tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26379267703962924102024-03-14T03:52:06.529-04:00Safety and the Staffing IndustryA light hearted look at my adventures as the head of safety and risk management for a company that serves the entire staffing industry from temps to contract staffing to Professional Employer Organizations.
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CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO SEE THE COMPLETE PICTUREEJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-6362807680479965272015-04-15T11:26:00.004-04:002015-04-15T11:26:44.073-04:00Forced Subrogation by the Insurer/Underwriter?<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Insurance underwriter sues driver for workers’ compensation payments</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://madisonrecord.com/issues/307-insurance/270127-insurance-underwriter-sues-driver-for-workers-compensation-payments" target="_blank">Madison-St. Clair Record</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">April 13, 2015</span><br />
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A Madison County insurance company filed suit on behalf of its client for a workers’ compensation claim it had to pay when its employee was injured in a traffic collision. <br />
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Twin City Fire Insurance Co., on behalf of Juneau Associates Inc. PC, filed the lawsuit against Scott Heatherly of Granite City on March 27 in Madison County Circuit Court, alleging vehicular negligence in a 2013 accident. <br />
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The plaintiff underwrites workers’ compensation insurance policies for Illinois companies. Its client, Juneau Associates, is an engineering firm headquartered in Granite City, and Scott Ryan was an employee of Juneau, operating a motor vehicle in his capacity as an employee. <br />
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According to the complaint, the defendant sped past a vehicle operated by Ryan while driving south on Madison Avenue in Granite City on April 2, 2013. The lawsuit states that Heatherly swerved his car into the path of Ryan’s vehicle, striking the front driver’s side of the car. <br />
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In response to the collision, Ryan steered his car onto the curb and sidewalk, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges Ryan sustained back injuries requiring treatment and surgery. He subsequently filed a worker’s compensation claim for which the plaintiff has paid $165,000 to date. <br />
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The complaint alleges that Heatherly was negligent by driving excessively fast, maneuvering his vehicle directly into the path of Ryan’s car, colliding with the car and failing to decrease his speed and operate his vehicle safely. <br />
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Twin Cities, as subrogee of Juneau, seeks damages in excess of $50,000, plus attorneys’ fees and costs. The firm is represented in the case by Jeffrey Arnold of Whelan Arnold in Downers Grove. <br />
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<i>Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-400</i><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Commentary:</span></b><br />
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I think that this is a good thing because there is nothing an employer can do to prevent an accident that is someone else's fault.<br />
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In accidents that are the fault of another party, I ALWAYS have the insurance carrier file a notice of subrogation (in case the employee sues). Some employees will wait until they exhaust work comp benefits to sue. This is so that they can "double-dip."<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-25001810658109375982015-02-04T23:45:00.002-05:002015-02-04T23:45:41.788-05:00Tri-State Trouble?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Febuary 14, 2015</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">New York City:</span></i></div>
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I heard that today Tri-State PEO and Tri-State Staffing might be in trouble, filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They are a publicly traded company. </div>
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This has <b>NOT</b> been confirmed!<br />
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I am the first to report this.<br />
I will report as I learn more.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-56521748808961239762015-02-04T11:18:00.003-05:002015-02-04T11:27:30.808-05:00no compensation for worker whose breasts were secretly photographedI realize that this is Australasia, but this brings up a good point about workplace violence and sexual harassment.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">A Queensland State Library employee has been denied compensation for a mental injury caused by her supervisor taking secret photos of her at work.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">In the somewhat surprising ruling of <a href="http://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2014/QIRC14-222.pdf" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006699; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Waugh v Simon Blackwood</i> (2014)</a>, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission upheld the decision of the state's Workers' Compensation Regulator to reject the employee's application. Astrid Waugh had suffered a psychological injury (an adjustment disorder) when her employer told her about photos of her that were covertly taken by her superior, Bruce McGregor. Six of the photos focused on her breasts. They were taken while Waugh was at work. Their existence was revealed to Waugh during meetings with the library's human resources and managerial staff.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 17px;">Waugh developed her injury from both the primary stressor, McGregor's sexual harassment in taking the photographs, and a secondary stressor, the manner in which managers informed her of and dealt with the incident.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Deputy President Les Kaufmann found that: "Even if it could be said that the injury arose out of, or in the course of, her employment, the employment was not a significant contributing factor. The significant contributing factor was the taking of the photographs by Mr McGregor. This had nothing to do with the employment."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">At first glance, Kaufmann's distinction creates an odd result: a worker who suffers a psychological injury in the workplace due to a colleague's behaviour is not entitled to workers' compensation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">However, under Queensland law, the circumstances where compensation will be paid for psychological injury are more limited than for other injuries. Section 32(1)(b) of the state's Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 requires the employment to be the "major significant contributing factor to the injury". Kaufmann used the reasoning of the then Industrial Court of Queensland judge Paul de Jersey in <i>Croning v Workers' Compensation Board of Queensland</i> (1997) to apply a factual approach to determining the cause of injury.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">In practice, this approach (as applied by Kaufmann and others) has resulted in a very narrow reading of the causation provisions of the Queensland legislation. This allowed Kaufmann to divorce McGregor's offending conduct from Waugh's employment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Under the workers' compensation legislation that applies to ACT and federal government staff – the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (C'th) – Waugh's injury would have most likely been compensable. Section 5A of this act does not require the employment to be the "major" significant contributing factor to the injury.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">In Queensland, there has been a discrete policy decision to limit the circumstances in which psychological injuries are covered by workers' compensation. This is the case historically, as section 32 of the state legislation is largely a restatement of its predecessor.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The federal act has been amended to move closer to the Queensland legislation following two cases in the Federal Court: <a href="http://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2002/2002fca1464" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006699; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Wiegand v Comcare</i> (2002)</a> and <a href="http://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2008/2008fca0052" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006699; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Secretary, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations v Comcare</i> (2008)</a>. In the latter case, the department challenged the Administrative Appeals Tribunal's decision to uphold Comcare's acceptance of liability for the aggravation of multiple injuries, including a psychological injury. The employee, Wendy Caire, said in her Comcare application her injury was a "disease" within the meaning of the then section 4 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. That section required that the ailment or aggravation of the ailment "was contributed to in a material degree by the employee's employment".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Caire's psychological injury was caused largely by her perception of work pressure and deadlines that, in reality, were not established by the evidence. She had a history of mental illness before sustaining the injury. Accordingly, the department argued that her "employment was nothing more than the scene in which the development of her depression took place".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Justice Rodney Madgwick adapted the reasoning in <i>Wiegand</i> and found Caire's employment could be seen to have contributed materially to her injury despite the fact that her assessment of her workload was not established by the evidence. After these two decisions, the definition of "disease" was amended in the federal act to requiring a "significant degree" of contribution by the employment instead of merely a "material degree".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The compensability for psychological injuries is further limited under the federal act through the exclusion of injuries that are "suffered as a result of reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner in respect of the employee's employment". A similar limit also exists in section 32(5) of the Queensland legislation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Despite legislative changes that have brought the constraints on compensation for psychological injuries in the federal act closer to the Queensland legislation, it remains unlikely (at this stage) that the limits will be extended to the degree present in Queensland law. So employees in the Commonwealth and ACT can rest assured that, if they are unfortunate enough to suffer a similar fate to Waugh, they would not be so readily denied compensation for their workplace injury.</span><br />
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</span>EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-35547386100273450752015-01-16T11:59:00.001-05:002015-01-16T12:15:32.543-05:00We are Charlie<br />
Generally I stay on topic of occupational heath and safety, technology, workers compensation, and the staffing industry. I do inject my humor because that is who I am and I found over my many years of doing this, it is an effective way to convey my message. I try to be as politically correct as possible, but I will NOT let me be swayed from defending human rights (occupational heath and safety falling under that) OR speaking what is TRUTH.<br />
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As a blogger, I bring you this copy of the cover of Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical magazine whose headquarters was attacked for exercising freedom of expression. This magazine in many ways is far from my personal beliefs. Today I stand – and I ask you to stand - with my brothers and sisters who have been brutally murdered for artistically expressing themselves.<br />
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There are two reasons that I provide the information that I do: that is <b><i>freedom of the press</i></b> and <b><i>freedom of speech</i></b>. That concept was so important to America’s founders that it is embodied in the 1st Amendment to our foundational documents:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>“Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”</i></b></blockquote>
It is a guarantee that you can express your thoughts in any form including speech.<br />
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That free speech not only applies to the press, which is supposed to keep our politicians and system honest, but to speech which includes artistic expression. It applies to books, drama, art, painting TV, movies, and to satire such as William Shattner’s satirical TV lawyer Denny Crane. That extends not only to Internet news sources, but to bloggers and those who post comments to those blogs.<br />
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Today elements in the world are trying to control what you can think through threats, fear and murder. If you express something they don’t like in any way they want you to believe they will kill you. They act in order to scare us. The president of France called the murderous attack on Charlie Hebdo “an act of war.”<br />
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The president of the United States, through his spokesperson Josh Earnest, rightly said on the 12th “that the publication of any kind of material in no way justifies any act of violence.” That’s good. But then Earnest went on to encourage the media to use “responsibility” and to discourage media outlets from publishing the Charlie Hebdo cover or other materials that could create a dangerous reaction. <br />
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But the president stopping the free expression of ideas – in the art of satire or in any other fashion - is not in any way the same thing.<br />
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If you run from a bully the bully will pick on you more. This is a lesson many of us learned in elementary school before political correctness subsumed reality. Standing down in the face of a threat from the Middle East is interpreted by its mindset as weakness.<br />
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There are those of you who may question this conflicting with my commitment to safety by potentially inviting the threat of violence. As I mentioned here and in other posts, my commitment to safety is guided by higher principals, namely the US Constitution and human rights.<br />
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While we have the duty to provide a safe and healthful work environment, we are limited by the US Constitution. Examples include disabled employees, polygraphs, and physical exams post offer. Employees and employers have our rights protected by the Constitution as well: fraud and whistleblower protections.<br />
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In the spirit of protecting our rights, I write this post. I do not expect that all my readers agree with this, as is your right. You are free to express your point of view as well.<br />
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Finally Let me credit and thank J Dale Debber, publisher of Cal-OSHA reporter for the inspiration behind this post. His post today titled: "<i><a href="http://www.cal-osha.com/We-Are-America-and-We-are-Charlie.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">We are America We are Charlie</a></i>" inspired me to stand with him and others who enjoy our rights to safety and freedom of speech.<br />
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Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-18032678829427555492014-10-23T11:24:00.002-04:002014-10-23T11:24:36.536-04:00OSHA Top 10 Safety Violation for Fiscal Year 2014<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b><a href="https://cs3.eis.af.mil/sites/OO-SE-AF-18/default.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colorado</a></b></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">October 22, 2014</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published a list of the top-10 safety violations for the last fiscal year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">From 1 to 10, those violations are: </span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>fall protection in construction</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>hazard communication</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>construction scaffolding</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>respiratory protection</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>lockout and tag-out</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>powered industrial trucks</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>electrical wiring methods</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>construction ladders</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>machine guarding</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><b>general electrical requirements.</b></span></li>
</ol>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">'"General electrical requirements' is a broad category for miscellaneous electrical hazards, such as failing to safeguard an electrical circuit," said Cliff Tebbe, Academy Safety Office deputy director.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">According to an OSHA news release, the list is preliminary and the administration will publish another list containing finalized information.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">"These types of safety oversights are common in general industry, and the Academy has similar workplace environments," Tebbe said. "These are things to look for - the usual suspects when it comes to work center hazards."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">The fundamental principal to maintaining a safe work environment here is "early detection and rapid correction," Tebbe said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">"Safety is everyone's business," he said. "Your safety program is only as strong as what people are willing to walk by. If you are willing to walk by a hazard, you are willing to weaken the program and expose another Airman to that hazard."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Visit https://cs3.eis.af.mil/sites/OO-SE-AF-18/default.aspx for more on-duty hazard information and to read about Quest for Zero, an Air Force occupational safety campaign.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">My Commentary:</span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">This past year there was a major update to the Fall Protection Standard, mainly reflecting a global perspective of safety by incorporating ANSI standards. Being that this is new, it will take time to get use to. Couple that with the construction industry's history of "subcontractors cutting corners," it is obvious why fall protection in construction is number 1, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">construction ladders and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">construction scaffolding are in the top 10 also.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you for reading.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-90016771247255948812014-10-21T11:24:00.000-04:002014-10-21T11:24:01.913-04:00California Bill Could End Use of Temp Workers<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">from: <a href="http://www.insurancethoughtleadership.com/articles/california-bill-could-end-temp-use#axzz2yx9lNPWX" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Insurance Thought Leadership</a></span></i><br />
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The California legislature is considering a bill that could rewrite the
relationship between employers and temporary staffing agencies. Assembly
Bill 1897 (Hernandez, D-48) would make employers that hire laborers
from temporary agencies liable if those agencies fail to provide
workers’ compensation insurance, violate wage and hour laws or fail to
withhold proper taxes. <br />
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This legislation could, effectively, end the staffing agency model by making it difficult for most small businesses to use the services. (The text of the bill is <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB1897" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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Employers hiring temporary staffing agencies would be responsible for performing due diligence by checking into the internal practices of the staffing agencies to determine whether agencies are properly funded to comply with labor laws and regulations. The employer, as a client of the agency, would be held responsible if the staffing agency failed to meet these requirements. Under the current version of the bill, it would be impossible to “contract around” this requirement, as a waiver would be deemed to violate public policy.<br />
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Promoters of AB 1897, including the California Labor Federation, claim that the bill is designed to protect employees of staffing agencies from wage theft and lack of workers’ compensation coverage. But the goal seems to run deeper. Proponents also hope to address wage disparity between full-time and temporary workers, benefit differences and impediments to collective bargaining by temporary employees. <br />
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According to the California Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the bill, employers that do not have dedicated human resources or legal departments rely on temporary agencies to prescreen employees, to fill seasonal and short-term positions, to provide cover for employees who are absent and to protect the core group of employees from workforce reductions (the use of temporary workers would be reduced during slack times, instead.)<br />
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AB 1897 would make life harder for small businesses by holding them responsible for performing due diligence by seeking agency data outside of their purview and making them financially responsible for factors that are beyond their control, including businesses issues that could drive staffing agencies into bankruptcy. While most staffing agencies are properly insured and funded, this bill will cause small businesses anxiety over increased fines and litigation and create a chilling effect throughout the California labor market.<br />
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AB 1897 is currently before the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment.<br />
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<h3>
Isn't that what the stand fund is for?</h3>
Every insurance policy pays a surcharge to the state fund to cover employees in the event that an insurance company fails, a company bought bogus insurance, or a company is uninsured.<br />
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<h3>
What do you expect from California?</h3>
I do not know Hernandez (D-48), and if his leanings are socialist. This may just be an attempt of doing away with temp companies so that companies have to hire ALL employees and provide them with benefits. <br />
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I think that the real reason is because SCIF is in financial trouble.
