Legislative Overhaul is in the Works Gov. Jerry Brown, Business Associations, & Labor Unions are hammering out a deal Insurance companies that provide workers compensation insurance in the state of California have had a rough time of it… Read More
OSHA’s new Chemical Hazard communication standards
A timeline for implementing OSHA‘s new chemical warnings (HCS 2012)
Most businesses have chemicals used for cleaning & manufacturing. OSHA has changed the rules for posting notices of potential hazards.
Keep up-to-date on the “Global Harmonization System” (GHS):
1. Keep employees safer from chemical hazards
2. Reduce the likelihood of fines for non-compliance.
Here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Take the time now to become educated on the new hazard communication standard requirements by viewing OSHA’s side-by-side comparison document at
Step 2: By Dec. 1, 2013, train all employees on the new classification and labeling system.
Step 3: By June 1, 2015, modify your current written hazard communication program accordingly.
Step 4: Also by June 1, 2015, obtain updated safety data sheets (SDS) for all chemicals within your facility. (Distributors have until Dec. 1, 2015, to ship containers and SDS.)
Step 5: By June 1, 2016, modify all labels within your facility to comply with the new standard.
Need help? Call your insurance agent
Call me to get connected with your insurance company’s loss control department. Your insurance company is interested in avoiding losses to your business and has a “Loss Control” team whose job it is to help business owners prevent accidents and claims from occurring.
Are you screening Job Applicants effectively?
Plan and follow a procedure when hiring
Does your business have a procedure or checklist to ensure that you hire the right employee who is capable of doing his/her work safely and productively?
Hiring the right employees impacts:
- Overall safety
- Workers Compensation
- Likelihood of facing a lawsuit or property loss.
EMC Insurance Companies is sensitive to this employment concern and has created an informational guide that details the benefits of prework screening in the hiring process and outlines steps employers can use to develop their unique and integrated program.
Using appropriate prework screening, you can:
- Determine whether or not job candidates can safely perform the essential physical demands of the job for which they applied, were selected and given a conditional job offer
- Use a properly constructed assessment tool that is medical in nature and legally defensible because it is based on measurable task criteria (such as written job descriptions using functional analysis data)
- Know, step by step, how to establish their pre-work screening policy and measurable protocols.
Get Help. Your insurance agent is there for you.
Call me and ask for “the Prework Screening Guide,” prepared by the Loss Control department of EMC Insurance.
Jonathan Edewards 