It’s vital for employees to feel comfortable in their job role and capable of performing workplace tasks effectively. However, comfort shouldn’t come at the cost of complacency. Combating workplace safety complacency is a real issue for some businesses.
Being complacent on the job and ignoring safety hazards can carry significant consequences in the workplace—such as near-miss incidents, injuries and even fatalities. After all, just because your workplace is safe, doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow proper precautions. In fact, many safety incidents aren’t caused by unsafe conditions, but rather by careless acts or behaviors.
That’s why it’s crucial for you to play your part in combating complacency, keeping both yourself and others safe at work. Review this guidance to understand what workplace safety complacency is and how to prevent it.
What Is Workplace Safety Complacency?
Put simply, workplace safety complacency occurs when an employee becomes so experienced or familiar with their job responsibilities that they start to develop an overly relaxed attitude toward tasks. This attitude shift can cause the employee to ignore or become complacent with their job hazards and stop taking proper safety precautions.
Employees can display workplace safety complacency in a variety of ways—including rushing through tasks, skipping important safety steps during a task, multitasking or engaging in distracting activities while performing a task.
Regardless of how confident or comfortable you are with workplace tasks, it’s imperative to avoid complacency. Even the most experienced employees can hurt themselves or others if they fail to uphold adequate safety precautions.
How to Prevent Workplace Safety Complacency
Here’s what you can do to combat safety complacency within the workplace:
Take hazards seriously. Remember that no matter your skill level, you’re never immune to workplace hazards. Always pay attention during workplace safety meetings and training sessions to fully understand the risks that accompany your role and comprehend the consequences of engaging in unsafe actions.
Follow workplace policies and procedures. Ensure you follow all safety policies and procedures when performing workplace tasks, even if it seems tedious. Don’t rush through tasks, try to multitask or skip certain steps.
Conduct safety audits. Consider having a co-worker routinely audit you to see if they identify any safety concerns while you work—this is also known as a behavior-based safety observation (BBSO). Make sure you assist your co-workers by auditing their work through BBSOs as well. By observing others, you may even become more aware of your own habits and identify additional areas for improvement.
To ensure a successful safety culture within our organization, it’s crucial for you to be comfortable addressing complacency issues on the job. If you have any concerns regarding workplace safety complacency, talk to your supervisor.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
As workplace technology continues to evolve and telecommuting becomes a common practice, it’s crucial for employees like you to play your part in keeping our organization cyber-secure. After all, a cyber incident could lead to serious ramifications for our business—allowing hackers or cybercriminals to access employees’ personal information and other classified company data. Our Cyber Security Best Practices will help keep your business safe online.
By prioritizing proper cybersecurity measures, you can help protect our workplace from cyber incidents and ensure your own information stays safe as well.
Implement These Cyber Security Best Practices:
Pay attention—First and foremost, be sure to actively participate in all workplace cybersecurity training sessions and familiarize yourself with our applicable policies and procedures. This includes (but is not limited to) setting smart passwords, detecting common signs of phishing attacks and knowing how to safely store workplace devices.
Keep your home cyber-secure—While working remotely, it’s important to implement cybersecurity measures comparable to that of the workplace. This includes connecting to a secure Wi-Fi network, conducting regular software updates, enabling firewalls and installing antivirus protection.
Browse with caution—When browsing online, be mindful of cyber threats and scams. Never click on suspicious pop-ups, ads or links, and only use verified, well-known websites. If the website address is labeled as “not secure” or uses an unrecognizable domain, close your browser immediately.
Stay organized—A cluttered workspace and poorly organized digital files can make it difficult to keep track of important information and increase your vulnerability to cyber incidents. Try to clear your workstation of excess papers or garbage, and store important documents in secure locations. Further, save any critical digital files in their appropriate folders or online databases—don’t leave your desktop in disarray.
Know how to respond—Despite your best efforts, a cyber incident may still take place. That’s why it’s vital to be prepared and know how to respond in the event of an incident. Make sure you review our organization’s cyber incident response plan regularly and ask questions if you don’t understand something.
An Examination of Our Cyber Breach
Our office suffered a 3rd party cyber breach on July 10, 2019. We’ve put together a case study that explains what we experienced, the costs we incurred, what we learned, and what we would change .
If you have any further questions regarding workplace cybersecurity, talk to your supervisor and reach out to the IT department, if needed.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
The past few months have seen multiple instances of aggression and violence against workers who attempted to enforce their establishment’s COVID-19 prevention policies and practices with customers. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued new guidance instructing employees not to force any customer who appears upset or potentially violent to comply with their workplace’s COVID-19 prevention requirements. Read on, find out how to handle COVID-19 policy disputes with customers.