They are just trying to pass the cost along to deeper pockets. How do
they define "verify the temp company has insurance?" Is asking for a
certificate of insurance enough? <br />
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How far will the lawyers take this? If a store in a strip mall does not have work comp, is the real estate company then responsible for work comp? If you own your own business and have an office in your home, are you responsible for the plumber's work comp if he doesn't have it?<br />
<h3>
Problems with this bill:</h3>
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<i>“Client employer” means an <u style="color: red;"><b>individual</b></u> or entity that receives obtains or is provided workers to perform labor or services within the usual course of business of the individual or entity from a labor contractor.</i> <b>See the plumber in your house scenario above.</b><br />
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<i>“Labor contractor” means an individual or entity that contracts with a client employer to supply workers to perform labor or services <u style="color: red;"><b>within the usual course of business</b></u> or otherwise provides workers to perform labor or services within the usual course of business for the client employer.</i> <b>Is maintenance (washing your storefront windows) within the usual course of business?</b><br />
<h3>
Where this bill really FAILS:</h3>
<i>(b) A client employer shall share with a labor contractor all civil legal responsibility and civil liability for the following:</i><br />
<ol>
<li><i>The payment of wages to workers provided by a labor contractor.</i></li>
<li><i>The failure to report and pay all required employer contributions, worker contributions, and personal income tax withholdings as required by the Unemployment Insurance Code.</i></li>
<li><i>Failure to obtain secure valid workers’ compensation coverage as required by law Section 3700.</i></li>
</ol>
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<i>(c) A client employer shall not shift to the labor contractor any legal duties or liabilities under the provisions of Division 5 (commencing with Section 6300) with respect to workers supplied by the labor contractor.<br /> </i><br />
<i>(d) The provisions of subdivisions (b) and (c) are <u style="color: red;"><b>in addition to, and shall be supplemental of, any other liability or requirement established by statute or common law.</b></u></i><b> Does that also include FEDERAL IMIGRATION LAW?</b><br />
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Remember <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_SB_1070" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona's SB 1070</a>? Does that mean that the Client Employer must check immigration status? <b>Can California enforce Federal Immigration Law?</b><br />
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Thank you for reading<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-89823349312543508952014-10-17T13:29:00.003-04:002014-10-17T13:29:23.193-04:00Bluehour bartender burned badly when Everclear from vase ignites, seeks $688,000<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/10/bluehour_bartender_burned_badl.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: Aimee Green, Oregon Live</a></span></i><br />
October 15, 2014<br />
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A former bartender at Bluehour in Northwest Portland's Pearl District filed a $688,000 lawsuit this week -- claiming he was burned over much of his body when a large vase containing Everclear broke next to a candle, igniting a countertop next to him.<br />
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The restaurant decided to "enhance the bar's atmosphere by placing colored Everclear, a highly flammable alcoholic liquid, in large vases at the base of the bar" and put open-flame candles next to the vases, according to the suit filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court by bartender Steven Grimm.<br />
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The suit lists restaurateurs Bruce Carey and Ken Giambalvo as defendants. Carey is well known in the restaurant world. He started Bluehour, Zefiro, Saucebox and 23Hoyt with colleagues. In 2007, he acquired Clarklewis.<br />
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Giambalvo worked as chef at Bluehour for more than a decade, and left his position in 2011. But he is still a member of the limited liability company that owns Bluehour, according to the suit. Carey also is a member, the suit states.<br />
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A message seeking comment for this story -- left Tuesday with management at Bluehour -- was not returned.<br />
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On April 4, 2013, Grimm was working when he accidentally nicked one of the vases and it cracked, pouring the purple-tinted Everclear onto the counter top, the suit states.<br />
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"The spilled Everclear came in contact with the open flame candles and immediately combusted," the suit states. "Steven Grimm was immediately covered by the flaming liquid."<br />
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Grimm suffered burns to his arms, hands, torso and legs -- and his medical bills have reached $42,000 so far, according to the suit. He also was out of work for one year -- and suffered $46,000 in lost wages, the suit states.<br />
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Grimm, who is in his early 30s, returned to tending bar in April 2014 at a different restaurant.<br />
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He's seeking $600,000 for pain, permanent disfigurement despite skin-graft surgeries and physical limitations, including not being able to run as exercise because his scarred skin is too tight.<br />
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The suit faults the restaurateurs for allegedly placing the Everclear in vases that could easily be broken, placing the vases close to candles and ignoring the flammability warnings on the Everclear label.<br />
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Everclear is 95 percent alcohol by volume, and the label on the front of the bottle states: "CAUTION!! EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE" and "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE, HEAT AND OPEN FLAME."<br />
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The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the incident and fined the restaurant $300 in July 2013, finding that it had improperly stored a flammable liquid.<br />
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Grimm is represented by Portland attorney Philip Lebenbaum.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K8Dtmx1ZfZc/VEEsIUAz2NI/AAAAAAAACu8/CSaac9w4CaU/s1600/everclearjar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K8Dtmx1ZfZc/VEEsIUAz2NI/AAAAAAAACu8/CSaac9w4CaU/s1600/everclearjar.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This photo shows two large decorative vases full of Everclear that had been tinted purple at Bluehour in 2013. An open flame candle can be seen at the base of the vases.</span></i></div>
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<b>In the interest of science and the furthering of safety, as Monty Python says, "<i>And now for something completely different......</i>"</b><br />
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<h3>
5 of the Strongest Liquors in the World</h3>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.partyprobs.com/5-of-the-strongest-liquors-in-the-world/1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: Partyprobs</a></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6oATmUgYRhrb-C3hUlb-4oIeBcj3aBmWJT0-3APHGI4BXtr4VBi3y9QAQvkGuZPy-29jl94wszB75Gu-fbfdv8q64yQZHNAoHSm96Z57HyAHZ1lNAVB7ufM9G469sHAJ_9Xf33VHpB4/s1600/sierra-tequila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6oATmUgYRhrb-C3hUlb-4oIeBcj3aBmWJT0-3APHGI4BXtr4VBi3y9QAQvkGuZPy-29jl94wszB75Gu-fbfdv8q64yQZHNAoHSm96Z57HyAHZ1lNAVB7ufM9G469sHAJ_9Xf33VHpB4/s1600/sierra-tequila.jpg" height="200" width="85" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">One of the toughest tequilas around, and packs a mean punch when drinking it. At 150 proof, this liquor will have you begging for mercy in the morning. Not to mention one of the coolest corks, which is a sombrero.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Like is says on the bottle, it is 151 proof rum (75.5% alcohol). Bacardi is very good when mixed with rum-based cocktails, and more famously for lighting shots on fire before taking them. It is the only rum sold with a stainless steel flame arrester attached on the bottle.</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLQDQkKqVNM/VEEr45LMq2I/AAAAAAAACus/1hsVNCd6xWg/s1600/absinthe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLQDQkKqVNM/VEEr45LMq2I/AAAAAAAACus/1hsVNCd6xWg/s1600/absinthe.jpg" height="200" width="118" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">If you are a heavy drinker and feeling bold and want to try something new, than this is right down your alley. Banned in 1915 saying it was an addictive psychoactive drug, but by the 21st century it was legalized in many countries including the United States. It ranges from 90-148 proof (45–74% alcohol), but between that and the hallucinations, this had to make the list.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Vodka can make for either a great evening or a horrible night. At an intense 160 proof (38-50% alcohol), this is nothing to mess around with. Usually vodkas are somewhere between 76-100 proof, but the makers in New Jersey took it to another level.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Anyone who's ever been around or consumed Everclear will tell you this is the Strongest liquor. At a staggering 190 proof (95% alcohol), this can be very dangerous if not consumed and handled properly. You should never drink it straight, only to mix with drinks. It is banned in many states, and for good reasons.</span></i></div>
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-41785825251303842752014-10-17T12:41:00.000-04:002014-10-17T13:07:41.961-04:00Dollar Tree Racks Up Safety Violations AND Comments on Retail Safety<br />
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<i><a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/dollar-tree-racks-up-safety-violations-1413432063" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: Alexandra Berzon & Paul Ziobro, Wall Street Journal</a></i></div>
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<i>October 16, 2014 </i></div>
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Discounter Dollar Tree Inc. has racked up more workplace-safety violations this year at its stores than nearly any other business in the country, according to federal regulators, a surprise for a chain of retail outlets that had no explosion or worker fatality.<br />
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The company has received 48 violations in the past 12 months for problems such as teetering boxes, unsecured gas tanks and blocked electrical outlets that safety officials said make working in the stores unsafe.<br />
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The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Wednesday fined the company $262,500 for violations at a store in Watauga, Texas, near Dallas. The fine was Dollar Tree's fourth of more than $100,000 since May and brought the company's total to $866,000 since last October. OSHA plans to announce the Watauga fine on Thursday.<br />
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OSHA chief David Michaels said Dollar Tree's recent fines and number of violations could be the highest ever issued for a retail chain. The agency typically issues 30 to 40 citations a year of more than $200,000 each, he said.<br />
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"We see a problem in stores across the country," Mr. Michaels said. "Each of these stores has some serious hazards."<br />
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Rivals Dollar General Corp. and Family Dollar Stores Inc. each accumulated fines of less than $50,000 over the past year, even though both chains are larger than Dollar Tree. Dollar General and Family Dollar declined to comment.<br />
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Dollar Tree has agreed to buy Family Dollar for $8.5 billion, though Dollar General has made a competing offer.<br />
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Dollar Tree, which has around 87,000 employees and about 5,000 stores, said it is "committed to maintaining a safe workplace environment for each of our associates. We are currently in the process of contesting recent OSHA citations."<br />
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Of the three big dollar-store chains, Dollar Tree most closely lives up to its name, selling most of its items for $1. Dollar General and Family Dollar sell at multiple prices that generally max out around $10 an item.<br />
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Both approaches put tremendous pressure on the companies to squeeze out costs to be profitable. Sometimes, no more than two employees work in a store at once. Store sizes typically run between 7,000 and 10,000 square feet.<br />
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That can create problems during big merchandise deliveries. Storerooms are small in some locations, meaning boxes are placed in aisles for unloading. If employees are diverted from unloading goods to assist customers, aisles can be left cluttered.<br />
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At the Watauga store, OSHA found boxes blocking an exit route, cartons piled 12 to 15 feet high in an unstable manner, unsecured helium cylinders that were in danger of falling on workers and electrical panels that were blocked with merchandise, which OSHA said could have exposed employees to burn and electrical shock injuries.<br />
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OSHA said the Watauga citations resulted in especially large fines because the agency had found similar problems at several other stores, indicating a willful violation of safety laws. For example, the agency also found blocked exits at six stores in locations including Rhode Island, New Jersey and Florida.<br />
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Looking at violations across a chain has been ramped up under the Obama administration, employer advocates said.<br />
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Some attorneys who represent companies in OSHA cases criticized some of the fines for retailers. "The kinds of things they are citing are trivial," said Baruch Fellner, a lawyer who represents retailers in OSHA disputes.<br />
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OSHA's Mr. Michaels disagreed. He said Dollar Tree records reviewed by the agency indicated that employees likely had been injured by hazards such as improperly stored boxes.<br />
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Most of the inspections of Dollar Tree were prompted by complaints from store employees or managers. In the past five years, OSHA was called to inspect Dollar Tree stores nearly 80 times.<br />
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Former employees who were injured at Dollar Tree stores said thousands of boxes of merchandise arrive in a week. Cartons often get stacked carelessly, while empty boxes often are left lying around, posing additional hazards, the employees said in interviews. Several employees said managers ignored safety concerns.<br />
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"Things are tumbling on you because the space in the storage room is so small," said Renuka Prasad, a 57-year old former Dollar Tree worker from Lehigh, Fla. She said she quit after a box of cans fell on her head. "We were always complaining to the manager, but she doesn't do anything."<br />
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Willie Baker, a former Dollar Tree cashier in Tallahassee, Fla., said she hurt her neck and shoulder lifting crates of soda. "My manager would say, 'This is what corporate wants us to do,' " said Ms. Baker, 56. "To keep your job, you just do what you have to do."<br />
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<h3>
Dollar Tree Racks Up Safety Violations</h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://www.dailypress.com/business/tidewater/dp-dollar-tree-osha-20141016,0,4200139.story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: Tara Bozick, TidewaterBiz</a></i></span><br />
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Chesapeake-based Dollar Tree Stores Inc. has been fined more than $800,000 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for repeated safety violations in the past five months, according to a U.S. Department of Labor news release. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qW4GPxWqjSg/VEEr5-EVMYI/AAAAAAAACuo/G3peLrMcpv4/s1600/dollartree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qW4GPxWqjSg/VEEr5-EVMYI/AAAAAAAACuo/G3peLrMcpv4/s1600/dollartree.jpg" /></a></div>
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Since 2009, OSHA claims it has received complaints from Dollar Tree employees in 26 states and has cited the national discount retailer for 234 safety violations. Often, OSHA records show, the Fortune 500 company continues to have the same problems. Most recently, OSHA is proposing $262,500 in penalties for hazards found at a store in Watauga, Texas, in April. At that Texas store, the OSHA citation says boxes blocked exit doors and passageways and that boxes were stacked 12-15 feet high in an unstable manner.<br />
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The store also failed to secure its helium tanks from falling in the stockroom and had stacked boxes blocking fire extinguishers and electrical panels, according to the citation notice. The OSHA notice also showed that Dollar Tree was cited for the same violations at different stores in the past.<br />
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Dollar Tree released this statement in response to questions: "Our company is committed to maintaining a safe workplace environment for each of our associates. We are currently in the process of contesting recent OSHA citations." <br />
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Dollar Tree had 4,992 stores and employed about 17,600 full-time and 69,800 part-time workers as of Feb. 1, according to a financial filing. Its stores are known for selling all items for $1 although its Deal$ stores also sell items for more than $1.<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In related News....</span></i></b><br />
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<h3>
Family Dollar Stores Sticks With Dollar Tree, Refuses Dollar General's $9.1 Billion Offer</h3>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2014/09/05/family-dollar-stores-sticks-with-dollar-tree-refuses-dollar-generals-9-1-billion-offer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source: Forbes, September, 2014</a></span></i><br />
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Family Dollar Stores said on Friday that its board of directors could not accept Dollar General’s $9.1 billion offer because of antitrust concerns as the dollar store war continued.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q_kWp9V6aZA/VEEwYiSY8eI/AAAAAAAACvQ/U0xXsPqNGkA/s1600/dollar-tree-family-dollar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q_kWp9V6aZA/VEEwYiSY8eI/AAAAAAAACvQ/U0xXsPqNGkA/s1600/dollar-tree-family-dollar.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dollar General had recently increased its bid for Family Dollar, offering $80 a share in cash, up from $78.50 a share, and saying it would be willing to sell 1,500 stores to appease federal regulators and pay $500 million to Family Dollar if the transaction is upended for antitrust reasons.<br />
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Dollar General has been trying all summer to break-up the deal that rival dollar-store chain Dollar Tree has struck to buy Family Dollar for $74.50 per share.<br />
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"Our board of directors, with the assistance of outside advisors and consultants, reviewed all aspects of Dollar General’s revised proposal and unanimously concluded that it is not reasonably likely to be completed on the terms proposed," said Family Dollar CEO Howard Levine, in a statement. "There is a very real and material risk that the transaction proposed by Dollar General would fail to close, after a lengthy and disruptive review process."<br />
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Some people, like billionaire investor Carl Icahn, have suggested that Levine has been motivated to save his own job—Levine is unlikely to retain a role with Dollar General if it is successful in buying Family Dollar. But the decision to reject Dollar General’s offer has been backed by a prominent activist hedge fund, Trian Fund Managmenet, which has a seat on Family Dollar’s board.<br />
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"Dollar Tree has taken the antitrust risk off the table by committing to divest as many stores as necessary to obtain antitrust clearance," said Ed Garden, Trian’s co-founder who sits on Family Dollar’s board and voted to reject the Dollar General deal. "Dollar General’s revised proposal, on the other hand, does not eliminate regulatory risk for Family Dollar shareholders. Dollar General has repeatedly stated that antitrust is not a risk, yet they have put forth proposals that require Family Dollar shareholders to bear the ultimate risk."<br />
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Garden also dismissed Dollar General’s offer to pay a reverse break-up fee of $500 million if its deal fails for antitrust reasons. "Receiving a reverse breakup fee with an after-tax value of less than $3 a share does virtually nothing to compensate the Family Dollar shareholders for assuming that risk," Garden said.<br />
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<h3>
My Commentary:</h3>
First off, safety in retail stores is often overlooked. Just because there are no obvious machines that can "chew up" employees does NOT mean that there are no safety hazards. Here are the major safety hazards and the OSHA training that I see at my retail clients:<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>Fall Protection/LadderSafety:</b> Clerks are always hanging new sales signs, getting items down from high shelves.</li>
<li><b>HazCom/PPE:</b> Clerks are always using cleaners to wipe down glass, displays, counters, etc.</li>
