by Grant Davis | Insurance, OSHA
OSHA INCREASES PENALTIES
January 2, 2018 the U.S. Department of Labor issued a Federal Register notice announcing an increase in the maximum penalty amounts for violations of Federal OSHA and Regulations.
Under the new penalty structure, the maximum penalty allowed for “serious” and “other-than-serious” violations are $12,934. In addition, the maximum penalty allowed for “failure-to-abate” the violation is $12,934 each day that an employer fails to abate the specific violation. Finally, the maximum penalty allowed for “willful” and “repeat” violations is $129,336, 10 times the maximum permitted for “serious” and “other-than-serious” violations.
States that have their own occupational safety and health standards and regulations also must raise their maximum penalty amounts for violations by the same amount. Going forward, the maximum penalty amounts will be increased every year adjusted for inflation.
Businesses need to take immediate notice of these continuing increases in the maximum penalty amounts for OSHA violations. Companies seriously should consider future monetary risks associated with accepting proposed OSHA citations and penalties as written.
Contact Grant Davis at 1-888-991-2929 to get your written OSHA safety plan.
When OSHA regulations, don’t cover everything, and where there’s no specific standard, OSHA uses the General Duty Clause (GDC) of the OSHA Act as a “gap filler” in enforcement actions. The Agency often looks to voluntary consensus standards as a basis for GDC citations as well as information in manufacturer’s handbooks, and warning labels. Over the past 3 years, OSHA’s use of the GDC as an enforcement tool has increased 15% percent.
The courts have interpreted OSHA’s GDC to mean that an employer has a legal obligation to provide a workplace free of conditions or activities that either the employer or industry recognizes as hazardous and that cause, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to employees when there is a feasible method to abate the hazard.
Protect Your Business from The General Duty Clause
OSHA inspectors seek to focus its resources on the most serious, unsafe and hazardous workplaces.
- No Safety Plans, Out-dated Safety Plans or No Active Safety Program.
- Imminent dangerous situations.
- Frequent accidents, catastrophes and fatalities.
- Employee complaints, referrals and follow-up visits.
- Surprise visit, planned or programmed investigations.
Find Out if You Need To Report That Incident:
OSHA PENALTY REGULATIONS
Labor Code 6401.7 (a) states that every employer shall establish, implement and maintain an effective written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) the Department of Labor issued a rule implementing significantly higher penalties upon employers for Occupational Safety and Health Act violations.
Don’t Let OSHA PENALIZE Your Business
Avoid These Costly Fines By Preventing This From Happening to Your Business
Contact Grant Davis at GDI Insurance Agency, Inc today 1-888-991-2929.
At the bottom of each written explanation are folders that have a list of the mandatory and extra safety plans you will receive whatever your business needs in a Safety Plan Bundle.
Don’t find yourself empty handed. These high penalties and fines can easily ruin your bottom line bringing havoc to your daily business operations. This situation can happen to any business!
by Grant Davis | Business Insurance, Human Resources, Insurance, Safety Tips
How to Build a Workplace Safety Roadmap
You know you need a safety program! GDI Insurance Agency has all the resources you need to help understand that true workplace safety is more than just a simple policy. With the materials highlighted in this workplace safety roadmap, you can provide resources targeted to their need and keep loss control initiatives top of mind-protecting your company’s bottom line.
The Value of Safety
Some employers simply don’t realize the value of safety and the potential cost savings. GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. has created workplace safety roadmap solutions to help you understand and take control of your:
- Safety Culture
- MOD
- Injury Management
- Workers’ Compensation
- Return to Work Program
Gain Buy-In from Senior Management.
Safety cultures are built from the top down, making management support crucial to safety program success. We will help educate senior management on the benefits of building and maintaining a safety program. Broaden your conversation beyond the basics – not only do safety programs minimize accidents and hold down indemnity, GDI promotes loss control through improved employee morale and reduced absenteeism.
Deliver the WIIFM (What’s in it for Me?)
Are you aware of their responsibilities under OSHA’s General Duty Clause? Do you know how much lost revenue employee absences are costing your company annually? We can Illustrate how employee safety prevents fines, reduces losses and increases revenue.
- Financial Impact of Work-Related Injuries Presentation
- General Industry Risk Insights: Safety Programs and the Impact to Your Bottom Line
- General Industry Risk Insights: Focus on Safety and Health to Benefit Your Business
- Safety and Health Audit
Set the Tone
From day one, employees at all levels of the organization should understand the importance of workplace safety. GDI Insurance Agency can help you ensure management, trainers and employees are educated on regulations by furnishing your business with the tools necessary for success.
- Elements of a Successful Safety and Health Program
- State Guide to Safety Regulation-
- Workplace Required Posters-
- Employee Safety Manual – General and Industry Specific
- General Industry Risk Insights: Creating a Strong Safety Culture
- General Industry Safety Matters: Promoting a Safety-Minded Culture
- Employee Safety Survey
- Safety and Health Survey
Use OSHA to Your Advantage
OSHA compliance is essential to both building a safe work environment and avoiding costly fines. Help simplify your companies compliance issues with these easy to follow OSHA materials.
- Work Comp Insights: OSHA’s Four-Point Safety Program
- Required OSHA Programs and Training
- OSHA On-Site Consultation Program
- OSHA’s SHARP Program and Your Organization
- Portable Fire Extinguisher Program and Training Materials
- Portable Fire Extinguisher Program Presentation
- OSHA Program Audit
Help Build and Support a Safety Committee
Even if you already have a safety committee, it may not have all the resources necessary to be successful. The following materials will help you create and support safety committee initiatives to quickly address concerns and encourage positive employee behavior.
