When it comes to implementing safety programs in the workplace one must not forget the small businesses. It is just as important to implement a safety program in a facility where the number of employees is in the single digits as it is in a business with hundreds.

Safety programs help to involve employees in achieving and maintaining a safe, healthful workplace while minimizing the risk of injury. After all fewer accidents, injuries and illnesses will lower your company’s workers compensation costs and insurance premium rates and can also increase the company’s overall profit.

To start a program you will need to develop a safety committee that will discuss and find solutions to problems that can cause accidents, injuries, and illnesses. The safety committee is most often comprised of employees in your workplace. It’s best to ask for volunteers and you will be surprised to see how many employees will take an interest in joining.

The Safety Committee you develop should meet on a monthy/weekly basis, depending on your facilities needs. Typically low-hazard workplaces, such as office settings meet monthly, whereas more hazardous workplaces, such as construction sites, meet on a weekly basis. It is a good idea that if your business has less than 10 employees you consider having all employees attend the safety committee meetings.

The main purpose of these meetings is to discuss what employees can do to achieve or maintain a safe, healthful workplace. Focusing on one important topic, such as controlling an existing hazard or identifying an unsafe work practice is a good start. As the meetings progress new issues can be brought to the table with solution ideas and/or prevention tips.

It is a good idea to elect a secretary to take minutes during the meeting. This will serve as a written record of the committee discussions, activities and accomplishments. Minutes can be kept in a Safety Committee Meeting notebook and should be read at the start of each new meeting. The minutes also help to keep track of your committees progress and any unfinished issues.

It’s important that employees receive their regular wages while they attend safety committee meetings so as not to discourage participation – aside from that, it is the law.

When implemented, a safety program will soon become an everyday business practice. You will probably notice employees become a closer team and may see an increase in efficiency as well.

In conclusion, it is important to note that OSHA encourages all businesses small or big to establish safety and health programs and find and fix hazards to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. They offer many resources designed specifically for smaller employers. Visit the OSHA site for small businesses to gain access to the most popular materials for small businesses. They offer everything from free on-site consultation to interactive computer software to technical information to easy-to-follow guides for specific OSHA standards.

Tweet This Post

Workplace violence is on the rise in the United States. The Miami Herald has an interesting article on how businesses can reduce the risk in their own locations…

The possibility that a tragic event may occur at an office or place of employment is not first and foremost on the minds of every worker. But when it happens, it makes the news and strikes fear among all workers.

Two episodes so far this year show how random and tragic these incidents can be. A disgruntled ex-employee marched into a truck rental company near Atlanta and opened fire, killing two and wounding three in January. During a shift change, an employee at a transformer manufacturing plant in St. Louis killed three and injured five. These incidents had nothing in common other than the fact that innocent people were killed on the job.

Read the rest of the article on workplace violence…

Tweet This Post

Ohio’s State Specific Smoke Free Sign

CASE STUDY: Ohio

Since the Ohio Department of Health passed a Smoke Free Ban in May 2007, compliants against businesses violating this policy have dramatically dropped over the years. 

We’re getting to the point where we have more (repeat violators) than initial violations, said Mandy Burkett, Chief of the Health Department’s indoor environments section.

Other states such as Iowa and Illionois have also seen a drop in their compliants after their first year.  The government in Ohio currently conducts investigations and will fine a particular business if they find a violation against the State wide Smoke Free policy.  Businesses really need to post their No Smoking Signs to indicate to all customers the policy. Check out Seton’s wide selection of  State Specific No Smoking Regulatory Signs today.

 Source: Dayton Daily News

Tweet This Post

 Manufacturing output expanded in February for a seventh straight month. Factory output has provided one of the few areas of strength for the economy. Still, the growth in manufacturing activity slowed compared with January and fell short of economists’ expectations.

In addition, construction spending fell for a third straight month in January. And though personal spending rose slightly more than expected, Americans’ incomes scarcely budged. In part, that was because Social Security recipients didn’t get their usual cost-of-living boost.

Read the rest of the article here.

Thanks for reading, from Seton.com.

Tweet This Post

Finally,  some good news out of Washington regarding housing construction. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come…

From the AP:

WASHINGTON — Housing construction posted a better-than-expected increase in January which pushed activity to the highest level in six months. The solid gain raised hopes that the construction industry is beginning to mount a sustained rebound from its worst slump in decades.The Commerce Department said Wednesday that construction of new homes and apartments rose 2.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 591,000 units. That was better than the 580,000 annual pace that economists were forecasting.

Construction Sign

Read the entire article: The Associated Press: Housing construction up 2.8 percent in January.

Visit Seton.com for construction-related signage, asset ID and other products.

Tweet This Post

 As our country flounders in a recession and unemployment in construction, manufacturing and most other industries remains high, the government looks for ways to stimulate the economy and put workers back to work.

The agenda includes: renewing existing highway legislation for a year, which is expected to result in 1 million jobs, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said. Also, enacting small business and job creation tax credits — and extending Build America Bonds, a stimulus measure that helps states and municipalities fund capital construction projects.

Read the entire article Jobs bill: A chance for bipartisanship or election strategy? – CNN.com.

Tweet This Post

Small businesses have taken take a huge hit during this recession, but the President is looking to lend a helping hand…

Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama will today back a temporary increase in Small Business Administration Loans from $350,000 to $1 million to encourage small business hiring, an administration official said.

Obama will announce his support for the higher loan limits and SBA assistance for commercial mortgage refinancing when he appears at a small business in Lanham, Maryland, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The two proposals would require congressional approval..

To read the entire article, click here.

Seton appreciates the business we receive from small-business owners. If you are the owner of a business – big or small – get 20% off orders of $199 or more. Just visit Seton.com  and enter Service No. ES0188 at checkout.

Tweet This Post