<li><b>Walking/Working Surfaces:</b> When it is raining, stores always have "Caution Wet Floor" signs, but that is NOT enough.</li>
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<li><b>Workplace Violence:</b> By this I mean what to do if the store gets robbed, how managers handle cash and deposits, and procedures for early morning opening, late night closing/employees walking to cars. </li>
<li><b>Means of Egress:</b> Stock is always blocking emergency exits, this has implications for workplace violence as well.</li>
<li><b>Blood Borne Pathogens:</b> I recommend this for any employee who cleans, I don't just mean janitorial staff. If clerks sweep the floor, pick up litter, etc. I have had more than one retail client tell me they have found hypodermic needles in their stores. Many shipping cartons have sharp staples and clothing is held together with straight pins.</li>
<li><b>Box Cutter Safety:</b> Today I still see clerks using just a razor blade to open boxes. This is a "BIG NO-NO!" More on box cutter safety below.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRLpUMrM45fvuZ1BLqnyUtLD66QHmR9-w_X0S90pvkp3lwmDdx1Nqe4Fpq027Etxoq1Aa-uQv8WR2pLLZ5Ef_YovoqgKeK0mslE976FKPVE9zx5JrupdP3uDgl_oEJV81ccRKxxeFJbE/s1600/fingct.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRLpUMrM45fvuZ1BLqnyUtLD66QHmR9-w_X0S90pvkp3lwmDdx1Nqe4Fpq027Etxoq1Aa-uQv8WR2pLLZ5Ef_YovoqgKeK0mslE976FKPVE9zx5JrupdP3uDgl_oEJV81ccRKxxeFJbE/s1600/fingct.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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</li>
<li><b>Laser Safety:</b> Cash registers use lasers to scan UPC codes. There are hand held and fixed scanners. Did you ever notice the warning label on them? Basically training is "don't look at the laser" and "don't shine it in anyone's eyes." Here is a link to <a href="https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/laserhazards/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OSHA's Laser Safety web page</a>.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pw7XjvSZ6z2rUSIKJ6zoSPYjF4fycNf0npNN6zHLgzTDKbv99iCkbcIrfiqiidszouFqGB8wvsSo6533Ruj6weFqVAp-fV4jeoNvhjKrxe8wLuQEzPraUuBf1nMDOJ5lAshP7DkdPuA/s1600/laser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pw7XjvSZ6z2rUSIKJ6zoSPYjF4fycNf0npNN6zHLgzTDKbv99iCkbcIrfiqiidszouFqGB8wvsSo6533Ruj6weFqVAp-fV4jeoNvhjKrxe8wLuQEzPraUuBf1nMDOJ5lAshP7DkdPuA/s1600/laser.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here are some acceptable Safety Box Cutters:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3odnUFuDmd7qyIlSmS9IVUVcMXxGBlopfPNm9VeCLMmTfOWIylEgp7c9_zX4-T92APHYdWxy4Q5ByWlCc7qylshtBrQMx1flHIcnAvQerZ1wWcrxOEqv6jNtTLbh3SmnKo5TIpLQ2dXw/s1600/kleverkoncept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3odnUFuDmd7qyIlSmS9IVUVcMXxGBlopfPNm9VeCLMmTfOWIylEgp7c9_zX4-T92APHYdWxy4Q5ByWlCc7qylshtBrQMx1flHIcnAvQerZ1wWcrxOEqv6jNtTLbh3SmnKo5TIpLQ2dXw/s1600/kleverkoncept.jpg" height="90" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNc5L9uEvxo/VEFB4iC3szI/AAAAAAAACxY/EPDcYRhqy_E/s1600/averyEZcut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNc5L9uEvxo/VEFB4iC3szI/AAAAAAAACxY/EPDcYRhqy_E/s1600/averyEZcut.jpg" height="136" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">These are no longer acceptable:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4f1zzx65PTHSz-y7kpFxLGiT_NlZ0WmfII7jLGtjUukceYSOuO_wpmjwqwH5trn6zIJHSIjRwiFTRjR_z8nViCSejxVnZ8eHDJSfFNu0QH8RkDqLZvA5M8sMyCe_K7vbAFeoGLE3Q08/s1600/bxcut.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4f1zzx65PTHSz-y7kpFxLGiT_NlZ0WmfII7jLGtjUukceYSOuO_wpmjwqwH5trn6zIJHSIjRwiFTRjR_z8nViCSejxVnZ8eHDJSfFNu0QH8RkDqLZvA5M8sMyCe_K7vbAFeoGLE3Q08/s1600/bxcut.jpeg" height="91" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SNmjwbtDRfk/VEFB4j6B5SI/AAAAAAAACxc/9gYjM569h2c/s1600/blade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SNmjwbtDRfk/VEFB4j6B5SI/AAAAAAAACxc/9gYjM569h2c/s1600/blade.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is the Avery Easy Cut, I have one and love it!:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BvHkUQMQy-YRCctxGLSFF1l5dkOB4YcZAZ35HBH0bt_0AX7_MkGayxfCwMjR3rFTk2Rt0CMMaiNrYEmjiOrqZmTpHZAanl3s_iSmkZuQhDg9qH7OqhmfwlbbBOtakqXKLCq1hSts1Sw/s1600/rsc-sc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BvHkUQMQy-YRCctxGLSFF1l5dkOB4YcZAZ35HBH0bt_0AX7_MkGayxfCwMjR3rFTk2Rt0CMMaiNrYEmjiOrqZmTpHZAanl3s_iSmkZuQhDg9qH7OqhmfwlbbBOtakqXKLCq1hSts1Sw/s1600/rsc-sc.jpg" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
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It comes with a holster....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj-evUuTRrE9eJo27T1ciL53g72scQHb5f7wo4OsMq91hXXMY2iCntN4aVZeQNIbyqYYL-bpn4mxc7WTc1o8QDSLiEhQC1aeUVougiOfL52VuPQ9NvTbJpZH1GwVPv1MopVKyvEH5mSo/s1600/holster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj-evUuTRrE9eJo27T1ciL53g72scQHb5f7wo4OsMq91hXXMY2iCntN4aVZeQNIbyqYYL-bpn4mxc7WTc1o8QDSLiEhQC1aeUVougiOfL52VuPQ9NvTbJpZH1GwVPv1MopVKyvEH5mSo/s1600/holster.jpg" height="200" width="111" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a link to <a href="http://www.racoindustries.com/avery-easy-cut-tips-downform.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Avery's "Easy Cut Safe Cutting Tips"</a> in PDF format.</div>
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Second, everything about dollar stores is focussed on "low cost." I interviewed a Family Dollar executive for a paper I was writing in college. He told me that when they scout a new store location, they look for oil stains in the parking lot. People who earn less drive older cars. They know their customers very well.<br />
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With today's economy, many middle class (or what's left of it) people have migrated from the Target type stores to the Walmarts. Now they are migrating to the dollar stores. Wages are down, taxes are up, mandates (Obamacare) are up, etc. People are looking to save as much money as possible. <i>I am sure that many safety people can attest to this fact...</i><br />
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That means low cost rent (for the retail space), low cost goods, and low cost employees. I am not saying that these companies ignore safety, but there are factors that correlate to "low cost" establishments. One may be the quality of the employees: they tend to be younger, less experienced, and less educated.<br />
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According to the Wall Street Journal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>Discounter Dollar Tree Inc. has racked up more workplace-safety violations this year at its stores than nearly any other business in the country, according to federal regulators, a surprise for a chain of retail outlets that had no explosion or worker fatality.</b></i></blockquote>
One possible reason is the increase in business is causing the company to get too big, too fast. That means not enough resources are going towards safety. I am sure that all budgets have been slashed with their purchase of Family Dollar for<b> $9.1 Billion (<i>yes, I said "BILLION" with a "B"</i>)</b>.<br />
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The problem that I see moving forward, is that with all mergers and acquisitions, the first thing done is eliminate all redundancy. That means eliminating the Family Dollar safety department, or as corporate PR says, blending it in.<br />
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I have seen some M&A in the past, where the acquiring company uses departments, people, technology, etc. of the acquired company that may be superior than their own. Dollar Tree may decide to keep Family Dollars safety department (in lieu of it's own) and adopt their safety practices (if they are superior to their's currently). This may solve Dollar Tree's safety issues.<br />
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To show how skewed the number of OSHA violations Dollar Tree has, I created a graph comparing the number of employees at Dollar Tree, what the combination of Dollar Tree and Family Dollar would be with out any cuts, AND the 10 largest US employers. You do the math....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_egHGE0xMYQ/VEE5wMw7hHI/AAAAAAAACwE/PkDHeMCPrMQ/s1600/DolT-FamDol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_egHGE0xMYQ/VEE5wMw7hHI/AAAAAAAACwE/PkDHeMCPrMQ/s1600/DolT-FamDol.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Click on image to view full sized:</span></i></div>
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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Please leave comments.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-50305644948513399052014-09-15T17:02:00.003-04:002014-09-15T17:02:54.988-04:00OSHA Updates Recordkeeping Rule [Jan 1, 2015]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gjOnvOFhfXg/U44KH1pn-qI/AAAAAAAACM4/l9mFB-fOvN8/s1600/new-update.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gjOnvOFhfXg/U44KH1pn-qI/AAAAAAAACM4/l9mFB-fOvN8/s1600/new-update.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tightening its standards, the government issued new regulations that will require employers to file a detailed report within eight hours on fatal workplace accidents. Severe on-the-job injuries that do not result in deaths but require hospitalization must be reported within 24 hours, under <b>the new rules which take effect Jan. 1 2015</b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWonT9LbRuyz3HyPOJMQLP4khTcIfW-w2MO0KB-V-tV5vOi9oJWGxcGul03M3qy7hb-PJtWY8HkREfihzDSSDEKNYfCf74pdheUl1ue7ywpEPFKK3dmnBE9QMp-Kp5p5uzjjOsOokqTRc/s1600/jan1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWonT9LbRuyz3HyPOJMQLP4khTcIfW-w2MO0KB-V-tV5vOi9oJWGxcGul03M3qy7hb-PJtWY8HkREfihzDSSDEKNYfCf74pdheUl1ue7ywpEPFKK3dmnBE9QMp-Kp5p5uzjjOsOokqTRc/s1600/jan1.jpeg" height="190" width="200" /></a></div>
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Previously, OSHA’s regulations required such reports only if three or more workers were killed or hospitalized as a result of a workplace accident. The new 24-hour reporting requirement includes work-related hospitalizations, amputations or losses of an eye.<br />
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Many states already have these or stricter requirements on the books. The new rule follows the release earlier in the day of a Bureau of Labor Statistics report that 4,405 workers were killed on the job in the United States in 2013.<br />
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The new rule maintains the current exemption for any employer with 10 or fewer workers from the requirement to routinely keep records of worker injuries and illnesses.<br />
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<h3>
Two Key Changes:</h3>
<b><i>First</i></b>, the rule updates the list of industries that are exempt from the requirement to routinely keep OSHA injury and illness records, due to relatively low occupational injury and illness rates.<br />
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The previous list of industries was based on the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system and injury and illness data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from 1996, 1997, and 1998.<br />
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The new list of industries that are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records is based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and injury and illness data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from 2007, 2008, and 2009.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Note</u><b>:</b> The new rule retains the exemption for any employer with ten or fewer employees, regardless of their industry classification, from the requirement to routinely keep records.</span></i><br />
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<b><i>Second</i></b>, the rule expands the list of severe work-related injuries that all covered employers must report to OSHA. The revised rule retains the current requirement to report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours and adds the requirement to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and loss of an eye within 24 hours to OSHA.<br />
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Establishments located in States under Federal OSHA jurisdiction must begin to comply with the new requirements on January 1, 2015.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Note</u><b>:</b> </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Establishments located in states that operate their own safety and health programs (State Plan States) should check with their state plan for the implementation date of the new requirements. OSHA encourages the states to implement the new coverage provisions on 1/1/2015, but some may not be able to meet this tight deadline.</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XC0t9cPsPEQ/VBdSwBbb9pI/AAAAAAAACqM/yNOnaFtNCO0/s1600/beforeafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XC0t9cPsPEQ/VBdSwBbb9pI/AAAAAAAACqM/yNOnaFtNCO0/s1600/beforeafter.jpg" height="133" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
Before and After</h3>
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Previously, employers had to report the following to OSHA:<br />
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<ul>
<li>All work-related fatalities</li>
<li>Work-related hospitalizations of three or more employees</li>
</ul>
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<b>Starting in 2015, employers will have to report the following to OSHA:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>All work-related fatalities</li>
<li>All work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees</li>
<li>All work-related amputations</li>
<li>All work-related losses of an eye</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30kzMSQWmvz61e80TB0RFdMpL5bG88hqRdfRWBLCyRrvFkkTU6iLZMQsTGwcWLd_5qFR2Ja1I6NhNVDKW4W02XrVGBk1V8c2NQhPmJ1Y9qzeao2IV5i1IjheMahOy1KvTF84vFogMtZ8/s1600/workerWheelChair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30kzMSQWmvz61e80TB0RFdMpL5bG88hqRdfRWBLCyRrvFkkTU6iLZMQsTGwcWLd_5qFR2Ja1I6NhNVDKW4W02XrVGBk1V8c2NQhPmJ1Y9qzeao2IV5i1IjheMahOy1KvTF84vFogMtZ8/s1600/workerWheelChair.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>An amputation is defined as:</b> the traumatic loss of a limb or other external body part. Amputations include a part, such as a limb or appendage, that has been severed, cut off, amputated (either completely or partially); fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached.<br />
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<b>Employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours of finding out about them.</b><br />
<b>Employers only have to report fatalities that occurred within 30 days of a work-related incident.</b><br />
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For any inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss employers must report the incident within 24 hours of learning about it. Employers only have to report an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye that occurs within 24 hours of a work-related incident.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPSiKG_TwA7vsTPr5QiXVxaMMJawX0h2t2tTYgTKE5dXT5YB2QvFNDk2p7IyHU2dXrffRHQ9X-0qEqTwf2U2qpoG94tAq5CMtrfJAZeQRGCKkmSxmy3QLnbUH1ayIgThx9IMGSnZ6noM/s1600/employeeSteps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPSiKG_TwA7vsTPr5QiXVxaMMJawX0h2t2tTYgTKE5dXT5YB2QvFNDk2p7IyHU2dXrffRHQ9X-0qEqTwf2U2qpoG94tAq5CMtrfJAZeQRGCKkmSxmy3QLnbUH1ayIgThx9IMGSnZ6noM/s1600/employeeSteps.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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Employers have three options for reporting the event:<br />
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<ol>
<li>By telephone to the nearest OSHA Area Office during normal business hours.</li>
<li>By telephone to the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).</li>
<li>OSHA is developing a new means of reporting events electronically, which will be available soon at www.osha.gov.</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W2txPQLHFA/VBc_SY0ojOI/AAAAAAAACpw/Ms75KMhv7b4/s1600/injuryRpt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W2txPQLHFA/VBc_SY0ojOI/AAAAAAAACpw/Ms75KMhv7b4/s1600/injuryRpt1.jpg" height="130" width="320" /></a></div>
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Employers reporting a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye to OSHA must report the following information:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Establishment name</li>
<li>Location of the work-related incident</li>
<li>Time of the work-related incident</li>
<li>Type of reportable event (i.e., fatality, inpatient</li>
<li>hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye)</li>
<li>Number of employees who suffered the event</li>
<li>Names of the employees who suffered the event</li>
<li>Contact person and his or her phone number</li>
<li>Brief description of the work-related incident</li>
</ul>
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Employers do <b><u>NOT</u></b> have to report an event if it:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Resulted from a motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway. </li>
<ul>
<li><i><b>Note:</b> Employers must report if <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>the event</i></span> happened in a construction work zone.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Occurred on a commercial or public transportation system (airplane, subway, bus, ferry, streetcar, light rail, train).</li>
<li>Occurred more than 30 days after the work- related incident in the case of a fatality or more than 24 hours after the work-related incident in the case of an inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.</li>
<ul>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><b>Note:</b> </i></span>Employers do not have to report an inpatient hospitalization if it was for diagnostic testing or observation only. </i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><b>Note:</b> </i></span>Employers do have to report an inpatient hospitalization due to a heart attack, if the heart attack resulted from a work-related incident.</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<b>New List of Partially Exempt Industries</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4412<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Motor Vehicle Dealers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4431<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Electronics and Appliance Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4461<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Health and Personal Care Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4471<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gasoline Stations</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4481<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Clothing Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4482<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Shoe Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4483<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4511<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4512<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Book, Periodical, and Music Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4531<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Florists</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4532<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4812<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nonscheduled Air Transportation</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4861<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4862<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4869<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Pipeline Transportation</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4879<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4885<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Freight Transportation Arrangement</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5111<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5112<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Software Publishers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5121<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Motion Picture and Video Industries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5122<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sound Recording Industries</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5151<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Radio and Television Broadcasting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5172<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5173<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Telecommunications Resellers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5179<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Telecommunications</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5181<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Internet Service Providers and Web Search Portals</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5182<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5191<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Information Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5211<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Monetary Authorities - Central Bank</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5221<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Depository Credit Intermediation</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5222<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nondepository Credit Intermediation</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5223<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Activities Related to Credit Intermediation</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5231<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5232<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Securities and Commodity Exchanges</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5239<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Financial Investment Activities</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5241<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Insurance Carriers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5242<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5251<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5259<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Investment Pools and Funds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5312<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5331<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5411<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Legal