Create a Culture of Safety
GDI Insurance Agency can help you build a culture of safety with materials that provide the knowledge and resources needed to successfully support a safety committee.
- Safety and Health Committee Responsibilities
- Work Comp Insights: Create a Workplace that Prevents Injuries and Increases Productivity
- Safety Budget Worksheet
- Safety Program “Quick Check”
- Minimizing the Risk of Workplace Injury
- Comprehensive Safety & Health Inspection Checklist
Deliver a Safety Incentive Program…that Works.
If executed correctly, safety incentives can be one of the most effective tools at an employer’s disposal when it comes to encouraging safety. We will make sure your safety incentive programs are a good fit for the organization’s culture and illustrate success at effectively reducing workplace accidents with the following materials:
- Employee Safety Incentive Program Guide
- Employee Safety Incentive Policy
- General Industry Risk Insights: Is Your Safety Incentive Policy Effective
- Safety Incentive Survey
Give Supervisors the tools they need
While the Safety Committee sets the tone, supervisors put the tone into action. By equipping supervisors with the tools need for success, you bring your clients closer to an accident-free workplace and become a trusted safety partner.
Help Employers Set Expectations
Managers and supervisors are busy. They need, and deserve, guidance on how to effectively execute on their safety responsibilities. Help employers communicate expectations, impart best practices and share tips with the documents below.
- Supervisor Safety Responsibilities
- Safety and Health Programs: Training for Employees, Supervisors and Managers
- Supervisor Safety: Reducing Risks for Shift Workers
- Safety Coordinator Responsibilities
- Qualities of an Effective Safety Coach
Support Injury Cost Containment
Injury management can ensure that injured employees get the care they need while also minimizing claim costs. Employers should appoint a well-respected supervisor or employee to oversee injury management and return to work efforts. GDI Insurance Agency has put together these resources to help.
- Work Comp Insights: Selecting and Training Your Injury Management
Coordinator
- Injury Management Coordinator Job Description
- Disability Management Training Workbooks
- Supervisor Injured Worker Preparedness Survey
- Supervisor Response Training – Workplace Injuries
Support Safety Meetings and Toolbox Talks Weekly or monthly safety meetings are a great venue for promoting safety. Use our vast library of safety meeting talking points to assist you in this recurring activity.
- General Industry Safety Matters: Promoting a Safety-Minded Culture
- General Industry Safety Matters: Toolbox Safety Meetings- Tips for Trainers
- General Industry Safety Matters: Safety Meeting Basics
- Attend Your Safety Meetings Poster
- Take Time to Meet for Safety
- Safety Meeting Sign-In Attendance Form
Offer Employee Communications that’s Targeted and Relevant
We have thousands of documents for dozens of industries – including safety handbooks and policies, brochures, flyers, presentations, posters and payroll stuffers – all created to support your professional client services. Combined with the knowledge of your GDI Insurance broker these templates come to life to help you achieve the goals you and your broker have set for your company.
Topics that Matter
You are unique, and your safety program should be, too. Mix important safety basics with targeted, industry-specific safety communications to address their most pressing needs. Just a few samples:
- Construction Playing it Safe: Ergonomics Solutions for Electrical Contractors
- Manufacturing Target on Safety: What You Should Know About Hexavalent Chromium
- Agriculture Playing it Safe: The Dos and Don’ts of Grain Augers
- Education and Childcare Target on Safety: Know the Hazards in Your Classroom
- Heath Care Playing it Safe: All About Legionnaires’ Disease
- Transportation and Warehousing Target on Safety: Overview on Correctly Securing Cargo
Onboard Employees with Safety in Mind
Whether you you have dedicated trainers or are relying on front line managers and HR for employee education, we can deliver resources to help new employees understand the importance of safety from day one. Some samples:
- Supervisor Safety: Reducing Risks for New Workers
- Employee Safety Responsibilities
- New Employee Safety Orientation Process
- New Employee Safety Orientation Guide
- Manufacturing Safety Matters: The New Employee’s Top Role Model- You
- Construction and Contracting Safety Matters: Teaching On-Site Safety by Example
Different Resources, Same Message
Important messages are worth repeating. GDI Insurance has hundreds of choices in a variety of formats, it’s easy for employers to target employees to reinforce key safety messages and keep them at the forefront of daily operations.
- Eye Safety & You Poster
- General Industry Safety Matters: Selecting Safety Sunglasses
- General Industry Playing it Safe: Protect Yourself from Eye Injuries
- Gear Up For Safety: Eye Protection
- Protect Your Vision (Payroll Stuffer)
- Quiz: Eye Safety
Keeping Safety Top of Mind
Safety programs require constant attention, and maintenance. Provide resources and stay top of mind with monthly safety communication materials for management, risk managers, supervisors and employees.
- OSHA Safety Newsletter Produced Quarterly
- Employee Newsletter Series
- Safety First Monthly Series
For Fast and Easy Implementation
Short on time? In 10 minutes or less you can support your safety and return to work programs by subscribing to one or more of the following monthly Campaigns:
- Safety First Campaign
- Building a Safety Culture: Attitude and Execution
- Construction/Manufacturing Safety Meeting Campaign
- Safety Culture Grouping
- OSHA Safety Newsletter Campaign
- Fleet/Driver Safety Campaign
GDI Insurance Agency has invested in programs and systems that we have organized, and will customize and tailor to your needs. We have taken caring to the next level. We are here and equipped to help you do something about it! Contact us today 1-888-991-2929
Thank You
Grant Davis
President
GDI Insurance Agency, Inc.
