If you hire CDL drivers, please take note: Beginning January 6, 2020, there will be new requirements in effect for obtaining drug and alcohol information for commercial driver’s license applicants and existing drivers. 

​When hiring a CDL driver, employers are required to obtain accident history along with drug and alcohol history from previous DOT-regulated employers during the past three years.

Beginning January 6, 2020, there will be new requirements in effect for obtaining drug and alcohol information for commercial driver’s license applicants and existing drivers.  Employers will be required to query the new drug and alcohol clearinghouse to determine whether current and prospective employees have incurred a drug and alcohol violation that would prohibit them from performing safety-sensitive functions covered by the FMCSA and US DOT drug and alcohol regulations. 

Snow has arrived for many parts of the country, and that means it's time to brush up on tips for safe winter driving, especially in snow.

The roads can get slick and visibility can dwindle, so always take it easy, drive calmly and stay safe. Whether you've driven in snow often, a short while, or never, it's always a good idea to brush up on the basics to help you stay safe during this time of year.

No workplace is immune to the risks of an active shooter incident. However, there are steps that you can take to ensure that your organization is prepared for the worst.

To prepare your staff for an active shooter situation, create an emergency action plan (EAP) and conduct training exercises. Together, the EAP and training activities will prepare your staff to effectively respond and help minimize loss of life.
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Falls from ladders are one of the most common injuries that construction workers and others in the industry sustain. Because using a ladder seems like common sense, many employers fail to properly train their workers in ladder safety.
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Every employer, no matter how small, faces the specter of being sued by a past, present, or prospective employee at some time.

Employment practices claims have become so widespread that businesses are more likely to have an employment practices liability claim than a general liability or property loss claim.
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A fire can happen anywhere, but three simple steps: Look, Listen, and Learn, are essential to reducing the likelihood of having a fire and escaping safely in the event of one. The National Fire Protection Association’s 2019 Fire Protection Week Campaign is an important reminder to:

• Look for places fire could start. Take a good look around your home. Identify potential fire hazards and take care of them.
• Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm. You could have only minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Go to your outside meeting place, which should be a safe distance from the home and where everyone should know to meet.
• Learn two ways out of every room and make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily and are free of clutter.

Fires are the leading cause of home injuries and death. In a fire, mere seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragedy.  Does your family have a plan if a fire started in your home?
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​Vehicle crash statistics are startling. A vehicle crash occurs every five seconds, someone is injured in a vehicle crash every 10 seconds, and someone dies in a car crash every 12 minutes. 
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​Every year, September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. The campaign's goal is to create awareness of the planning needed to prepare for an emergency or disaster. This year’s theme is “Prepared, Not Scared.”
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An employee event or party is a great way to build workplace relationships and have fun. But what happens if an employee gets injured at the event? Are they entitled to workers’ compensation benefits?
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The short answer is that workers compensation can apply in these situations – but it depends on the circumstance.

Thanks to technology, working remotely has become a more accessible and more plausible option for employees everywhere.  With more companies offering work from home policies, it’s crucial for employers to be aware of the unanticipated risks and be ready to address them.
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Keeping employees who work remotely safe is a difficult challenge since they are not in a controlled work environment. OSHA will not do home safety inspections; however, the agency maintains employers are responsible for safe working conditions regardless of location. Because employers are responsible for worker safety, injuries that occur while working off-site will likely fall under workers’ compensation.