Services</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5412<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5413<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5414<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Specialized Design Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5415<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Computer Systems Design and Related Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5416<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5417<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Scientific Research and Development Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5418<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Advertising and Related Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5511<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Management of Companies and Enterprises</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5611<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Office Administrative Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5614<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Business Support Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5615<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5616<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Investigation and Security Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6111<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Elementary and Secondary Schools</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6112<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Junior Colleges</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6113<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6114<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Business Schools and Computer and Management Training</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6115<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Technical and Trade Schools</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6116<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other Schools and Instruction</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6117<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Educational Support Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6211<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Offices of Physicians</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6212<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Offices of Dentists</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6213<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Offices of Other Health Practitioners</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6214<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Outpatient Care Centers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6215<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6244<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Child Day Care Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7114<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7115<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7213<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rooming and Boarding Houses</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7221<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Full-Service Restaurants</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7222<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Limited-Service Eating Places</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7224<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8112<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8114<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8121<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Personal Care Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8122<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Death Care Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8131<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Religious Organizations</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8132<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grantmaking and Giving Services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8133<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Social Advocacy Organizations</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8134<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Civic and Social Organizations</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8139<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kcHidsQb8BE/U44KH1zqeZI/AAAAAAAACMg/ugLihf8DbhE/s1600/update-alert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kcHidsQb8BE/U44KH1zqeZI/AAAAAAAACMg/ugLihf8DbhE/s1600/update-alert.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Industries That Include Establishments Newly Required to Keep Records</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3118<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4411<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Automobile dealers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4413<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4441<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Building material and supplies dealers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4452<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Specialty food stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4453<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Beer, wine, and liquor stores</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4539<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other miscellaneous store retailers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4543<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Direct selling establishments</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5311<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lessors of real estate</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5313<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Activities related to real estate</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5322<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Consumer goods rental</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5324<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment rental and leasing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5419<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other professional, scientific, and technical services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5612<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Facilities support services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5617<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Services to buildings and dwellings</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5619<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other support services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6219<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other ambulatory health care services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6241<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Individual and family services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6242<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7111<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Performing arts companies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7113<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7121<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7139<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other amusement and recreation industries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7223<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Special food services</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8129<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other personal services</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
OSHA Links:</h3>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/OSHA3744.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overview Fact Sheet (PDF format)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/OSHA3745.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reportable Events Fact Sheet (PDF format)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/OSHA3746.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who Keeps Records Fact Sheet (PDF format)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/NAICSReporting.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Final rule (PDF format)</a></li>
</ul>
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<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />
EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-3042869337690358142014-08-28T11:47:00.000-04:002014-08-28T11:47:47.318-04:00SonicWALL LDAP Vulnerabilities<br />
<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;"><span font-face="Arial,Tahoma,Verdana" style="font-size: small;">URGENT: Dell SonicWALL Notice Concerning Multiple LDAP Vulnerabilities:</span></span></h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwmA467L9rw/U_9N5SmoojI/AAAAAAAACm0/pN5O0hKpgJ8/s1600/alert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cwmA467L9rw/U_9N5SmoojI/AAAAAAAACm0/pN5O0hKpgJ8/s1600/alert.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span font-face="Arial,Tahoma,Verdana" style="font-size: 12px;">Dell SonicWALL has identified multiple LDAP authentication protocol vulnerabilities exposed when SonicOS is configured to use Microsoft Active Directory / LDAP for authentication of AD/LDAP usernames who are members of SonicWALL Administrator groups.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span font-face="Arial,Tahoma,Verdana" style="font-size: 12px;">Please immediately logon to MySonicWALL ( </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.mysonicwall.com/Emails.aspx?utmhn=SRRLinkTracking&utmdt=VULNERABILITYCUSTOMER&utmp=VULNERABILITYCUSTOMER&tu=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXlzb25pY3dhbGwuY29tL3Byb2ZpbGUvaXNzdWVyZXNvbHV0aW9uLmFzcHg=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.mysonicwall.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span font-face="Arial,Tahoma,Verdana" style="font-size: 12px;"> ) , go to “My Products > Issue List”, and carefully review the related Dell SonicWALL Service Bulletin to determine if firmware upgrade or configuration remediation is applicable:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.mysonicwall.com/Emails.aspx?utmhn=SRRLinkTracking&utmdt=VULNERABILITYCUSTOMER&utmp=VULNERABILITYCUSTOMER&tu=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXlzb25pY3dhbGwuY29tL3Byb2ZpbGUvaXNzdWVyZXNvbHV0aW9uLmFzcHg=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.mysonicwall.com/profile/issueresolution.aspx</a></span>EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-26620312769375341272014-08-05T17:27:00.000-04:002014-08-05T17:27:16.003-04:00Cyber War, Safety, and OSHA RevisitedBack on January 31, 2013, I posted an article on this blog titled "<a href="http://safetyandstaffing.blogspot.com/2013/01/cyber-war-safety-and-osha.html" target="_blank">Cyber War, Safety, and OSHA</a>." I introduced the new term "<b><u><i>Workplace Industrial Cyber Safety</i></u></b>."<br />
<br />
It looked at computer viruses affecting Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). PLCs are essentially mini-micro-computers (a single chip) that run large, complicated machines or processes.<br />
<br />
As technology advances we find new products that are either the same benefit as old products but with the use of technology, OR products improved (with new technological features/improvements) that make them a separate product in their own right.<br />
<br />
A good example of the first kind of product ( same benefit via technology) is the Internet joke, "MS Word for blondes." MS Word provides the same benefit (a correspondence for example) as a pencil. You need a letter (the benefit), whether you write it or type it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6OR8IdZp7RfVMno8ri5Sv5ee9mjzzOhd0rw3veGgobvrXKXuzycagEVja2zzU81zOSW2bacmqnt1_MAXeR73uo2P2Ahirj0TaTVNUa3W-A9PfcQqQIXvzILWRClaXMVJlUdQEPYQw-k/s1600/Word-4-blondes.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6OR8IdZp7RfVMno8ri5Sv5ee9mjzzOhd0rw3veGgobvrXKXuzycagEVja2zzU81zOSW2bacmqnt1_MAXeR73uo2P2Ahirj0TaTVNUa3W-A9PfcQqQIXvzILWRClaXMVJlUdQEPYQw-k/s1600/Word-4-blondes.gif" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
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An example of the second (product with technological features/improvements) would be the ipod (compared to the old walkman. It is (basically) the same product (a music player/radio) but with new technological features; plays MP3s, and connects to the Internet.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5_gN9FStnA/U-E6doTuE9I/AAAAAAAACkg/ImwYrytXUHE/s1600/walkman-ipod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5_gN9FStnA/U-E6doTuE9I/AAAAAAAACkg/ImwYrytXUHE/s1600/walkman-ipod.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a></div>
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The same happened with PLCs. PACs are PLCs with technological improvements, mainly networking and user interface:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A few years ago, the term PAC (Programmable Automation Controller) started to appear. Many PLC manufacturers began to market new PAC's along with their traditional line of PLC's (see AutomationDirect.com <a href="http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a> for an example). If you use AutomationDirect.com as an example, their traditional line of PLC's (DL05, DL06, and others) are still available - and still fairly inexpensive. The new Programmable Automation Controller in contrast, is predictably more expensive and <b>has many more options for networking</b>, expandability, and <b>user interface</b>. This seems to be the differentiation between the traditional PLC and the newer PAC: Relative cost, expandability, functionality, and user options. (Source: <a href="http://www.plcengineers.com/plc_vs_pac.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PLC Engineers</a>)</i></blockquote>
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The most important (and dangerous) features are the networking and user interface. The options for the user interface means that a technician no longer has to plug a cable into a PLC and "<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudo_terminal" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">terminal</a></i>" in (think DOS terminal). The technician can now connect from any computer (which acts as the terminal) via a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>network</i></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmID3os0Ri19Tn8MKijRoOq0sS5vYG5eA16V2kFNWTumLB_sXoIDbe6oHEsEuxbpgR_Qp8O2ZYDIZa7OmL-bLC14N2l4AbS3U6evTKo4it7TPlxX-WSsTC2dvIk1GCWSgQedGQX_s574s/s1600/Bluetooth_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmID3os0Ri19Tn8MKijRoOq0sS5vYG5eA16V2kFNWTumLB_sXoIDbe6oHEsEuxbpgR_Qp8O2ZYDIZa7OmL-bLC14N2l4AbS3U6evTKo4it7TPlxX-WSsTC2dvIk1GCWSgQedGQX_s574s/s1600/Bluetooth_logo.png" height="78" width="320" /></a></div>
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The second dangerous feature is the networking. Networking is a means of linking electronic devices so they can share data. The Internet is a network. There are many different types of networks, the most popular being a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_communication" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wired network</a></i>, a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bluetooth network</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.hometheaternetwork.com/HTN_homeNET1.htm#PowerlineNetworking" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">power line networking</a></i>, and a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wi-Fi network</a></i>. All these have the potential, and most likely will be connected to the Internet.<br />
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This will gives hackers direct access to the machinery via the internet. Even if the network is nor connected to the Internet, hackers may gain access through a process called "<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Driving" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">War Driving</a></i>." This has the potential to create man-eating machines. Almost all security systems are Internet connected, so hackers can potentially watch as they take over machines.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJEkzXVh7SE/U-E6cltavrI/AAAAAAAACkk/vCkVUDwQWyA/s1600/Man_Eating_Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJEkzXVh7SE/U-E6cltavrI/AAAAAAAACkk/vCkVUDwQWyA/s1600/Man_Eating_Machine.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
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What is even more frightening is that companies want to network the appliances in our homes. Whirlpool has created (and is selling) digitally networked appliances with what it calls its "<i>6th Sense Live technology</i>." Whirlpool has a refrigerator, a dishwasher and a washer/dryer unit, all network enabled.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrYwgC9TEhc/U-E6dG1ex9I/AAAAAAAACkU/rA6tnyYsmMI/s1600/bt-appliances.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrYwgC9TEhc/U-E6dG1ex9I/AAAAAAAACkU/rA6tnyYsmMI/s1600/bt-appliances.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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This started as a novel idea of being able to control lighting and appliances in one's own home remotely. This allows each appliance to be link up to a household Wi-Fi network, show up on customer smartphones, tablets and PCs, and be controlled (turned on/off) from the devices. <i><a href="http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/whirlpool-launches-the-wi-fi-smart-appliance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See here:</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEKyyszrkSPFpxKFhSCq6lYDwojVIT-BgONsC5p5vzJ-0rlV3-t3u1d3fvqhayRaBMM2PgiJhEJU8gDNo2o14swz9NoVVOUWYqs1ucopFO6zVPFMUGy4obja_sQ1hvM4NX2EzmcrCZ-E/s1600/Networked_appliances.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEKyyszrkSPFpxKFhSCq6lYDwojVIT-BgONsC5p5vzJ-0rlV3-t3u1d3fvqhayRaBMM2PgiJhEJU8gDNo2o14swz9NoVVOUWYqs1ucopFO6zVPFMUGy4obja_sQ1hvM4NX2EzmcrCZ-E/s1600/Networked_appliances.jpg" height="133" width="320" /></a></div>
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GE is pushing their "<i><a href="http://smartgrid.testing-blog.com/2009/07/15/ge-smart-grid-yields-net-zero-energy-home-green-tech-cnet-news/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Smart Grid</a></i>" that will let homeowners cut annual energy consumption to zero by 2015. Learn more about appliance networking <a href="http://www.hometheaternetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyx7XXfhfq5syLGGLuYkb4b2N2Ql4USg4CnrOX7givKNJVS4bAu74rbgmGiSpIzd1QR0sGfxEGrt50hU2qjrB420V1sFNyuydIXhOD3KK_kghXosir8e0H4ZbZ41bXSjG2QYPLMeLEJI/s1600/GEsmartgrid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyx7XXfhfq5syLGGLuYkb4b2N2Ql4USg4CnrOX7givKNJVS4bAu74rbgmGiSpIzd1QR0sGfxEGrt50hU2qjrB420V1sFNyuydIXhOD3KK_kghXosir8e0H4ZbZ41bXSjG2QYPLMeLEJI/s1600/GEsmartgrid.JPG" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have been warning my clients about this for over 10 years, and I am surprised that nobody has picked up on this yet. So far it has been about terrorist attacks on infrastructure (power grid, waste water plants, nuclear power plants, etc.) and in academia.<br />
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<h3>
A Good Resource:</h3>
Dr. Raj Jain, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis has an excellent web page titled: "<i><a href="http://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse571-09/ftp/sensors/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Security in Private Networks of Appliance Sensors and Actuators</a></i>," you can download it in a <a href="http://www.cse.wustl.edu/~jain/cse571-09/ftp/sensors.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.pdf file here</a>:<br />
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<h3>
My Predictions:</h3>
Everything is becoming more linked together. This is creating new, unseen hazards. As I stated previously, it may be 5-10 years before a fatality occurs from a machine who's PLC/PAC has been hacked or infected with a virus. It could be longer than that until it is (forensically) discovered that the cause was hacking or a virus. <br />
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<h3>
My Advice:</h3>
There is hope. With consumer appliance and whole home networks being advanced, they will be the first networks hacked/infected. The consumer will not put up with refrigerators that can be hacked, turned off, and millions of dollars worth of food going bad. These advanced will carry over to industry. As a safety professional, you should begin educating yourself about PLCs and PACs.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-52581980148871272092014-07-25T14:51:00.002-04:002014-07-25T14:51:49.017-04:00Accident InvestigationLook at the picture, then read down...<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OK, read down...</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>DOWN...</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>DOWN...</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Read on...</b></span></div>
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You are wondering what this picture has to do with safety and <i><b>accident investigation</b></i>? You <b>first</b> probably noticed the girl's thong showing through her pants (women saying that is a fashion <i>faux pas</i>, men adding a point to their <i>thong spotting</i> score. )<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Did you notice the DOG driving the white car?</span> <i>Go look.</i><br />
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So what does this picture have to do with <i><b>accident investigation</b></i>? Quite simply I ask: <b>"What else are you missing?"</b><br />
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Just because you think you know where the scene is, you may be missing something. When I teach accident investigation, and my students determine the scene, we rope it off to investigate just like the police.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrNuQPiO0DY/U9KiAWFEqQI/AAAAAAAACio/ELDBo7QxBBM/s1600/crimescene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrNuQPiO0DY/U9KiAWFEqQI/AAAAAAAACio/ELDBo7QxBBM/s1600/crimescene.jpg" /></a></div>
