Home » Blog » Safety and Health » Page 5

Vigilant Blog

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

Showing posts for: Safety and Health

Mar 21 2024
Safety and HealthWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

Washington Governor signs two bills impacting workers’ comp

Governor Jay Inslee recently signed two bills impacting Washington workers’ compensation time-loss payments and stay-at-work reimbursements: HB 1927: Allows injured workers who are unable to work for 7 days or more (instead of the current standard of 14 days or more) to receive time loss payments for the first 3 days of work missed due…

Read More
Mar 18 2024
Safety and HealthWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

Workers’ Comp Costs: What you CAN control

As you know, L&I increased rates for Washington employers in January by 4.9% on average. If you’ve attended one of our recent webinars, you know rate changes fall into the category of things outside of your control when it comes to workers’ compensation costs. You might also recall the ridiculously busy but truthful graphic from…

Read More
Mar 08 2024
Safety and HealthWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

Ask the Claims Manager: Supervisor’s Report of Accident, necessary?

QUESTION: Our Vigilant Washington workers’ comp claims manager asked us to provide a Supervisor’s Report of Accident after one of our employees was injured at work. I know our claims manager received all the information about the injury from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), so why do they also need that information…

Read More
Feb 09 2024
Safety and Health

Submit OSHA injury & illness data by 3-2-24

March 2, 2024, is the deadline for covered employers to submit injury and illness data to OSHA—for some employers, this just means their 300A Summaries, while for others, this means also submitting detailed data from their OSHA 300 Logs and OSHA 301 Forms. Covered employers must submit this information through OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application (ITA)…

Read More
Jan 29 2024
Safety and Health

Two teen fatalities in manufacturing raise safety and HR concerns

Federal OSHA recently announced major penalties against two separate manufacturing companies after investigating workplace incidents in which a 16-year-old at each facility was fatally injured by machinery. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and many state rules, strictly limit the types of industries and environments where children can work. These two situations tragically illustrate numerous…

Read More
Jan 17 2024
Safety and HealthWage and Hour

Post your OSHA 300A by February 1, 2024

It’s nearly time to finish completing the OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and post the OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) for the 2023 calendar year. Federal OSHA generally requires employers with more than 10 employees to keep a record of work-related injuries and illnesses, except for establishments…

Read More
Jan 05 2024
Harassment & DiscriminationSafety and HealthWage and Hour

Mitigate workers’ comp risks: Production slowdowns with an injured employee

When an injured worker is laid off or has their hours reduced because of a production slowdown, you may experience unexpected workers’ compensation issues that could have been avoided with advanced planning. Here are some practical considerations to keep in mind if you must take the unfortunate step of reducing hours or headcount: Eligibility for…

Read More
Jan 01 2024
Safety and Health

Safety Q&A: Don’t be surprised by winter storms

Question: What do I need to do to prepare our operations for the winter season? Answer: Start by training employees regarding winter weather safety awareness to ensure everyone is prepared and ready to implement a winter operations action plan focused on the areas listed below. Operations: Entrances and exits: Designate an employee to remove snow…

Read More
Dec 22 2023
Safety and Health

WASHINGTON: L&I files permanent wildfire smoke rules

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has filed permanent rules to protect employees from exposure to wildfire smoke, which replace temporary rules that had previously been issued in the summers of 2021 and 2022. The permanent rules will take effect on January 15, 2024, and apply to almost all workplaces. Exemptions: The rule…

Read More
Dec 07 2023
DisabilitySafety and Health

Employee’s service dog posed direct threat to safety at hospital

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that a hospital did not have to allow a nursing student to bring a service dog to work under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because the accommodation created a direct threat to health and safety. A nursing student was assigned to work at the hospital…

Read More
Dec 04 2023
Safety and HealthWorkers’ Comp

Prioritizing Employee Safety Amidst Seasonal Challenges ❄️

The holiday season is a time of celebration, joy, and relaxation, and for many it can also bring challenges and stress due to increased workloads, overtime commitments, and financial pressures. In the midst of these demands, prioritizing the well-being of our valued employees is crucial. Rather than being discouraged by statistics indicating a surge in…

Read More
Nov 16 2023
Harassment & DiscriminationSafety and HealthWage and Hour

Holiday parties: Follow these tips to minimize company liability

Holiday season is rapidly approaching, and a company holiday party is a great way to reward employees for their work throughout the year. With the return of these parties, here are some tips and recommendations to enjoy a celebration with coworkers and reduce liability for your organization: Limit alcohol consumption: The use of alcohol at…

Read More

Is My Company Eligible?

If you are a manufacturing or agriculture employer in Washington and committed to keeping your employees safe and working, you may be eligible for Vigilant's workers' compensation Retro or claims management programs. To see if you qualify fill out our release form now, or contact us.

Release Form
Contact Us
Browse By Category
Browse By Topic
Filter By State
Get Our Newsletter
Sign Up Today
Connect With Us
Linkedin

Don’t Navigate Employment Issues On Your Own

Learn how Vigilant membership can help with your complex employment situations.
Get in Touch Today
Scroll to Top