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creating a safe and healthy workplace

A safe and healthy workplace benefits employers and employees alike. It increases employee productivity and ensures that workers’ compensation insurance premiums remain as low as possible. In other words, a safe and healthy workforce is essential to the business’ bottom line.

INTRODUCTION

About the authors

SPRING BASILOVECCHIOHR Specialist

Loss Control Manager

GLENN FISHER

Workplace safety is governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Any business with one or more employees must comply with OSHA regulations. The term “employee” is key. OSHA does not govern independent contractors or other freelanc-ers. In addition, OSHA does not cover self-employed business owners, but it would include the spouse of a business owner if that spouse is an employee. How a company is regulated is dependent upon the type of business it conducts. MBA Loss Control Managers can assist with regulatory compliance specific to your business.

SAFETYIN THE WORKPLACE

Business owners have a laundry list of responsibilities.

The health and safety of your workforce should be at the

top of that list.

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creating a safe and healthy workplace

Employers have numerous responsibilities with respect to health and safety. Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause, employers are required to provide a workplace free from serious “recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” The courts interpret OSHA’s General Duty Clause to mean that an employer has a legal obligation to provide a workplace free of conditions or activities that:

1) the employer or industry recognizes as hazardous

2) cause, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to employees when there is a feasible method to abate the hazard 1

To meet this standard, hazard warnings must be displayed by using color codes, posters, labels and/or other signage. Given the daily variability of working conditions, employers must:

• regularly undergo a safety review to mitigate hazards and ensure conformance with applicable OSHA standards

• maintain proper tools and equipment

• establish and update operating procedures

• communicate these procedures to their employees

The greater the hazards, the greater the responsibilities business owners must undertake.

In addition to the operating procedures, there are several security measures that every business should adopt. These measures include controlling access with locks, key cards, and visitor name badges; planning and conducting fire drills; and installing CCTV cameras. Once again, the level of security required depends on the nature of your business. Nevertheless, these basic security measures are the bare minimum required to safeguard the safety of your employees and customers.

Accidents happen in the workplace irrespective of the pre-ventative measures in place. Some workplace injuries must be reported to OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). For example, all work-related fatalities must be reported within eight (8) hours to the nearest OSHA office. In addition, all work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye must be reported to OSHA within twen-ty-four (24) hours. Be sure to maintain records of all work-related injuries and illnesses.

In addition to the OSHA injury reporting procedures, MBA has injury reporting procedures for clients’ workplace injuries requiring medical attention. These policies and procedures protect your employees and business. Loss Control Managers are available to provide all necessary forms and processes.

Increasingly, business owners recognize the value of not merely ensuring the safety of their workforce, but also pro-actively promoting their health and wellness. The CDC has found that work-related injuries and illnesses, chronic diseases, absenteeism and sick employees who return to work before getting well cost U.S. employers billions of dollars each year.

workplace wellness Any workplace health promotion activity or policy that is designed to support healthy behavior in the workplace and to improve health outcomes. It is not limited to offering medical insurance plans, although that is one component.

A robust wellness program addresses physical, mental, and emotional health; offers ways to reduce stress; promotes a work/life balance; encourages camaraderie between coworkers; and offers opportunities for employees to grow and better themselves.

EMPLOYERRESPONSIBILITIES

INJURY REPORTING PROCEDURES

WELLNESS INTHE WORKPLACE

WORKPLACE SECURITYPROCEDURES

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creating a safe and healthy workplace

FIVE CORE COMPONETS OF A STRONG WORKPLACE WELLNESS PROGRAM

Health insurance offerings may include: • Annual preventative medical screenings and dental cleanings at no cost• Free counseling and nurse hotlines• Point programs that reward healthy choices

Paid time off policies may include:• Sick time to reduce the spread of viruses and allow time for employees to recover more quickly

• Vacation time because it offers physical and psychological health benefits that promote higher productivity

• Volunteer time to boost morale with the added benefit of supporting the local community

• Paid breaks to give employees the chance to step away from work briefly and recharge

Health and wellness education programs may include:• Voluntary classes at lunch on injury prevention, stress reduction, weight loss, financial management, and ways to prevent or manage chronic illnesses

• Reviewing safety tips and injury reporting procedures at regular safety and department meetings

• Awareness or recognition days for cancer, diabetes, and other health conditions

Healthy activities may include:• Wellness challenges like exercise, step challenges, weight loss, and smoking cessation programs

• Making healthy food choices more available by purchasing healthy lunches for meetings, offering free water, and putting out fresh fruit in the break room

• Creating ergonomic work stations such as standing desks, back supporting chairs, or ergonomic/anti-fatigue mats

• Partnering with local businesses to offer discounts on gym or weight loss memberships

Stress management may include:• Having plants in the office

• Using natural lighting

• Providing a bench or picnic table outside for breaks

• Instituting pet friendly policies

• Providing a small break room for employees

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These are a few ways to achieve the five core components of a workplace wellness program. When your employees are healthy, you have a lower rate of absenteeism, higher productivity, and lower healthcare premiums.

According to the Harvard Business Review, companies with engaged employees are

over 20% more profitable than the competitors.

Therefore, workplace wellness is an important part of a successful business.

Business owners have a laundry list of responsibilities. The health and safety of your workforce should be at the top of that list. OSHA provides the framework for protecting your employees from serious hazards. Robust injury prevention and wellness programs provide the building blocks for

maintaining a healthy and productive workplace.

1 https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/standards.html

CONCLUSION

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MBA provides its clients with strategic HR consulting and customized, technology-based solutions for HR, risk management, benefits, and payroll needs. MBA’s extensive history working with the franchise industry enables us to provide franchisees with sophisticated outsourcing and advice uniquely suited to their business. MBA is not your average professional employer organization.

Given the ever-changing landscape of OSHA, combined with the seriousness of their work, MBA continues to offer subject matter expertise in OSHA matters. Our Loss Control team can walk you through the mandatory incident reporting process (in the event of hospitalizations, amputations, and fatalities) and any applicable annual OSHA Log reporting requirements. MBA’s Risk Management and HR Departments will also assist in best practices related to retaliation issues or litigation. Finally, MBA’s OSHA-trained Loss Control Managers can perform

safety audits on an annual basis to identify hazards in your organization’s work environment to help minimize workplace injury and/or OSHA violations.

MBA is a trusted advisor and single point of contact for human resources consultations, payroll processing, risk management compliance, and benefits administration. Why waste valuable time on regulatory OSHA and Workers’ Compensation tasks? Leave it to the experts at MBA to manage all of your injury reporting and safety needs so you have the opportunity to focus on what you do best: growing your business. For more information visit MBA at www.MBAhro.com.

MBAhro.com | 888-622-6460The IRS does not endorse any particular certified professional organization. For more information on certified professional employer organizations go to www.IRS.gov.

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