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After we investigate the scene, I ask: "What else are you missing?" I tell them that you will (usually) find something outside the scene that has a bearing on interpreting what caused the accident. My Rule of Thumb: 20 feet.<br />
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That is to say to say there is additional evidence at least 20 feet away from what you thought was the scene. For example an employee is injured by a machine that the guards were tampered with. What additional evidence can be more than 20 feet away?<br />
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How about a production memo that pressures employees to take shortcuts or devices being made in the maintenance shop that disable the guards?<br />
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<h3>
Investigate Accurately, Recreate Accurately</h3>
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You may do your "initial investigation" as soon as possible to preserve evidence, but do a thorough investigation accurately. If the accident happened on 3ed shift, come back then to do a thorough investigation. There may be dynamics that are only present on 3rd shift like employees coming from the bar to work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaWQT6I2fAaNRoYGRJ1hhsQPyNSM-QLxhmQqlt-on1z5rE6m3Z7SAKHcwO0QRMhEzRPR9o0H6u9XjaPc8YeOYnu4AAUzRwoAQKmXGIKAL2RStvEs4jl6gEGdNeM5Wn48yI5GWvoFI8ro/s1600/attic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaWQT6I2fAaNRoYGRJ1hhsQPyNSM-QLxhmQqlt-on1z5rE6m3Z7SAKHcwO0QRMhEzRPR9o0H6u9XjaPc8YeOYnu4AAUzRwoAQKmXGIKAL2RStvEs4jl6gEGdNeM5Wn48yI5GWvoFI8ro/s1600/attic.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you recreate the accident scene, do it accurately. I recreated a roof section that was involved with a fall. By comparing my pictures I had taken at the scene with the full sized model I built, I discovered that the rails and toe boards were not properly attached. I solved this when I noticed that my model had long common nails from where nailing the toe boards and rails missed the rafters.<br />
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This was confirmed by another visit to the scene and interview with employees. They did use nearly enough nails, not wanting to damage the new roof.<br />
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My 20 foot rule is no guarantee, BUT it is a reminder to think "outside the box" (or accident scene).<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-91927606793749860652014-06-13T17:29:00.002-04:002014-06-13T17:31:32.583-04:00English Por FavorI have been off on technology tangents, now I am getting back to safety....<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Can You Require Employees to Speak Only English on the Job?</h3>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sources: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/06/06/whole-foods-spanish-language-multi-cultural-issues/2398003/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">USA Today</a>, </span> <a href="http://eeoc.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EEOC</a>, <a href="http://blog.thinkhr.com/hotline-special-accommodation-employees-read-write/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">think HR blog</a>, </i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czN33bTTAIM/U5syiu_3kaI/AAAAAAAACQo/TMAUNw38W7s/s1600/GenoSign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czN33bTTAIM/U5syiu_3kaI/AAAAAAAACQo/TMAUNw38W7s/s1600/GenoSign.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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In today’s increasingly diverse workforce, it’s not at all unusual for a company to have employees whose native tongue is a language other than English. In some workplaces, this has given rise to problems. Consider these situations:<br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
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<ul>
<li><i><b>Two cashiers chat with each other in Spanish while dealing with English-speaking customers. A customer later complains about this "rude behavior."</b></i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><b> Three members of a work team converse in Portuguese. A fourth member, who doesn’t speak Portuguese, tells a supervisor she thinks the other three are making fun of her.</b></i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><b> An employee, seeing a falling object, yells "Watch out!" in Italian to co-workers, some of whom don’t understand that language. </b></i></li>
</ul>
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The first scenario might be considered poor customer service. The second could lead to morale problems or hostility among employees, or otherwise interfere with their ability to work together efficiently. And the third is a safety concern.<br />
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I am going to evaluate the above 3 scenarios, but first let's take a look at the legality of English-only policies. There have been numerous lawsuits in the wake of these policies.<br />
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USA Today reports that Whole Foods has suspended two employees for allegedly speaking Spanish to each other on the job. For its part, Whole Foods denies the claim, and insists that it suspended the employees for "rude and disrespectful behavior."<br />
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English-only rules are legal as long as the employer can show a business need for the policy (for example, inter-employee communication or workplace safety). An overly restrictive rule (for example, prohibiting non-English-speaking in non-work areas such as the lunchroom), however, might violate EEOC's Title VII’s prohibition against national origin discrimination.<br />
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According to the USA Today story, Whole Foods’s "policy states that all English speaking team members must speak English to customers and other team members while on the clock" and that "team members are free to speak any language they would like during their breaks, meal periods, and before and after work." That policy is perfectly legal under Title VII, and should raise no issues for the employer.<br />
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<h3>
What the EEOC Says:</h3>
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EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1606.7(a) provides that a rule requiring employees to speak only English at all times in the workplace is a burdensome term and condition of employment. Such a rule is presumed to violate Title VII. Therefore, a speak-English-only rule that applies to casual conversations between employees on break or not performing a job duty would be unlawful.<br />
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A workplace English-only rule that is applied only at certain times may be adopted only under very limited circumstances that are justified by business necessity. 29 C.F.R. § 1606.7(b) Such a rule must be narrowly tailored to address the business necessity. Situations in which business necessity would justify an English-only rule include:<br />
<ul>
<li>For communications with customers, coworkers, or supervisors who only speak English.</li>
<li>In emergencies or other situations in which employees must speak a common language to promote safety. </li>
<ul>
<li><i>For example, a rule requiring employees to speak only English in the
event of an emergency and when performing their work in specific areas
of the workplace that might contain flammable chemicals or other
potentially dangerous equipment is narrowly tailored to safety
requirements and does not violate Title VII. </i></li>
</ul>
<li>For cooperative work assignments in which the English-only rule is needed to promote efficiency.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>For example, a rule requiring investigators (some of whom speak only
English) to speak only English when working as a team to compile a
report or prepare a case for litigation is narrowly tailored to promote
business efficiency and therefore does not violate Title VII</i>. </li>
</ul>
<li>To enable a supervisor who only speaks English to monitor the
performance of an employee whose job duties require communication in
English with coworkers or customers.</li>
<ul>
<li><i>For example, a rule requiring employees to speak only English with
English-speaking co-workers and customers when a supervisor is present
to monitor their work performance would be narrowly tailored to promote
efficiency of business operations. As long as the rule does not apply to
casual conversations between employees when they are not performing job
duties, it would not violate Title VII.</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
If an employer with a business necessity adopts an English-only rule to be applied at certain times, the employer must inform its affected employees of the general circumstances when speaking only in English is required and of the consequences of violating the rule. 29 C.F.R. § 1606.7(c).<br />
<br />
As with all workplace policies, an English-only rule must be adopted for nondiscriminatory reasons only.<br />
<ul>
<li>For example, an English-only rule would be unlawful if it were adopted with the intent to discriminate on the basis of national origin. Likewise, a policy prohibiting some, but not all, of the foreign languages spoken in a workplace, such as a no-Spanish rule, would be unlawful.</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/labor_law/meetings/2010/annualconference/037.authcheckdam.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The American Bar Association has an excellent analysis of English-only rules (in .pdf format) here:</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Some History of English-only:</h3>
The debate about English-only initiatives has raged in one form or another for much of this country's history. In America's early days, multiple languages often co-existed. The Continental Congress printed many documents, including the Articles of Confederation, in German and English. An 1837 Pennsylvania law required school instruction in both German and English. California was officially bilingual for its first 30 years, and printed its first state constitutional proceedings in both Spanish and English.<br />
<br />
During the 1870s, however, restrictive language legislation became prevalent. In the South, native-born, English-speaking African American men had to pass a literacy requirement in order to vote. An Anti-Chinese Party led California's second constitutional convention to ratify the state's first English-only provisions. During the 1920s, many Midwestern states passed legislation that barred schools from teaching German as a result of anti-German sentiment lingering from WWI. <br />
<br />
The courts and eventually the United States Congress stepped in and reversed this pattern of language restriction. In 1923 the U.S. Supreme Court nullified these restrictive laws in the case of Meyer v. Nebraska. The Court wrote, <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The protection of the Constitution extends to all; to those who speak other languages as well as those born with English on the tongue." </blockquote>
The Supreme Court, in Lau v. Nichols, ruled that instruction solely in English deprives students of an understanding of the curriculum and of an equal opportunity in education. In 1968, Congress, looking for new ways to educate minority youth, enacted the Bilingual Education Act.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp1fBDO7N713ogQ58tBrByN0PCoh8chpJeoE2egfl8lZVxMMZm2y7Gpvs0jhBb9dgOVxyIRLUka0tAvjDXoXsJw3D_iOwFNMRjr9lbN-XPYzl81mt6jLmpZyagIb34v4OWsvDqPameFM/s1600/Geno_s_Steaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp1fBDO7N713ogQ58tBrByN0PCoh8chpJeoE2egfl8lZVxMMZm2y7Gpvs0jhBb9dgOVxyIRLUka0tAvjDXoXsJw3D_iOwFNMRjr9lbN-XPYzl81mt6jLmpZyagIb34v4OWsvDqPameFM/s1600/Geno_s_Steaks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The debate has been renewed at 9th and Passyunk in South Philadelphia. At Geno's "world famous" cheese steaks the demand for "Wiz wit" (i.e., cheese wiz and onions) remains high even though the owner is requesting that customers order their sandwiches in English. A sign at the order window reads: "This is America. Please Speak English."<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Apparently no one has been denied a steak at Genos's for ordering in something other than English, despite several attempts by local radio stations. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<u><i>Two cashiers chat with each other in Spanish while dealing with
English-speaking customers. A customer later complains about this "rude
behavior."</i></u></h3>
Speaking English only would constitute a business necessity for communications with customers, coworkers, or supervisors who only speak English.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u><i>An employee, seeing a falling object, yells "Watch out!" in Italian to co-workers, some of whom don’t understand that language. </i></u></h3>
Safety concerns are another legitimate use of an English-only rule, although it must be applied to specific situations.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>The EEOC cites the following scenario as an appropriate use of an English-only rule to address safety concerns:</b></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
XYZ Petroleum Corp. operates an oil refinery and has a rule requiring all employees to speak only English during an emergency. The rule also requires that employees speak in English while performing job duties in laboratories and processing areas where there is the danger of fire or explosion. The rule does not apply to casual conversations between employees in the laboratory or processing areas when they are not performing a job duty. The English-only rule does not violate Title VII because it is narrowly tailored to safety requirements. (EEOC Compliance Manual, Section 13: National Origin Discrimination – Dec. 2, 2002).</blockquote>
According to this example, then, an employer would not run afoul of federal non-discrimination laws by requiring employees to speak only English while performing specific job functions, during emergency situations, or while working in particular areas of a facility that implicate workplace safety issues.<br />
<br />
<h3>
EEOC and OSHA: a Double Edged Sword</h3>
While EEOC allows English-only rules for concerns of safety <i><b>OSHA’s training standards require employers to use particular documents, teaching methods or language to train employees. Instead, OSHA requires employees to present information in a manner that employees are capable of understanding.</b></i><br />
<br />
A narrowly-tailored and appropriately used English-only policy is relevant to hiring decisions. If, for example, an employer has an English-only policy like XYZ Corporation’s in the above example, it would need to consider that policy in hiring employees to work in the laboratories and processing areas.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;">
<i>Candidates who speak no English would not be able to adhere to the policy and would therefore not be qualified for hire into a position that includes work in those areas. Similarly, even in the absence of an English-only policy, an employer does not violate federal anti-discrimination laws by rejecting a non- English speaking candidate whose inability to speak or understand English would materially affect his or her ability to perform job duties. </i></div>
<br />
<div style="color: red;">
<i>If, for example, a candidate’s job duties would require forklift operation, and the candidate could not read or understand warning signs, operating manuals, or safety placards required for the safe operation of a forklift, the employer would have a good faith, non-discriminatory reason to reject that candidate.</i></div>
<div style="color: red;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="color: red;">
<i>Consider a production facility where forklifts are used. All employees need a certain proficiency in English for the forklift drivers to communicate their intentions. It would be almost impossible (and discriminatory under EEOC) to identify (label) non-English speaking employees to the forklift drivers. </i></div>
<div style="color: red;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: red;">
<i>Under this scenario, it is reasonable to expect all production, maintenance, dock, yard, and warehouse employees (all the places where forklifts are present) to speak English. Office employees would be exempt as long as they do not have to speak to Englis only speaking supervisors or go in to areas where the forklifts operate.</i></div>
<br />
Another way OSHA inspectors will evaluate an employer’s compliance with safety training standards is by determining how the employer communicates other workplace rules and policies to employees, particularly job instructions (i.e., other non-safety policies or procedures). If these other job instructions are given in Spanish, for example, OSHA will likely view English-only safety training as insufficient.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Other Federal Agencies:</h3>
<br />
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<br />
Certainly, safety issues arise in some workplaces. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for example, requires air traffic controllers to "be able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment."<br />
<br />
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<br />
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requires that "all employees profeciently read, write, and speak English... and English is the only language to be used."<br />
<br />
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<br />
U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require commercial truck drivers "to be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to" speak with the public, understand road signs, respond to "official inquiries," and keep records. The states are charged with enforcing these requirements.<br />
<br />
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<br />
A <a href="http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/You_Must_Speak_English_Brochure.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration pamphlet</a> outlines the kinds of things truckers should be able to say, in English, if they want to keep on driving: <br />
<br />
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<br />
<h3>
<u><i>Three members of a work team converse in Portuguese. A fourth member,
who doesn’t speak Portuguese, tells a supervisor she thinks the other
three are making fun of her.</i></u> </h3>
I purposely saves this for last. This may seem like an inappropriate application of an English-only rule, but I beg to differ.<br />
<br />
Workplace and school violence events have contributed to our increasing national conversation about "bullying." Recently, National Public Radio quoted a Zogby poll in which more than a quarter of American workers reported that they have experienced abusive conduct at work. Sixty-four percent of respondents to a Monster Global Poll felt that they had been "bullied, either physically hurt, driven to tears, or had their work performance harmed."<br />
<br />
As part of an anti-bullying policy, the requirement to speak English-only in the presence of English-only speaking employees is reasonable. This also prevents the misinterpretation of threats.<br />
<br />
Both practical and legal problems impede developing effective policies. As an example, how do you define "bullying" and how do you distinguish this objectionable conduct from the sort of workplace banter and teasing that men often use to bond with one another?<br />
<br />
Michael Akin, vice president of government affairs for the Society of Human Resource Management, pointed out that "it’s tough, if not impossible, to legislate against someone being a jerk." However, employers may be able to develop an effective code of conduct and effective anti-bullying policy based upon requiring employees to use "good judgment" and to be a "professional." <br />
<br />
Being that there is no legislation or OSHA Standard on anti-bullying policies, it is important to define the terms used in the policy. For example;<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>"Abusive conduct"</b> means acts, omissions, or both, that a reasonable person would find abusive, based on the severity, nature and frequency of the conduct, including, but is not limited to: repeated verbal abuse such as the use of derogatory remarks, insults, and epithets; verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a threatening, intimidating, or humiliating nature; or the sabotage or undermining of an employee’s work performance. It shall be considered an aggregating factor if the conduct exploited an employee’s known psychological or physical illness or disability. A single act normally shall not constitute abusive conduct, but an especially severe and egregious act may meet this standard;</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"<b>Abusive work environment"</b> means, an employee condition when an employer or one or more of its employees, acting with intent to cause pain or distress to an employee, subjects the employee to abusive conduct that causes physical harm, psychological harm, or both;</i></blockquote>
<br />
Here is another good paper titled: <a href="http://www.ehorton.com/gee/doc/OSHA_English_Language_Training.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Safety, The Universal Language? Literacy and Language Challenges in the Workplace</a> (in .pdf format).<br />
<br />
<h3>
Literacy as a Foreign Language</h3>
What special accommodation should an employer have for an employee who works in a safety-sensitive position who cannot read or write?<br />
<br />
The employee is required to pass a hazard communication training, as well as be able to respond adequately to an emergency situation, including being able to read and follow safety instructions.<br />
<br />
Assuming that this not a disability that causes the illiteracy but based upon lack of formal education, an employer is not required to accommodate the employee. <b>In safety-sensitive positions, even if a disability were the cause for inability to read or write, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not override safety requirements in the workplace.</b><br />
<br />
Again OSHA training requirements say: For example, if an employee is not literate, the employer does not satisfy OSHA training requirements merely by telling the employee to read training materials or safety programs. Likewise, if an employee does not speak, read or understand English, training must be provided in a language the employee understands.<br />