In addition to this new guidance, the CDC also provided strategies to help employers reduce the risk of violence that may be aimed at their staff when implementing organizational standards to limit the spread of COVID-19. Keep reading to learn more about the CDC’s latest guidance and workplace violence prevention strategies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guidance for Handling COVID-19 Policy Disputes
The CDC’s new guidance encourages employees to avoid forcing any customers who seem upset or have the potential to be violent to follow their workplace’s COVID-19 prevention policies and practices. Such policies and practices may include the mandatory use of masks, social distancing standards or limits on the number of customers permitted within the establishment at any given time.
In the event that a customer does display any form of aggressive or violent behavior (e.g., using threats, yelling, swearing, insulting, hitting, slapping, kicking, pushing, choking, grabbing or any other malicious physical contact), the CDC recommends that employees remain calm, inform their supervisor and go to a safe area, if necessary.
While this guidance is for employees of all sectors, the CDC emphasized that workers in retail and other service industries are more likely to experience workplace aggression and violence. As such, employers and employees in these particular industries should be especially vigilant during the ongoing pandemic.
Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies
Apart from this new guidance, the CDC listed the following actions that employers can take to help prevent workplace violence during this time:
Clearly document your organization’s COVID-19 prevention policies and practices on your website and through workplace signage.
Consider assigning two employees to work as a team to enforce COVID-19 prevention standards.
Give customers options to limit contact with others (e.g., curbside pickup, personal shoppers, home deliveries or alternative shopping hours).
Implement steps for assessing and responding to workplace violence. Train employees on threat recognition, conflict resolution and nonviolent response methods.
Utilize security systems within your workplace and train staff on how to use them.
Establish a safe area for workers to go if they feel like they are in danger.
For additional CDC guidance on this topic, click here. Contact us today for the latest COVID-19 updates.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
California’s Protection from Wildfire Smoke Law (PWFS) became effective on July 29, 2019. This law creates obligations for employers to ensure the safety of employees who work outdoors in proximity to a wildfire.
Employer Duties Regarding Protection from Wildfire Smoke Law
Under the Protection from Wildfire SmokeLaw employers must:
Monitor the air quality of the environment of
the location where their employees are present;
Communicate potential wildfire smoke hazards to
affected employees;
Establish procedures for employees to be able to
report the presence of or their exposure to wildfire smoke hazards;
Implement engineering and administrative
controls to reduce or eliminate employee exposure to wildfire smoke hazards;
and
Provide employee training and information on the
duties mentioned above.
Employers that comply with these requirements are also deemed to
comply with California’s laws on control of employee harmful exposure and air
contaminants for the limited purpose of exposures to a current AQI for PM2.5 of
151 or greater from wildfire smoke.
Affected Employers
The Protection from Wildfire Smoke Law applies to workplaces where:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) uses the Current AQI method to report air quality on a real-time basis.
Current AQI is also known as “the
NowCast.” “PM2.5” refers to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a
diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (roughly about 3 percent the diameter of
a human hair. In general terms, a lower AQI is always preferable.
However, the following workplaces, operations and individuals are exempt from the Protection from Wildfire SmokeLaw :
Enclosed buildings or structures in which the
air is filtered by a mechanical ventilation system and the employer ensures
that windows, doors, bays, and other openings are kept closed to minimize
contamination by outdoor or unfiltered air;
Enclosed vehicles in which the air is filtered
by a cabin air filter and the employer ensures that windows, doors, and other
openings are kept closed to minimize contamination by outdoor or unfiltered air;
Workspaces or operations where the employer
demonstrates that the concentration of PM2.5 in the air does not exceed a
concentration that corresponds to a current AQI of 151 or greater by measuring
PM2.5 levels at the worksite in accordance with Appendix
A;
Workspaces or operations where employees are exposed
to a current AQI for PM2.5 of 151 or greater for a total of one hour or less
during a shift; and
Firefighters engaged in wildland firefighting.
Monitoring Air Quality
AQI
Health
Concern
0 to 50
Good
51 to 100
Moderate
101 to 150
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
151 to 200
Unhealthy
201 to 300
Very Unhealthy
301 to 500
Hazardous
Employers
must monitor the air quality of the spaces where their employees are working.
Through this monitoring, employers are expected to identify whether any harmful
exposures exist in a workspace.
