohio Employers Know About Marijuana in the Workplace?

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Question: As an Ohio employer, can you help me understand how marijuana legalization fits into our employment policies? Answer: You are not alone in trying to navigate the everchanging state of marijuana legalization. A growing number of states have either passed laws, or are considering legislation, to ease restrictions on employees’ use of marijuana for […]
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Impact of Inclement Weather on Employees

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Question: With the cold months and potential for bad weather, I’m concerned about the possibility of weather impeding our employees’ ability to get to work. What workplace practices and policies do we need to consider? Answer: Great Question, and kudos to you for proactively thinking about potential challenges for your employees and the business. As […]
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Active Shooter Training: Surviving the Unthinkable

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By David Powell with Strategic HR Unfortunately, there have been an increased number of active shooter incidents across the country.  With the increase in number, it becomes even more critical to ensure we help prepare our employees should the unthinkable happen.  However, many employers are unsure where to begin to help prepare their employees for […]
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What is a powered industrial truck according to OSHA? Do you need proper training?

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Question: Our Warehouse Manager just got a new piece of equipment that I would describe as a type of pallet-jack. When I questioned him about training on the equipment, he said that because an employee does not sit on the piece of equipment to operate it, so there was no required training under OSHA. Is that true? […]
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