<br />
OSHA has tasked each of its inspectors with the duty of determining whether the training provided by an employer satisfies the intent of the Standard (i.e., whether employees receiving the training actually understand the training). <br />
<br />
<h3>
Discriminating on the Basis of an Employee’s National Origin</h3>
To me this is truly idiotic. There are people from every National Origin that <b>can</b> speak English, and there are people from every National Origin that <b>can't</b> speak English.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
First, let me point out how the EEOC defines national origin discrimination:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>National origin discrimination involves treating people (applicants or employees) unfavorably because they are from a particular country or part of the world, because of ethnicity or accent, or because they appear to be of a certain ethnic background (even if they are not). </i><a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/nationalorigin.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">source: eeoc.gov</a></blockquote>
<br />
It is important to note, that "National Origin" is <b>NOT</b> "Country of Origin." National Origin <b>Discrimination <u>is</u></b>: not hiring anyone with black skin appearing to be of African decent, hiring people with "oriental" eyes and light skin, appearing to be of Chinese or Japanese decent, etc. <b><u style="color: red;">(True) discrimination </u><u><span style="color: red;">is wrong!</span></u></b><br />
<br />
But what if you only have 5 workers of Latino decent and none of them can speak English? Is action against them discrimination? <u><b>Do you to find at least one workers of Latino decent who does speak English to prove you are not discriminatory? </b></u><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ig3tDvJ2boQ/U5tjf_H9qMI/AAAAAAAACTk/64xFfdqLKgw/s1600/token.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ig3tDvJ2boQ/U5tjf_H9qMI/AAAAAAAACTk/64xFfdqLKgw/s1600/token.jpg" height="200" width="181" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Based on this theory, I would argue that almost ALL US companies discriminate based on National Origin for not employing people of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_Australians" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aboriginal decent</a>. <br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Samantha Harris: First Aboriginal Supermodel</i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Take a Test: Discrimination on National Origin</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9gBX7tDa8I/U5syj1TJyMI/AAAAAAAACQc/Cpv8CXhdDVA/s1600/fujimori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9gBX7tDa8I/U5syj1TJyMI/AAAAAAAACQc/Cpv8CXhdDVA/s1600/fujimori.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Look at the picture above. This person is a (in)famous foreign national. If your company had only white, Anglo, English only speaking employees, and he claimed you fired him for not speaking English, what National Origin would he claimed you discriminated against? (<span style="color: magenta;">Answer below in fuchsia.</span>)<br />
<br />
<h3>
Is Simply Speaking English Enough?</h3>
Is speaking English enough or do you need to proficiently speak English? That depends on the situation. From a safety perspective, flight controller needs a better level of English than a warehouse worker.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yLw1rgQUpC4/U5sykMenxYI/AAAAAAAACQg/vamf1q5hXB8/s1600/sam.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yLw1rgQUpC4/U5sykMenxYI/AAAAAAAACQg/vamf1q5hXB8/s1600/sam.gif" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
What to Take Away from this...</h3>
You cannot ban employees from speaking a foreign language all the time.<br />
<br />
"English-only" policies, prohibiting employees from speaking languages other than English <u><b>at all times</b></u> in the workplace, are presumed to be discriminating on the basis of an employee’s national origin.<br />
<br />
You can have a policy that requires at certain times, an English-only in the workplace may be appropriate and non- discriminatory. The employer must establish that the rule is justified by a "business necessity," or essential to safety.<br />
<br />
Proficient English-only can be an essential requirement of the job requirement for those specific situations. If a person does not meet essential job requirements, then they are not qualified.<br />
<br />
Literacy should also be a job requirement when necessary for safety. Lack of formal education is NOT considered a disability under ADA or a protected class by EEOC when it is essential to the job function.<br />
<br />
English-only cannot be broad based, it must apply to specific situations. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: magenta;">Answer from the Test Above:</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9gBX7tDa8I/U5syj1TJyMI/AAAAAAAACQc/Cpv8CXhdDVA/s1600/fujimori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w9gBX7tDa8I/U5syj1TJyMI/AAAAAAAACQc/Cpv8CXhdDVA/s1600/fujimori.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">The gentleman in the picture is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Fujimori" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alberto Fujimori Fujimor</a> (<i>This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Fujimori and the second or maternal family name is Fujimori.</i>) He served as President of Peru from 28 July 1990 to 17 November 2000. He is a Peruvian of Japanese descent (his parents were native Japanese). He fluently speaks Spanish and Japanese. Under EEOC he could claim discrimination against his national origin as:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"> A Peruvian (Latino) being he was born in Peru and speaks Spanish.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Japanese (Asian) because he "looks Asian" and speaks Japanese.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Peruvian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nisei</a> (a subculture of Japanese immigrants to Peru, and up to 4th generation children). Just as we consider Aboriginal a separate culture, yet a part of the Australian culture, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Peruvian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese immigrants to Peru are a </a></span><span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Peruvian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">separate culture, yet a part of thePeruvian culture</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclaimer: I am 3rd the generation descendant of immigrants. They also learned English (to work in the (dangerous) mines and survived (although a couple uncles were sans fingers). My grandmother use to yell at me in Polish when I misbehaved. My heritage has only enriched my life. I do not advocate discrimination. I do advocate legal, well written job descriptions. Coming from a nuclear background, I see the value of English-only in respect to safety. English-only may not be required in every situation. You must evaluate on a case-by-case basis to ensure legality of your requirements. </i></span></blockquote>
<br />
Thank you for reading!<br />
Thank you for thinking!EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-89879478762551184402014-05-01T13:18:00.001-04:002014-06-03T14:56:36.763-04:00Serious Security Flaw Affects Every Version of Internet Explorer<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpK4vGP4-S-mFyQ1IfIhJARnRH7TY1jjvAqgWoxgFazG8PBpn6d-ZFfJh6nIFMvvg8kFGrxFmsWMNKKRVovTxsH8h-DpbKjGd-qePFqfWerbRKZ7Sn6enB77Y_ibJfvDmEo5x-shhjTs/s1600/news-update.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpK4vGP4-S-mFyQ1IfIhJARnRH7TY1jjvAqgWoxgFazG8PBpn6d-ZFfJh6nIFMvvg8kFGrxFmsWMNKKRVovTxsH8h-DpbKjGd-qePFqfWerbRKZ7Sn6enB77Y_ibJfvDmEo5x-shhjTs/s1600/news-update.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
<h3>
June 3, 2014 -- UPDATE!!!</h3>
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In the wake of the "zero day" security flaw, Microsoft has announced (along with fixes), another vulnerability: the <a href="http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2014/04/28/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer-Use-After-Free-Vulnerability-Being" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">use-after-free vulnerability</a>. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Here is the <a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/security/2963983" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for May 2014</a>, along with links to the May 2014 updates.</div>
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Here is a great graphic comparing web browser security flaws, taken from wikipedia: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJM4CN3FO6DrvZrNBprJm7E6nHzq8wI-DaDQ__lbL9XhWg2KcPXhpmm3vHuHTzqOOSW9B-xdN7_6bhQdhZGhQhv_DMn8ijQ2_7FQKQ9EdRRE6diNOuEKj6FTe6OfwQPpRWTvTdlcl0dAg/s1600/browser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJM4CN3FO6DrvZrNBprJm7E6nHzq8wI-DaDQ__lbL9XhWg2KcPXhpmm3vHuHTzqOOSW9B-xdN7_6bhQdhZGhQhv_DMn8ijQ2_7FQKQ9EdRRE6diNOuEKj6FTe6OfwQPpRWTvTdlcl0dAg/s1600/browser.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Click on image to open a full size.</b></span></i></div>
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The entire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_browsers#Security_and_vulnerabilities" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wikipedia page on browser security flaws is here:</a></div>
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The fallout from all of this is that companies, both the ones that produce the programs (Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Apple, etc.) and the companies that use the programs (government, schools, retailers, banks, insurance companies, etc.) are reevaluating their systems. Even Google has just announced an update to Chrome. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LW-ctycHtyM/U44XRsXYuxI/AAAAAAAACOc/8oyNQbTLzag/s1600/Chrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LW-ctycHtyM/U44XRsXYuxI/AAAAAAAACOc/8oyNQbTLzag/s1600/Chrome.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2014/05/stable-channel-update.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google announcement can be found here</a> and the <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">updated version of Chrome can be found here:</a></div>
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<div>
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<div>
Below my original post. For the average person, this may seem like too much to take in, and it is. My simple recommendation is if you are on Windows, use Chrome or FireFox.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Better yet, switch to a Mac.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Original Post: May 1, 2014...................</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdITaWtZuW3QlVFoogOAue5gI900knvucKVO4N-o9CXtZVa9OHM0b_4FGT4UpTVelZJbLqiG7Ok6sgkGgRf9u633HqXBqT3RBz2TQIXUEKDAt6l_to-mJWEUwL5ZzvBulEXlZr7jaqmk/s1600/iexplode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdITaWtZuW3QlVFoogOAue5gI900knvucKVO4N-o9CXtZVa9OHM0b_4FGT4UpTVelZJbLqiG7Ok6sgkGgRf9u633HqXBqT3RBz2TQIXUEKDAt6l_to-mJWEUwL5ZzvBulEXlZr7jaqmk/s1600/iexplode.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunday, April 27, 2014</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">From: <a href="http://www.komando.com/tips/250386/serious-security-flaw-affects-every-version-of-internet-explorer/all" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kim Komando</a>, <a href="http://time.com/78828/internet-explorer-microsoft-security-flaw/#" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Time</a>, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2014/04/30/illustrated-guide-to-microsofts-defense-on-latest-security-flaw-or-avoid-internet-explorer-altogether/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Forbes</a>, <a href="http://guardianlv.com/2014/04/internet-explorer-security-issues-trigger-national-security-alert/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liberty Voice</a>, <a href="http://news.techeye.net/software/governments-warn-against-internet-exploder?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+techeye%2Fsoftware+%28Tech+Eye+-+Latest+Software+headlines%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tech Eye</a> , and <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/usanow/2014/04/28/internet-explorer-bug-homeland-security-clandestine-fox/8409857/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">USAToday</a></span></i><br />
<br />
Here is the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/usanow/2014/04/28/internet-explorer-bug-homeland-security-clandestine-fox/8409857/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">USA Today article with video:</a><br />
<br />
Researchers at security company FireEye have found a flaw in Internet Explorer that could let hackers easily slip a virus on to your computer, especially those still using Windows XP. And hackers are already using it.<br />
<br />
This flaw, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-day_attack" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"zero day" security flaw</a>, is present in every version of Internet Explorer – from 6 to 11 – stretching back more than a decade.<br />
<br />
Calling it a "remote code execution vulnerability," Microsoft warns that "An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user, including the ability to "take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights."<br />
<br />
Microsoft explained that the "vulnerability exists in the way that Internet Explorer accesses an object in memory that has been deleted or has not been properly allocated."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You have no defense with the latest Windows systems, either; the program is vulnerable no matter which version of Windows you are running.<br />
<br />
The bug is a drive-by hack; all you have to do is visit a site that hackers have hijacked or modified and you’re infected.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u style="color: red;"><b>As of May 1, 2014, there is no permanent fix and Microsoft is still researching the problem.</b></u><br />
<br />
<h3>
Internet Explorer Security Issues Trigger National Security Alert</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9gJIH3aZ_wK2OsmO90dtsuI-4Ol34Pwmj_pu-_diAaegyC2AlKXuFsMldfHY9Ed5uaqyhJRpIYBPE98by-5xeH9Vukj8M2pF7Oa7p1N0LI931Qw-VAnahz6roPkJLGJ2-ds84OPmxOs/s1600/it-explode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9gJIH3aZ_wK2OsmO90dtsuI-4Ol34Pwmj_pu-_diAaegyC2AlKXuFsMldfHY9Ed5uaqyhJRpIYBPE98by-5xeH9Vukj8M2pF7Oa7p1N0LI931Qw-VAnahz6roPkJLGJ2-ds84OPmxOs/s1600/it-explode.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This Internet Explorer (IE) security issues is so serious, that it triggered a national security alert from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which issued an unusual advisory warning computer users not utilize the IE web browser until the most recently discovered security issue is fixed. Some experts say that is not very likely to happen any time soon.<br />
<br />
<b>A Concerted Attack on US Infrastructure</b><br />
<br />
"Complete compromise" means different things to different organizations, but a technical support team at General Dynamics defines it as a complete takeover of system operations, sometime called the "going hog-wild" phenomenon among hackers. This is not a common garden variety hack, a phishing scheme, or some other low-level annoyance.<br />
<br />
On the contrary, this is a prima facie illustration of what a cyber war attack will look like, because that is exactly what is happening right now. So far, the hackers have only been stealing data, but the nature of the security hole is such that the hackers could take control over entire systems and wipe data, change data, add data, or deliberately crash devices running on infected systems. In other words, this is no joke.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Who is Affected?<br />
</h3>
Just about anyone could be affected by the breach. Neither Homeland
Security nor anyone else is about to provide any details about who has
been affected, or who may be affected in the near future, for the very
obvious reason that making such information public would hang a target
on those companies for other hackers.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">However, the fact that the
warning came from Homeland Security, rather than Microsoft itself,
suggests that at least one of the victims has ties to country’s defence
systems. The Department of Homeland Security yesterday warned. "We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem," said the department's Computer Readiness Team</span><br />
<div style="color: red;">
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<div style="color: red;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDAU8S8L3TN2NwgssJxcLXY7WI0mp8ZT-2G_rnuicKHC5KipI6Rx29dzkaPT4zoDuV8BJGdCYqsK1BoqAvJxlg7XXzwIFwGkQiIrpVHcSgAlIbu7YLmXi1ShOw_EuWcLQmjthWs5qN3Y/s1600/DHS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDAU8S8L3TN2NwgssJxcLXY7WI0mp8ZT-2G_rnuicKHC5KipI6Rx29dzkaPT4zoDuV8BJGdCYqsK1BoqAvJxlg7XXzwIFwGkQiIrpVHcSgAlIbu7YLmXi1ShOw_EuWcLQmjthWs5qN3Y/s1600/DHS.png" height="199" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You can read <a href="http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2014/04/28/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer-Use-After-Free-Vulnerability-Being" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Homeland Security's warning here:</a></span><br />
<br />
Organizations in that category reportedly might include branches of the
U.S. Military, The U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, defense contractors, and major
financial institutions.<br />
<br />
Homeland Security itself has moved most of its operations to Windows
7, but still requires its employees to use Internet Explorer.<br />
<br />
The IRS recently admitted that it was paying Microsoft millions of
dollars to continue to support their Windows XP installations, a
situation necessitated by the fact that IRS’s own software will not run
properly on Windows 7 or 8.<br />
<br />
The biggest potential victims in this scenario, however, are the Chinese, who are running more XP systems than anyone else.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V9x8hXnhuoc/U44KS1XyHfI/AAAAAAAACNI/_A_w9YDZeME/s1600/US-CERT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V9x8hXnhuoc/U44KS1XyHfI/AAAAAAAACNI/_A_w9YDZeME/s1600/US-CERT.png" height="56" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">US-CERT</span><br />
<br />
Although I say the warnings are from Homeland Security, they originate with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Computer_Emergency_Readiness_Team" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US-CERT (The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team)</a>. US-CERT is an organization within Homeland Security’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Protection_and_Programs_Directorate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)</a>. Specifically, US-CERT is a branch of the <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/about-national-cybersecurity-communications-integration-center" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Office of Cybersecurity and Communications' (CS&C) National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC)</a>.<br />
<br />
US-CERT is responsible for analyzing and reducing cyber threats and vulnerabilities, disseminating cyber threat warning information, and coordinating incident response activities. The division brings advanced network and digital media analysis expertise to bear on malicious activity targeting the networks within the United States and abroad.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Why do these organizations continue to use XP?<br />
</h3>
In addition to compatibility issues with enterprise software that has
not been upgraded to run on new versions of Windows, many users also
point to the fact that their older peripheral devices will not work on
the newer operating systems.<br />
<br />
Manufacturers have not released updated drivers to allow older
equipment to work on newer operating system, but many computer users
have substantial investments in the older devices, which would have to
be replaced during an upgrade to the newer systems.<br />
<br />
According to Browsium, a software company that publishes software that
enables newer operating systems to function like Windows XP, 80 percent
of the organizations with more than 10,000 computers in their systems
never upgraded their operating systems to Windows 7.<br />
<br />
The anemic market performance of Windows 8 to date is widely
attributed to serious misgivings in the marketplace about Microsoft’s
decision to “optimize” Windows 8 to run on touch-screen systems.<br />
<br />
Recognizing, belatedly, that the majority of the upgrade candidates
do not have touch screen computers,Microsoft recently issued an update
for Windows 8 that makes it easier to use on systems that do not have
touch screens.<br />
<br />
In many cases, however, Windows XP users is simply do not want to put
new shoes on an old horse. They do not want to upgrade their software
until they have to upgrade their hardware, and they don’t want to have
to upgrade their hardware just to run Microsoft’s new software.<br />
<br />
In many cases, computers that run Microsoft XP perfectly well, will
not be as successful with Windows 7 or 8 because the newer systems need
more processing speed and more memory than the older systems. This
forces customers who have to move up to Windows 8 to buy new hardware to
run the new software. <br />
<br />
<br />
The Microsoft business model is apparently intent on forcing customers to constantly upgrade software versions rather than rely on customers actually wanting to buy its products (and for the long term). Microsoft freely admits to building software that is incompatible with previous versions of the same product, though this is typically spun as being a trivial, harmless issue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QgU571sNb0QOKHoz-n8nRwGVPe_772oe5mQfjcHTArY69S8eTcKjA4cQ6en9l6B0MIwDnjBSo9qlOD0OUzEmEMS_V5BjPonwlpZ_7b_K-izWJNPi4FLPP83Ns0dF_0rWPyFFT6QO1U4/s1600/m%2524.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QgU571sNb0QOKHoz-n8nRwGVPe_772oe5mQfjcHTArY69S8eTcKjA4cQ6en9l6B0MIwDnjBSo9qlOD0OUzEmEMS_V5BjPonwlpZ_7b_K-izWJNPi4FLPP83Ns0dF_0rWPyFFT6QO1U4/s1600/m%2524.gif" height="161" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