Employers must monitor air quality before each shift and periodically thereafter. Employers can satisfy this requirement by:
Checking current and forecasted AQIs from federal, state or local sources, including:
Obtaining AQI forecasts and the current AQI for PM2.5 directly from the EPA, California Air Resources Board, local air pollution control district, or local air quality management district by telephone, email, text or other effective method; or
Measuring PM2.5 levels at the worksite and converting the PM2.5 levels to the corresponding AQI in accordance with Appendix A.
Communication
As required by California’s Injury
and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), affected employers must establish
and implement a system for communicating wildfire smoke hazards to all affected
employees. The communication system must:
Inform employees of the current AQI for PM2.5 and
protective measures available to employees to reduce their wildfire smoke
exposure;
Encourage employees to inform the employer (without
fear of reprisal) of worsening air quality and any adverse symptoms that may be
the result of wildfire smoke exposure such as asthma attacks, difficulty
breathing and chest pain; and
Offer messages that are readily understandable
by all affected employees.
Exposure Control
The PWFS requires employers to implement engineering and
administrative controls to eliminate or reduce employee exposure to wildfire
smoke.
Engineering Controls
Engineering controls must be implemented whenever feasible to reduce
employee exposure to PM2.5 to less than a current AQI of 151. If engineering
controls are insufficient to reduce exposure to PM2.5 to less than a current
AQI of 151, then employers must reduce employee exposure as much as possible.
Engineering controls are methods built into the design of a plan,
equipment or process to minimize a hazard. Examples include providing enclosed
buildings, structures or vehicles where the air is filtered.
Administrative Controls
If practicable, whenever engineering controls are not feasible or
do not reduce employee exposures to PM2.5 to less than a current AQI of 151,
employers must use administrative controls to reduce employee exposure to wildfire
smoke.
Administrative controls focus on work policies and practices to
eliminate or reduce hazards. Examples of administrative controls include relocating
work to a location where the current AQI for PM2.5 is lower, changing work
schedules, reducing work intensity and providing additional rest periods.
Respiratory Protective Equipment
Employers can provide and ask employees to use respirators where
the AQI is between 151 and 499. Employee use of respirators in these situations
is voluntary. If the AQI is 500 or greater, the use of a respirator is
mandatory.
The respirators must be NIOSH-approved devices that effectively
protect from inhalation of PM2.5, such as N95 filtering facepiece respirators.
Respirators must be cleaned, stored, maintained, and replaced so that they do
not present a health hazard to users.
Emergencies
The requirements for engineering and administrative controls do
not apply during an emergency. Instead, employers must comply with the
requirements for respiratory protective equipment.
Emergencies include rescue and evacuation operations. Emergencies
also include utility, communications and medical operations when these
operations are directly conducted to aid firefighting or emergency responses.
Training and Instruction
The PWFS requires employers to provide training in accordance with
California’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). At a minimum, these
training materials must use the information contained in Appendix
B of the PWFS.
Under the IIPP, employers must provide training and instruction:
When the program is first established;
To all new employees;
To
all employees who are given a new job assignment for which this training has
not been received;
Whenever new substances, processes, procedures
or equipment are introduced to the workplace and represent a new hazard;
Whenever the employer is made aware of a new or
previously unrecognized hazard; and
To supervisors, so they can familiarize
themselves with the safety and health hazards to which employees under their
immediate direction and control may be exposed.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more.
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business. Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive business insurance quote!
In an interview with WebMD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield warned of the potential impact of a surge in COVID-19 cases this fall. Redfield called on Americans to help bring the outbreak under control by participating in advised practices such as wearing a mask, washing hands, social distancing and avoiding crowds. Redfield also warned that “this could be the worst fall from a public health perspective, we’ve ever had” if COVID-19 preventive measures aren’t followed.
This year, the CDC stresses the importance of the flu shot, since health care capacity may be limited as the flu season coincides with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Care Capacity and Flu Season Could Mean Worst Fall
The coronavirus isn’t the only public health concern as we approach the winter months. Colder temperatures drive people indoors, which health experts warn leads to cases of influenza spreading more easily than during warmer summer months. With both COVID-19 and the flu in the fall, Redfield stated that either one of those by themselves could stress certain hospital systems. According to Redfield, “By getting that flu vaccine, you may be able to then negate the necessity to have to take up a hospital bed.”
According to CDC Director Robert Redfield, a surge in COVID-19 cases, along with the upcoming flu season, could create the worst fall that we’ve ever had if preventive measures aren’t followed.
