First Aid – Heat and Sun Safety
Read First Aid – Heat and Sun Safety here.
A Snitch In Time Saves Lives – The Importance of Reporting Safety Violations In The Workplace
We’ve all been there — we’ve all witnessed a co-worker doing something that violates the company’s rules. We resist any thought of reporting the violation because we value our relationship with our co-worker, because it’s just “not that big of a deal,” because we’ve been taught to mind our own business, or because we do not […]
Is My Union Contract Irrelevant on Illinois Prevailing Wage Jobs?
In recent months I have been inundated with calls from union contractors complaining that the Illinois Department of Labor (“IDOL”) will not recognize a local collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) when it comes to compliance with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. Specifically, several union contractors of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds have voiced concern and dismay over […]
Employer Job Hazard Assessments Under Attack: Best Practices For Conducting A Compliant Hazard Assessment
As employers expand and diversify their operations across a number of worksites, there can emerge a disconnect between the corporate headquarters and each individual location throughout the country. Sometimes, this disconnect manifests itself as a mindset in the employer’s health and safety programs such that a “one size fits all” solution to a workplace hazard […]
The Employer’s Guide to the Legal and Workplace Implications of a Swine Flu Outbreak
By now, most people are familiar with the “Swine Influenza”, or “Swine Flu” virus (the “virus” or “disease”) that has been reported in Mexico and most recently in the United States and Europe. Given high density areas such as mass transportation systems, schools, hospitals and the workplace, the potential is great for this widely circulating virus […]
English Language Training
An article on a growing area of liability, training of employees who have literacy and language barriers. Many OSHA citations are arising out of this issue. Read full article here.
Disaster Recovery and Employee Safety
As you know, unfortunately there have been a number of recent man-made and natural disasters, each of which may expose employees to hazards in the workplace during the event and the subsequent response. The enclosed article discusses the liability issues, as well as applicable OSHA regulations, to provide some guidance to employers in the event […]
Balancing the ADA with Safety
The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), which was amended on January 1, 2009, requires employers to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals (employees and potential employees) with disabilities. 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A). The ADA further prohibits any discrimination against qualified individuals that adversely affects the individual’s terms and conditions of employment (hiring, promotion, compensation, training, etc.). Id. § 12112(a). Often times […]
OSHA’s Recordkeeping National Emphasis Program Creates Employer Liability
OSHA recently announced a National Emphasis Program (NEP) directed toward record keeping (OSHA 300 LOG) which is discussed in this article. While the program is directed at specified industries, in fact, it will also have an impact on employers who are not within the program industries because the NEP has heightened OSHA’s overall degree of scrutiny […]
