Vigilant Blog

News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp

Showing posts for: Safety and Health

Photo of Leila Duntley
Mar 16 2023
COVID-19Safety and Health  

Healthcare masking to end April 3, 2023, in CA, OR, and WA

Wearing a mask in healthcare settings will no longer be required in California, Oregon, or Washington as of April 3, 2023. The announcements from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and the Washington Department of Health (DOH) all say that masks are still recommended, and…

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Photo of Bryon Bailey
Feb 09 2023
Featured Worker’s CompSafety and HealthWorkers’ Comp  

Are we there yet? Accident prevention journey vs destination

“Accident prevention is a journey, not a destination”. This saying is often heard from Vigilant’s own Safety Manager, Manish Gooneratne. He’s full of profound truisms, and this one has always been memorable. It’s also relevant in light of the good news I received last week. You might recall that in last month’s post on workers’ comp best practices, I…

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Photo of Kandis Sells
Feb 02 2023
COVID-19Safety and Health  

WASHINGTON: COVID-19 temporary worker housing rules evolve

On January 14, 2023, the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) emergency rules that had been in place for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry expired and were not renewed. While this means that the remaining emergency restrictions have been lifted, agricultural employers providing TWH must continue…

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Photo of Diane Buisman
Jan 19 2023
Safety and Health  

Machine guard violations lead to criminal charges

An Alabama manufacturer has pled guilty to willfully violating OSHA regulations stemming from the company’s practice of removing safety guards on a moving piece of equipment, which caused the tragic death of an employee. The company manufactured flat rectangular plastic sheets by feeding raw materials through large rollers, which often got…

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Photo of Manish Gooneratne
Jan 05 2023
Safety and Health  

Safety Q&A: Prevent slips and falls in icy weather

Question: We’ve seen an uptick in slip-and-fall injuries recently, particularly in icy conditions. What can we do to prevent these incidents? Answer: Slips, trips, and falls continue to account for a large percentage of workplace injuries, so you’re wise to address the hazards before your employees suffer an injury. Outdoor incidents increase during the…

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Photo of Bryon Bailey
Jan 04 2023
Featured Worker’s CompSafety and HealthWorkers’ Comp  

Workers’ Comp Best Practices: Don’t wait to begin!

After a recent visit to my doctor, I was told in no uncertain terms that I needed to change my eating habits or potentially face some serious health consequences. Wow. Ok. Did I know that my diet was off track? Yes (sigh). So, why did it take the specter of…

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Photo of Manish Gooneratne
Nov 17 2022
Safety and Health  

Q&A: Prioritize new hire safety

Question: One of our new hires suffered a serious injury to his hand at work. He was trained in the right procedure, didn’t follow it, and got injured as a result. What can we do differently? We’re really frustrated by the frequency of on-the-job injuries among our new hires. Answer: Safety orientations for new…

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Photo of Karen Davis
Nov 17 2022
Drug and AlcoholHarassment & DiscriminationSafety and HealthWage and Hour  

Follow these HR tips for holding holiday parties

With the widespread easing of COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, our attorneys have been fielding a number of questions about resuming company holiday parties. Here are some recommendations to enjoy a fun celebration with coworkers without getting the company into trouble: Stay healthy: Tell employees to please stay home if they don’t feel well, so…

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Photo of Lorraine Amrine
Nov 03 2022
COVID-19DisabilityLeave LawsSafety and Health  

WASHINGTON: Public health emergency ends; some duties remain

Governor Jay Inslee ended the COVID-19 public health emergency for the state of Washington on October 31, 2022, but employers still have some obligations under state law. As we previously reported, the continuing requirements for COVID-19 (coronavirus) stem from Washington’s Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA) and from an ongoing obligation to…

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Oct 06 2022
Safety and Health

WASHINGTON: Fall protection rules updated

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has issued revisions to its unified fall protection rules, which take effect on November 1, 2022. The unified rules, originally published in 2020 (and reported here), merged all industry fall protection standards and aligned them with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.…

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