You can read more about the issue of Microsoft forcing upgrades <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/force-not-value-to-drive-upgrades-the-new-microsoft-way/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.kmfms.com/whatsbad.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.techrepublic.com/article/microsoft-should-get-used-to-giving-windows-away-for-free/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Microsoft Reaction Muted<br />
</h3>
Microsoft’s immediate public reaction has been low-keyed, promising
to get right on it….while skirting the issue of whether or not they will
provide a fix for IE 6 so that Windows XP users can pick up where they
left off and go about their business. That is not a likely course of
events.<br />
<br />
While there is little doubt that Microsoft’s decision to discontinue
support for Windows XP was specifically motivated by their need to force
computer users to upgrade to Windows 8, (due to Windows 8′s poor
performance in the marketplace), but there is also little doubt that
decision may have just created an enormous public relations problem for
the company.<br />
<br />
If Homeland Security is telling people not to use Internet
Explorer, and Microsoft never fixes the older versions of Internet
Explorer, it will be Homeland Security that will be blamed as hundreds
of thousands of individuals and companies spend millions (if not
billions) of dollars to upgrade to an operating system that most of them
did not want in the first place.<br />
<br />
<h3>
A fix for the FLASH part of the problem is available from Adobe.</h3>
So far hackers have been using Adobe Flash as the delivery system for this attack. As of 4-28-2014, Adobe rushed out a fix for Flash to prevent this from happening. <a href="http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to update to the latest Flash version. </a><br />
<br />
<h3>
Microsoft Workaround #1: "Enhanced Protected Mode"</h3>
Microsoft has offered a <b>temporary user fix</b> for Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11 but this is not automatic. Users have to go into the tools menu implement it themselves. And, like many security documents, the Microsoft advisory can be a bit confusing to those without a lot of technical experience.<br />
<br />
<b>You can click on any image to make it larger. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>First, make sure you can see the menu bar in Internet Explorer.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0_ZmvR3GdD7lmPGyps5zD3ko2vpXXM7qssMW7zgXeXMaXjlUgGLdV39qUzufmCDgLfnAK3oUsHiKyKRIBITT6oEYxgwX1HXqUUhkUV9Aq29IWqNQiophCw1S4FfiqPuDLoW2aptstcc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0_ZmvR3GdD7lmPGyps5zD3ko2vpXXM7qssMW7zgXeXMaXjlUgGLdV39qUzufmCDgLfnAK3oUsHiKyKRIBITT6oEYxgwX1HXqUUhkUV9Aq29IWqNQiophCw1S4FfiqPuDLoW2aptstcc/s1600/1.jpg" height="91" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>If you don’t see a menu bar, right click on area near the top of the window and then click on Menu bar in the box that comes up:</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uKgsWrD0S98/U2Jpb2EUu1I/AAAAAAAACJM/EpeQVxZ9znI/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uKgsWrD0S98/U2Jpb2EUu1I/AAAAAAAACJM/EpeQVxZ9znI/s1600/2.jpg" height="157" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Scroll to the bottom of the Tools menu (illustration is cropped — it’s actually quite long) and select Internet options:</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJqk47CqhBg/U2Jpb3nPw4I/AAAAAAAACI8/3tWbtvFugYs/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJqk47CqhBg/U2Jpb3nPw4I/AAAAAAAACI8/3tWbtvFugYs/s1600/3.jpg" height="117" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>In the Internet options menu, click on the Advanced tab and scroll down to the Security section. Check "Enhanced Protected Mode" if you are running Internet Explorer 10 or for Internet Explorer 11 select both Enhanced Protected Mode and Enable 64-bit processes for Enhanced Protected Mode (for 64-bit systems)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14DviQNylXQWBFrunKC4SmGoOaSpxP156KeQMYubyADXSqJV6JACG5IAmTBqH4coxxV9V9XNJxmnZCrDpJ1mm6zsZ5k0vsowbHbOI8sbf4i9xphL3uB3wzmvdhEKSQZ1tce4uCCvcLgE/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14DviQNylXQWBFrunKC4SmGoOaSpxP156KeQMYubyADXSqJV6JACG5IAmTBqH4coxxV9V9XNJxmnZCrDpJ1mm6zsZ5k0vsowbHbOI8sbf4i9xphL3uB3wzmvdhEKSQZ1tce4uCCvcLgE/s1600/4.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Restart your system, which means completely reboot your PC.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Microsoft Workaround #2: Install EMET</h3>
If you want to stick with Internet Explorer, Microsoft recommends installing its Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit version 4.1. EMET’s recommended configuration will make some tweaks to IE that reduce the threat.<br />
<br />
However, it may cause some websites you use to stop working. And EMET is really mean for companies, so it’s not very user-friendly if you want to tweak settings. If you run into problems using it, uninstall it and switch browsers.<br />
<br />
<br />
You can get <a href="http://www.komando.com/downloads/1749/extra-protection-for-windows" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EMET ( Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit version 4.1.) here:</a><br />
<br />
<u><b>Download Instructions:</b></u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>On the EMET download page, click the big red Download button. It will ask you to select the files you want to download.</li>
<li>Choose “EMET Setup.msi”. You can also download the user guide if you want to learn more about using the program. Then click Next.</li>
<li>Choose where to save the file or files, and then once they’re saved, find and run the .msi file. Follow the directions. </li>
<li>When you get to the EMET Configuration Wizard, choose Use Recommended Settings. Then click Finish and Close. </li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<u><i><b>Note to XP users:</b></i></u> EMET will <b><u>NOT</u></b> improve your security. The tweaks it makes are to settings not available in XP. You must switch browsers or upgrade to a newer operating system.</blockquote>
<h3>
About EMET:</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkx_Yioo08fRqMTR7zT_KTYngsIwVz4DFt6wX_uPPjXvcpGV1G8ZXC6LM6yNYD5UUoXMj-98DNUv3SeUb0sKwO2NTJ_SMvolA5WtgsFyj5Ak8XrxF-JggUWv9KTjqqAVOPzJi3UFzngo/s1600/emet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkx_Yioo08fRqMTR7zT_KTYngsIwVz4DFt6wX_uPPjXvcpGV1G8ZXC6LM6yNYD5UUoXMj-98DNUv3SeUb0sKwO2NTJ_SMvolA5WtgsFyj5Ak8XrxF-JggUWv9KTjqqAVOPzJi3UFzngo/s1600/emet.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
On its own, Windows isn’t all that secure. That’s why you have to add third-party security software and be careful what links you open and files you download.<br />
<br />
Part of this is because some of the settings Windows uses are good for flexibility and convenience, but bad for security. To help users adjust these settings, Microsoft makes the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit.<br />
<br />
This program helps you tweak key Windows settings for extra safety. Of course, it can also break some programs and websites that rely on the settings it changes.<br />
<br />
Also note that it’s meant for companies and advanced users. Its default settings work OK, but if you want to tweak anything, you really need to know what you’re doing.<br />
<br />
If you install it and things you use often start breaking, it’s best to just uninstall it. <br />
<h3>
Switch to a Standard Account</h3>
If hackers break in to your computer using this security flaw, they can only use the Windows account that’s running Internet Explorer. That means if your account is set as a Standard account, it really limits what they can do. This is true of most other attacks as well.<br />
<br />
If for some reason you or someone in your family insists on continuing to use Internet Explorer, please take the time to ensure that the computer is operating in a Standard account.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.komando.com/tips/12210/administrator-or-standard-which-windows-account-is-safer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn the differences between a Standard and Administrator account, and how to switch your account over to Standard here:</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Switch Browsers<br />
</h3>
This flaw only affects Internet Explorer, so switching to another
browser will instantly stop the threat. Firefox and Chrome are both good
free alternatives. If you want, you can switch back to IE once this flaw is fixed, but you might find you don’t want to.<br />
<br />
IE currently owns 55 percent of the web browser market, according to NetMarketShare,with the rest being divvied up between Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Opera.<br />
<br />
Those figures are contradicted by W3schools.com, whose figures show that IE only accounts for around 10 percent of the market, with Chrome holding 57.5 percent against Firefox’s 25.6 percent. Runner up Safari claims just 3.9 percent of the market, leaving 1.8 percent for Opera.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The NetMarketShare report reflects a cross-section of all computer users. W3schools statistics are based on data from visitors to their websites, who tend to be computer professionals, rather than end users. </span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Finally...</h3>
<b>==> Make sure that your security software is up to date.</b> This flaw lets hackers bypass most security software, but it’s still better to have it installed than not. Security software will catch most of the other threats out there – and there are a lot of threats out there.<br />
<br />
If you do not have security software, or it is out of date, <a href="http://www.komando.com/security-center" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can get FREE security software here: </a><br />
<br />
Remember, security software covers 3 areas:<br />
<ol>
<li>Antivirus</li>
<li>Spyware/Malware</li>
<li>(Software) Firewall</li>
</ol>
<br />
You should also have a router, even if you are the only computer in your office. Modern routers act as a <a href="http://computer.howstuffworks.com/nat.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NAT Firewall</a> (Hardware). You should still have a software firewall on each computer as well. <br />
<br />
You can read more about <a href="http://www.howtogeek.com/122065/htg-explains-i-have-a-router-do-i-need-a-firewall/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Hardware Firewalls vs. Software Firewalls</i> here:</a><br />
<br />
<b>==> </b><b>Back up your Data.</b><br />
<br />
<b>==> </b><b>Be sure to update all software and your OS (operating system).</b><br />
<br />
<h3>
Governments, Businesses, and Other Institutions Warning Against IE</h3>
The New York Public Library suggests its uses to ditch IE and use Google Chrome instead.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XQanyVTPPg/U2Jic7ea8GI/AAAAAAAACII/1FDYVMuH51o/s1600/nyLib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XQanyVTPPg/U2Jic7ea8GI/AAAAAAAACII/1FDYVMuH51o/s1600/nyLib.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
The US and UK governments advised computer users to consider using alternatives to Microsoft's Internet Exploder browser until the company fixes a security flaw that hackers used to launch attacks.The Department of Homeland Security's U.S.<br />
<br />
The Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team said in an advisory that the vulnerability in versions 6 to 11 of Internet Explorer could lead to "the complete compromise" of an affected system.<br />
<br />
The UK National Computer Emergency Response Team told British computer users, that in addition to considering alternative browsers, they should make sure their antivirus software is current and regularly updated.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-57757892306404831362014-04-10T12:56:00.003-04:002014-04-10T12:56:46.145-04:00Recordkeeping Guidance for Temporary Staffing Issued by OSHA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-l7AVbw3txVjBPWjsStZEKvs40dWpL5tSZ7BYv7-4ju1_el15plH5MKIAiYu_XUxp50RvonyAnQscs7AWi2SHvuyQo_ZNsmcvVeGFt8-S-46IleJckWEaHWHMlwUCvUbPeOTiIU7SGuA/s1600/temps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-l7AVbw3txVjBPWjsStZEKvs40dWpL5tSZ7BYv7-4ju1_el15plH5MKIAiYu_XUxp50RvonyAnQscs7AWi2SHvuyQo_ZNsmcvVeGFt8-S-46IleJckWEaHWHMlwUCvUbPeOTiIU7SGuA/s1600/temps.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One year ago this month,the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an initiative to further protect temporary workers from workplace hazards.The <a href="https://www.osha.gov/temp_workers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OSHA temp worker initiative web page can be found here:</a><br />
<br />
Due to increasing employee benefits and health care costs, as well as employee turnover, employers are more frequently using temporary employees to address staffing shortages or an unexpected increase in production. In these situations, a workplace often has multiple employers, the host employer, and the staffing agency. <br />
<br />
<h3>
OSHA’s Multi-employer Policy</h3>
Section 5(a) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act broadly requires employers to furnish each of its employees a workplace free from recognized hazards and to comply with all occupational safety and health standards developed by OSHA. Thus, the act creates two types of obligations: (1) a “general duty” obligation running only to the employer’s own employees; and (2) an obligation to obey all OSHA standards with respect to all employees, regardless of their employer.<br /><br />This second obligation formed the basis for OSHA’s “multi-employer worksite policy,” under which the agency decided it had the authority to issue citations not only to employers who exposed their own employees to hazardous conditions, but also to employers who created a hazardous condition that endangered employees, whether its own or those of another employer. This policy gave OSHA the ability to issue citations to multiple employers even for violations that did not directly affect the employer’s own employees. By 1994, OSHA’s policy instructed its compliance officers to issue citations to any employer who:<br /><br />
<ol>
<li>-exposed its own employees to a hazardous condition (“exposing employer”);</li>
<li>-created a hazardous condition that endangered any employer’s employees (“creating employer”);</li>
<li>-was responsible for correcting a hazardous condition even if its own employees were not exposed to the hazard (“correcting employer”); or</li>
<li>-had the ability to prevent or abate a hazardous condition through the exercise of reasonable supervisory authority (“controlling employer”).</li>
</ol>
<br />Although the multi-employer doctrine has particular importance on the construction industry, OSHA has continuously expanded the scope of its multi-employer worksite policy to impose liability on all host employers. This includes manufacturers who subcontract out maintenance work, such as office property managers who subcontract out window cleaning and maintain any level of control over the “means and methods” by which the subcontractor performs the actual work.<br />
<br />
For instance, OSHA has applied the multi-employer worksite policy to factory settings, where it cited the factory operator where an employee of a subcontracted cleaning company was killed while performing sanitation work at the factory (<i>IBP, Inc. v. Herman, 1998</i>). More recently, OSHA applied the multi-employer doctrine at a maintenance garage fixed-facility when an outside contractor employee suffered a fatal fall through a skylight while inspecting a rooftop heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (<i>Secretary of Labor v. Ryder Transportation Services, February 28, 2011</i>).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNRe5xAJ6RF9YtQ_9WD8Y84L3-Lx6it0E5LjQ7LfscaZDy6BxBwMmTtEOBTxhJWZef5Od6Y7dHpPYtkJLXPr-hykr-f0X2enBVupcYGJKSXTjdH74D_OZ9ukcOCPlttufFQ_WTueIAJs/s1600/the_temp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNRe5xAJ6RF9YtQ_9WD8Y84L3-Lx6it0E5LjQ7LfscaZDy6BxBwMmTtEOBTxhJWZef5Od6Y7dHpPYtkJLXPr-hykr-f0X2enBVupcYGJKSXTjdH74D_OZ9ukcOCPlttufFQ_WTueIAJs/s1600/the_temp.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
Effect of OSHA’s Initiative on Host Employers</h3>
OSHA’s latest temporary employee initiative places new obligations on host employers. Certainly, host employers should expect OSHA to treat temporary employees the same as its own employees. Thus, host employers must now evaluate their use of temporary employees and their potential exposure to health and safety hazards.<br />
<br />
Further, OSHA will also likely expect host employers to provide health and safety training to all employees, no matter what the duration of the employment. This training must also be provided in the language and vocabulary the temporary employees can understand. Thus, if an employer uses a staffing company that employs a largely Russian or Vietnamese population, the host employer may need to translate its materials into the temporary employees’ native language to ensure all employees understand the training, although there currently is no regulation that requires translation of written safety policies or training materials.<br /><br />The employer may also have to determine if these employees are literate; if they cannot read, the employer may have to utilize interpreters to provide verbal training that the employee can understand. In other words, OSHA will require host employers to treat temporary and its own employees the same when it comes to protection from hazards and health and safety training, regardless of whether the employee is on-site for one day or one year.<br /><br />
<h3>
OSHA's Recordkeeping Guidance</h3>
<br />
On March 13, 2014, OSHA released a new educational bulletin on injury recording requirements to help protect temporary workers.<br />
<br />
OSHA already requires all employers to maintain an OSHA 300 log. This log is used to record all injuries and illnesses that have medical treatment above and beyond first aid, need modified duty or require days away from work.<br />
<br />
At the end of each year, the number of injuries is totaled and the number of hours worked is added onto the OSHA 300A form, which is posted from February 1–April 30 of the following year.<br />
<br />
<h3>
So who is responsible for recording temporary worker injuries? </h3>
The OSHA standards state, <b style="color: #cc0000;">"<i>Whoever is providing the day-to-day supervision is the employer that needs to record those injuries</i>."</b> Day-to-day supervision occurs when the <b>“employer controls conditions presenting potential hazards and directs the worker’s activities around, and exposure to, those hazards.”</b> In most cases, this is the host employer.<br />
<br />
Even in cases where the temporary staffing agency has an on-site supervisor, since the host client controls the conditions, the responsibility of recordkeeping would still fall on the host client.<br />
<br />
The full document (in pdf format) issued by OSHA can be found <a href="http://img.en25.com/Web/Assurance/%7B08023ca5-72db-4f05-a075-53bb57adbbcb%7D_OSHA_Bulletin_Temp_Worker_Injury_Reporting_Requirements_2014.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here: </a><br />
<br />
Thank you for reading.<br />
<br />
EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-80084346984181728372014-04-09T16:45:00.002-04:002014-04-09T16:45:43.825-04:00I have no words for this...<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-89927626584441135112014-03-10T16:36:00.000-04:002014-03-10T16:38:23.907-04:00Travelers Edges Out Liberty Mutual To Become Largest Workers' Compensation Insurer<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>From</u>: <a href="http://articles.courant.com/2014-03-06/business/hc-naic-market-share-0307-20140306_1_state-farm-liberty-mutual-travelers-cos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Hartford Courant</a><br />March 06, 2014 </span><br />
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The Travelers Cos. replaced Liberty Mutual as the largest provider of
workers' compensation in 2013, according to an annual list of top
insurers by business segment released this week<br />
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<span id="goog_1928437856"></span><span id="goog_1928437857"></span>
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Liberty Mutual fell to second place after holding the top spot a year
earlier, and The Hartford Financial Services Group maintained its third
place position both years.<br />
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The statistics were revealed in an annual analysis of insurers' market share, released Wednesday by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.<br />
<br />
Last year in workers' compensation, Travelers had $4 billion in earned-premium revenue for workers' compensation. Liberty Mutual had $3.87 billion and The Hartford had $3.3 billion.<br />
<br />
In the broader context, State Farm was the top property-casualty insurer in the U.S. if premium revenue for all business segments is added together. State Farm had $55 billion in earned-premium revenue in 2013, up from $53 billion a year earlier. State Farm continued to dominate in the two largest, most lucrative insurance segments: homeowners and personal auto.<br />
<br />
After State Farm, the top property-casualty insurers last year by market share, followed by the company's earned-premium revenue, are: Liberty Mutual, $28.9 billion; Allstate, $27.2 billion; Berkshire Hathaway, $22.3 billion; Travelers, $22.8 billion. Berkshire Hathaway owns GEICO.<br />
<br />
Top home insurers last year were State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Farmers Insurance, United Services Automobile Association. Top personal auto insurers were State Farm, Berkshire Hathaway, Allstate, Progressive and Farmers Insurance.<br />
<br />
Property-casualty was a $531.7 billion industry last year, which includes $179 billion from personal auto; $80.2 billion from homeowners' coverage; $54.5 billion from "other liability," which is general liability; $50.4 billion in workers' compensation; $25.8 billion in commercial auto coverage; among other lines of coverage.<br />
<br />
Thank you for reading.<br />
<br />
<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-44053122699489424712014-02-04T15:43:00.001-05:002014-03-10T16:24:57.346-04:00Most dangerous workplace in Kansas? The road<h3>
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</h3>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">From: <a href="http://www.kansas.com/2014/01/31/3259947/most-dangerous-workplace-in-kansas.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle</a></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jan. 31, 2014 </span></i><br />
