LMC’s risk management team presented safe patient handling and supervisor safety management to South Dakota healthcare leaders at the SDAHO Enterprises Summer Healthcare Conference. Pat Duff, LMC senior vice president, kicked off the event, which was followed by a presentation on the legal basics of workers’ compensation. 
​

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently reported that summer and early fall are the deadliest times of year on the country’s roads, indicating that summer months are when Americans drive the most.
 
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motor vehicle deaths surpassed 40,000 for the second consecutive year in 2017. Further, estimates from the NSC show 4.57 million people were seriously injured in auto crashes. Distracted driving is the major contributor. 

Dehydration may seem like a minor ailment, but it can be quite dangerous. In fact, most heat illnesses are caused by dehydration. Did you know that by the time a person is thirsty, he or she is already 2 to 3 percent dehydrated? Once this occurs, it’s difficult to make up for the lost hydration.

Get the Facts
In the simplest terms, dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you take in and your body does not have enough water to carry out its normal functions. What's more, even mild dehydration—as little as a 1 to 2 percent loss of body weight—can cause symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, and fatigue, and may have an adverse effect on long-term health.

Hacking and cybercrime are in the news daily, and everyone has likely been impacted by it in some way from the numerous high profile breaches of the companies that store our data. The increase of these threats has awakened us to the reality that we need a level of vigilance that offers better protection.

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, data breaches increased 40 percent in 2016, with a total of 1,093 reported breaches. This trend continued in 2017, with over 1,120 cases reported by October. Ransomware was the most common threat. Global ransomware costs due to business productivity impact and mitigation are estimated to have exceeded $5 billion in 2017. An additional $2 billion was paid to hackers in ransom over that same time period.
​

All employers with forklift operations are required to have their employees trained and certified before they can work. To help protect employers and their employees from the risks associated with forklift operation, OSHA explains the minimum requirements employers must meet in its Powered Industrial Trucks standard, 1910.178(l). According to this standard, all operator training and evaluation shall be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training, and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule that increased the civil penalty amounts that may be imposed on employers under various federal laws. The DOL’s final rule implements the 2018 annual adjustments for civil penalties assessed or enforced by the DOL, including penalties under the FLSA, FMLA, OSHA, and ERISA. The increased penalty amounts became effective on January 2, 2018, and may apply for any violations occurring after November 2, 2015.
​

The calendar may record the first day of summer as June 21, but Mother Nature has a mind of her own. In the Midwest, we have already broken heat records. While that may be nice if you’re spending the day hanging out at the lake, it can be dangerous for those who work in hot temperatures.

Workers exposed to hot and humid conditions are at risk of heat-related illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky or non-breathable protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at higher risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, or if they have certain health conditions.
​

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a memorandum outlining the initial enforcement of the standard for respirable crystalline silica in general industry and maritime. Most provisions of the standard become enforceable on June 23, 2018. The standard establishes a new 8-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure limit, action level, and associated ancillary requirements.

During the first 30 days of enforcement, OSHA will offer compliance assistance for employers who make good faith efforts to comply with the new standard. OSHA intends to issue interim enforcement guidance until a compliance directive on the new standards is finalized. 
​
OSHA’s Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry and Maritime discusses methods of compliance, such as using engineering and work practice controls, assessing exposure levels, respirator use, medical surveillance, and written exposure plans.

https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/trade/06082018

Workplace violence is a serious safety and health issue. While no federal law specifically addresses violence in the workplace, several laws impose a duty on employers to maintain a safe workplace.
​
For example, the federal civil rights laws require employers to keep the workplace free from threats of violence. In addition, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) imposes a general duty on all employers to provide employees with a workplace that is free from hazards.
​

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week is recognized each year during the first full week of May to raise awareness about occupational safety, health and the environment.

Workplace injuries are a significant risk for any business, and they can lead to costly medical bills, lost productivity, and increased insurance premiums.