CDC Urges Public to Get Flu Shot
Redfield stated that public adaption of flu shots may help ease the impact of a surge of cases in the fall. The CDC typically purchases doses of the flu shot for uninsured adults, and typically orders around 500,000. According to Redfield, the CDC has ordered an extra 10 million doses this year. Though less than 50% of Americans got a flu shot last year, Redfield is hoping for 65% to comply this flu season. The CDC normally recommends 60% to 70% of the public get a flu shot.
Redfield noted that, if there is one thing we all can do to prepare for the fall—besides wearing a mask, social distancing, hand-washing and being smart about gatherings—it would be to get the flu vaccine.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
Managing a fleet and drivers can be a challenge, particularly given the potential for accidents, employee injuries, liability concerns and increased costs associated with vehicle upkeep. Nevertheless, your fleet—whether it be a handful of cars or dozens of commercial vehicles—plays a major role in the success of your organization. There are many benefits of Telematics for Commercial Fleets.
As such, it’s crucial to take a proactive approach to fleet management. To help accomplish this, many businesses have started to equip vehicles with devices known as telematics. These devices can help reduce numerous fleet risks, improve efficiency and promote safe driving behaviors. This Risk Insights provides an overview of telematics and the benefits that this technology can provide for your organization. For detailed information on the telematics solutions available to your fleet, contact us today.
The Basics of Telematicsfor Commercial Fleets
Telematics is a form of vehicle software that combines the features of telecommunications and informatics to help employers effectively manage and monitor their fleet. This software operates by connecting to telematics devices installed in a vehicle, including GPS technology, sensors, mobile applications, dashcams and vehicle engine diagnostics solutions. Common data collected by vehicle telematics software includes:
Vehicle speeds
Vehicle locations
Diagnostics data related to fuel efficiency and vehicle performance
Driving behaviors (e.g., braking intensity or acceleration frequency)
Telematics can be used in a variety of different commercial vehicles, including cars, cargo vans, tractor-trailers, buses and heavy equipment. Many employers use this technology to monitor vehicle deliveries, determine routes, communicate with drivers, review employee driving practices and detect vehicle maintenance concerns.
Why You Need Telematicsfor Commercial Fleets
Utilizing telematics software can benefit your fleet by:
Reducing operational costs—Telematics software can help keep drivers updated on upcoming traffic concerns or road hazards, offer rerouting options and locate preferred gas stations—all of which can contribute to maximum fuel efficiency and lowered operational costs.
Encouraging safe driving—Because telematics software detects driving behavior, employees will be even more motivated to follow safe driving practices and meet organizational standards. In addition, this technology allows employees to better monitor their individual driving habits and detect flaws that they might not have realized otherwise. In some cases, employers can send immediate in-cab alerts to correct dangerous behaviors in real time. What’s more, fleet managers can use the data that telematics collects to personalize driver coaching, helping employees actively address potentially dangerous driving behavior.
Fostering employee engagement—Drivers spend the majority of their workday confined to a vehicle with minimal communication opportunities, which can be harmful to both their physical and mental health. By implementing telematics software in your fleet, drivers will have an increased ability to digitally communicate and interact with others (e.g. their supervisor, co-workers and dispatchers) regarding travel progress, road conditions, delivery requests or vehicle concerns.
Bolstering fleet security—Due to advanced tracking and communication features, telematics software can also help keep your fleet safe and secure in an emergency. For example, you can utilize telematics tracking to detect the location and route of any stolen vehicles—thus simplifying the vehicle recovery process. What’s more, many forms of telematics software allow you to implement advanced security features in each vehicle, such as requiring the driver to enter a passcode before driving to reduce the risk of theft altogether. Apart from preventing theft, telematics software can also help drivers quickly alert the proper authorities and share their exact location in the event of an accident on the road.
Ensuring vehicle maintenance—Telematics software is able to detect a wide range of vehicle breakdown or maintenance problems, such as engine issues or diagnostic concerns. From there, this technology is able to inform the driver of the problem and locate the nearest repair center or garage. Also, telematics software can be programmed to inform drivers of routine maintenance requirements, such as an oil change or tire pressure check. Many employers pair telematics with a preventive maintenance program to streamline the upkeep of the fleet.
Reducing administrative costs—Telematics allows employers to digitize records that would otherwise have to be maintained manually, which can be a time-consuming process. Specifically, through telematics, employers can generate reports regarding expenses, driver performance, maintenance and fuel expenses, thus simplifying a business’s recordkeeping practices overall.
For additional insurance and loss control guidance, contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today.
California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management
As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more. The GDI team has developed an “insurance cost reduction” quoting plan, that provides you with the best coverage at the best rate!
We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business.
Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quote!
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