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What’s the most dangerous jobs in Kansas?<br />
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It’s not facing down panicky cattle, angry tenants or desperate criminals.<br />
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It’s driving in traffic.<br />
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The most dangerous job in Kansas in 2012, according to the Kansas Department of Labor’s annual Workplace Non-fatal Injuries and Illnesses report, is as a courier or messenger.<br />
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The report is based on workers compensation claims for the year, and it does not include farms and ranches with fewer than 11 employees.<br />
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According to the survey, there were 10.2 injuries or illnesses per 100 couriers and messengers.<br />
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The data reflect national statistics show that for many years, traffic accidents account for the single largest segment of workers compensation claims in the U.S.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXgKjQnv727inof8I_gzbIdYCMHIfqAME-VMTV6j1iWA6AifBJwvL6JeYSN_KAPxKjz5ZThfOQLkMPalMEuEIkq2-ZdZk0vnfjdqOt0pf_73WPsJS_OOGwXZTPIaNBPWH-ErA_N4uAzE/s1600/fedups1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXgKjQnv727inof8I_gzbIdYCMHIfqAME-VMTV6j1iWA6AifBJwvL6JeYSN_KAPxKjz5ZThfOQLkMPalMEuEIkq2-ZdZk0vnfjdqOt0pf_73WPsJS_OOGwXZTPIaNBPWH-ErA_N4uAzE/s1600/fedups1.jpg" height="320" width="276" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1152516615"></span><span id="goog_1152516616"></span><br />
Other top professions for injuries and illnesses last year, with seven or more injuries per 100 workers, were metal refining workers, furniture manufacturing workers, ranchers, nursing and residential care workers, and those who work with nonfinancial intangible assets, such as logos.<br />
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<h3>
Commentary:</h3>
This is not only true of Kansas, but the whole United States.In a previous post I commented that the fatality rate for tractor trailer rollovers is almost <u><b>50%</b></u>! Even if you don't have company vehicles, you are still responsible for the injuries sustained to your workers if they are driving for work; such as running to the post office, going to a doctor's appointment for a work related injury.<br />
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You should include a safe driving program as part of any safety program.<br />
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<h3>
Trivia....</h3>
Four vehicles: a police car, a fire truck, a mail truck, and an ambulance approach a four way intersection that has no traffic control devices (signs, lights, etc.). None of the emergency vehicles have their flashing lights or sirens on. None of the vehicles have their headlights, flashers, or any light on. Each vehicle intends to continue in the direction they are travelling (no one is turning). Who has the right of way?<br />
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Answer: the mail truck because it is a Federal Government vehicle and none of of the other vehicles have their flashing lights or sirens on indicating an emergency giving them the right of way. <br />
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More trivia: a mail truck can not be stopped by any police officer for any reason while in the course of delivering the mail.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-64812235754620900972014-01-31T16:44:00.000-05:002014-07-11T11:29:19.136-04:00California Administrative Law Judge (ALJ): Adult Film Workers Are Employees<b><u>Note</u>:</b> This is a serious safety topic, it deals with the life and death of employees. To some extent, covering this story does reflect my sense of humor. But what you need to take away from this are <b>3 things</b>.<br />
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<b>First</b>, Bloodborne Pathogens can apply anywhere, especially in places that you may not think. For example, a cashier at a fast food restaurant. A good restaurant will have a dedicated maintenance or janitorial person that handles cleaning. It is not uncommon to have cashiers wipe down tables, mop the floor, or check/stock/clean the bathrooms at slow times.<br />
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Cleaning the bathrooms may trigger Bloodborne Pathogens training requirements. What about if an employee (not seriously) cuts themselves. Even if the manager just gets them a bandage and they are fine to return to work, the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard may be triggered. What if the manager tells the cashier to mop the blood drops off the floor?<br />
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The <b>second</b> thing to take away is the issue of independent contractors. Most general contractors require all subcontractors and their employees to go through the general contractor's safety training. Even if the GC has an approval process where subcontractors' employees are trained and approved to work for the GC, they are still required to go through site specific training.<br />
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Many GCs even go further by covering all subcontractors and their employees under the GC's work comp even if the subcontractors have their own comp. I have even been on site where the GC extended their liability coverage to the subcontractors.<br />
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<b>Finally</b>, this ruling may only be California, but California is a precursor to what will follow in the rest of the country. Don't believe me? Look at gay marriage, pollution control, social program expansion, universal healthcare, immigration, and the list goes on. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b><u>Warning</u>:</b> The following and links to the ALJ decision graphically outlines practices on the sets. Some people may find the descriptions disturbing. Some links to entities mentioned may point to adult themed sites.</i></span> <br />
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On to the story....<br />
<h3>
AHF: Cal/OSHA Issues Landmark Ruling Against Treasure Island Media On Bareback Porn</h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>January 23, 2014</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Los Angeles </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ahf-cal-osha-issues-landmark-031100197.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Yahoo Finance</a></i></span><br />
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I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">n a first-of-its-kind legal ruling, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board rejected an appeal by the Bay Area condom-less porn company and issued a broad rebuke to Treasure Island Media, Inc., finding that the issues cited in the company’s bareback porn film citations are serious. Last February, AHF filed Cal/OSHA safety complaints against Treasure Island over its production of condom-less gay adult films; the complaint was AHF’s first targeting producers of bareback gay films.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.aidshealth.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)</a> has learned that in a first-of-its-kind legal ruling against aCalifornia adult film production company, <a href="http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">California’s Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s</a> Appeals Board (Cal/OSHA), has rejected an appeal of several workplace safety violations issued by Cal/OSHA against <a href="https://www.treasureislandmedia.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Treasure Island Media, Inc., (TIM)</a> a Bay Area adult film production company that primarily serves and produces condom-less, or ‘bareback’ films for the gay market. In a landmark—and at times graphic—<a href="http://www.aidshealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TIM-OSHA-ruling-clean-copy-1-2014.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">36-page ruling</a> filed with the Department of Industrial Relations’ Los Angeles Legal Unit on January 8th, Cal/OSHA Administrative Law Judge Mary Droyovage issued a broad rebuke to Treasure Island Media, finding that the issues in Cal/OSHA’s original bareback porn film citations against the company are “serious.”<br />
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“For the first time ever in California, Cal/OSHA’s Appeals Board has, in a formal trial of an appeal of several safety violations lodged against a California adult film company, overruled the appeal and upheld the citations and fines originally issued to Treasure Island Media for its condom-less porn productions,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “Treasure Island has been quite outspoken in its opposition to condom use in the company’s films. That is partly why we filed workplace health and safety complaints with Cal/OSHA: to press for the enforcement of existing state and local workplace regulatory guidelines which require the use of condoms in their—and all—adult films produced in California. After Treasure Island took its OSHA case to trial, claiming that the performers in their films were independent contractors and that the section of the regulations regarding Bloodborne Pathogens did not apply to the adult film industry, the court sustained Cal/OSHA’s citations after testimony and evidence were presented. This ruling is a milestone for workplace safety in California, and the first time OSHA has had the opportunity to weigh in so clearly and forcefully on workplace safety on adult film sets.”<br />
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In February 2013, AHF filed several ‘Notice of Safety or Health Hazards’ complaints with Cal/OSHA, the state’s health and safety regulatory and watchdog organization, over the lack of condom use in adult films produced by Treasure Island Media, Inc. over its production of condom-less gay adult films. AHF’s complaints asserted that the films demonstrate unsafe—potentially life-threatening—behavior in a California workplace, as the sexual acts filmed without participating performers using condoms depict the unprotected exchange of bodily fluids.<br />
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The Treasure Island complaints were AHF’s first in a series targeting producers of bareback gay films. AHF filed similar worker safety complaints with Cal/OSHA beginning in August 2009 against 16 California-based adult film companies, and in the years since, filed additional complaints specifically targeting Steve Hirsch’s Vivid Entertainment as well as Larry Flynt’s Hustler Video. To date, Cal/OSHA has opened investigations into several of the companies, has cited and fined several, and is still evaluating and considering additional investigations of some of the remaining companies.<br />
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Several of Treasure Island’s Cal/OSHA citations arose from one 2009 film submitted as evidence by AHF in its ‘Notice of Safety or Health Hazards’ complaints to Cal/OSHA last February. The film depicts unprotected sex involving several men, as well as scenes depicting one of the men receiving the previously collected semen of over 1,000 men into one of his body orifices.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">In sustaining Cal/OSHA’s workplace safety citations against Treasure Island Media, Administrative Law Judge Droyovage found that: </span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Section 5193 (of the Bloodborne Pathogens statute) applies to the adult film industry; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barrier protection is the only workplace safety equipment that will satisfy the standard;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Performers in Treasure Island Media’s films are employees; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">They (film performers) were exposed to bloodborne pathogens; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Treasure Island Media violated section 5193 and did not have any of the following at the time of inspection:</span></li>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">An exposure control plan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Minimize or eliminate exposure by using protective equipment</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Provide Hepatitis vaccinations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conduct and document exposure incident evaluations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Communicate hazard information in the form of training, signs and labels</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Maintain medical and training records </span></li>
</ol>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">The violations were serious in that there is a “substantial probability that employees would suffer serious exposure resulting in serious physical harm or death if violation occurred.”</span></li>
</ol>
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"This Cal/OSHA ruling against Treasure Island is a milestone in three important ways,” added AHF’s Weinstein. “1) the ruling unequivocally states that the adult film performers are employees, not independent contractors, as the industry regularly asserts, and as such are indeed covered under OSHA workplace safety statutes; 2) it was the first time an adult film company cited has actually gone to a full trial for appeal with Cal/OSHA instead of settling, paying—or ignoring--its citations; and 3) it is the first time an adult film company has also lost in this precedent-setting court ruling.”<br />
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<h3>
In closing....</h3>
You can find <a href="http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/adultfilmindustry.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cal/OSHA's Vital information for workers and employers in the adult film industry here:</a><br />
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You can find the <a href="http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Independent-Contractor-Self-Employed-or-Employee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IRS guidance on Independent Contractor or Employee here:</a><br />
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Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-27267227454335251392014-01-31T13:50:00.005-05:002014-01-31T13:59:51.188-05:00FCC warns of Phone Scam!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t0yzAN-oeCM/UuvwBkm0uTI/AAAAAAAAB8w/tmFCEHaYdsQ/s1600/warning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t0yzAN-oeCM/UuvwBkm0uTI/AAAAAAAAB8w/tmFCEHaYdsQ/s1600/warning.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></a></div>
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently learned that an old long distance phone scam that leads consumers to incur high charges on their phone bills may now affect wireless consumers. In the past, consumers have been fooled into making expensive international calls by scam artists who leave messages on consumers’ answering machines or their email accounts. The messages urge consumers to call a number with an “809,” “284,” “876,” or some other area code to collect a prize, find out about a sick relative, or engage in sex talk.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIsnzSoU7Mo/UuvksopboRI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/sW_zRjDKrsE/s1600/fcc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIsnzSoU7Mo/UuvksopboRI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/sW_zRjDKrsE/s1600/fcc.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Wireless consumers are now receiving similar calls from phone numbers with three-digit area codes that appear to be domestic, but are actually associated with international pay-per-call phone numbers. While wireless companies are working to block suspicious numbers on their networks, some consumers may become victims of this scam. <br />
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You can download the document in .pdf format to email and print it out, the <a href="http://staffingsafety.com/resources/FCCphoneScam.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link is here:</a> Below is the warning from the FCC in .jpg (image) format. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FKBk-ICCqkq1u_XtbKtvPy41a000eSlTPKkZes3vQw53HRBOKEcsVBdnuYtfHznUKcD_c2m0Zf4mdAGKU6dHyBjZFBDmIuX7AaPSku4tHNuhuAgLDTqANi27Kq2X8euJ_aOz7Mfi2CY/s1600/Page_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FKBk-ICCqkq1u_XtbKtvPy41a000eSlTPKkZes3vQw53HRBOKEcsVBdnuYtfHznUKcD_c2m0Zf4mdAGKU6dHyBjZFBDmIuX7AaPSku4tHNuhuAgLDTqANi27Kq2X8euJ_aOz7Mfi2CY/s1600/Page_1.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></div>
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-26540401885657425452014-01-27T13:28:00.002-05:002014-01-27T13:28:23.441-05:00Microsoft extends XP anti-malware support past end-of-life date<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">January 16, 2014</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>from <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/microsoft-backtrack-on-windows-xp-security-offer-malware-support-1215734?src=rss&attr=all" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">techradar.com</a> </i></span><br />
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Microsoft has announced this that it will continue to provide anti-malware support for Windows XP until July 2015 - a little over one year after its end-of-life date on April 8.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mWxDSeXfjliTQuLBDqIdKBkMUQM2Ns_jvT1xA_uQFPgBUbGj9404yIG5RLLOZX5iERhJVA4OHHKWTWkluX40OQLJ1al_6_vHqdWxFj58AMUR6cNfAiTLS3hJojd7fnIfdLsNAsG3nCI/s1600/Malware1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mWxDSeXfjliTQuLBDqIdKBkMUQM2Ns_jvT1xA_uQFPgBUbGj9404yIG5RLLOZX5iERhJVA4OHHKWTWkluX40OQLJ1al_6_vHqdWxFj58AMUR6cNfAiTLS3hJojd7fnIfdLsNAsG3nCI/s1600/Malware1.jpg" height="195" width="200" /></a>The company will release "signatures" that will be used to identify and ward off malware for Windows XP systems. These signatures will continue to be delivered to Windows systems running various Microsoft security and management products.<br />
<br />This includes users running its free Microsoft Security Essentials, marking a change in thinking for Microsoft, who had previously said that Security Essentials would lose support on April 8.<br />
<br />Company officials had previously consistently warned that Microsoft would not provide patch support for Windows XP after April 8, and that the continued used of the operating system would expose it to zero-day attacks from hackers and malware. That message hasn't changed, despite the introduction of the signatures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5nDylmlUX7BOVymzT3vmIJXaR4PTYUkGtJJCK3RAxBLJdUongdh4GI8zZeBgsK4oYFLOGyeKOMEneSfdeJuWAfxs5GjRnwAw70f7y1nDEc2DUR7g_HI_dego-2Jk4t3228vh6Cj6Zug/s1600/malware-skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5nDylmlUX7BOVymzT3vmIJXaR4PTYUkGtJJCK3RAxBLJdUongdh4GI8zZeBgsK4oYFLOGyeKOMEneSfdeJuWAfxs5GjRnwAw70f7y1nDEc2DUR7g_HI_dego-2Jk4t3228vh6Cj6Zug/s1600/malware-skull.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />"This [antimalware support announcement] does not affect the end-of-support date of Windows XP, or the supportability of Windows XP for other Microsoft products, which deliver and apply those signatures," Microsoft's announcement stated.<br />
<h3>
Moving on up</h3>
Windows XP will still lose product support on April 8, leaving it vulnerable, although antivirus signatures will help to identify any malware that may attack them. Microsoft will not issue security patches unless customers sign up for a subscription-style payment scheme.<br /><br />
Third party vendors have come to the aid of Windows XP users, however. Kaspersky Labs will provide antimalware support for Windows XP through 2018 for consumers and through the latter half of 2016 for business users. Trend Micro is promising Windows XP support through January 30, 2017.<br />
<br />Microsoft downplayed their effectiveness however: "Running a well-protected solution starts with using modern software and hardware designed to help protect against today's threat landscape."<br />
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<br />
Redmond's message is clear: Windows XP users should move on to Windows 7 or Windows 8.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A third of IT professionals still run Windows XP</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>December 18, 2013</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>from <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/a-third-of-it-professionals-still-run-windows-xp-1209001" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">techradar.com</a> </i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.spiceworks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spiceworks</a> have announced today the results of a report, aimed at addressing issues facing IT professionals as the Windows XP end-of-life (EOL) deadline draws near.<br />
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The study, entitled "Getting Over Your XP" (link opens a PDF), revealed just how prevalent the operating system remains 12 years after its release.<br />
<br />According to the survey, 76% of IT professionals run Windows XP on devices within their place network. Of that number, 36% will leave XP as the operating system after its end-of-life occurs. This means that when Windows cease to provide security updates, patches and bulletins for the operating system, 27% of professionals will continue to use it. Reluctance to upgrade will increase the risk of malicious attack.<br />
<h3>
Lack of budget</h3>
An upgrade to Windows 7 appears to be the favored course of action. 96% of those asked said they ran it, or would run it, on their network. This is compared to 42% running Windows 8 or 8.1 and 30% running Apple's OS X. 48% of those asked who still had XP said they planned to decommission their devices and purchase Windows 7 machines. Three quarters of those asked pointed to "maintaining a similar user experience" as their primary reason for upgrading to Windows 7, not Windows 8 or 8.1.<br />
<br />Why do so many still use Windows XP? Lack of budget, time and resources were stated by professionals as the main reasons why an upgrade from XP hasn't occurred on their networks yet. 55% cited a lack of budget, 39%t a lack of time to do so and 31% a lack of resources.<br />
<br />The survey was conducted in October 2013 and had more than 1300 respondents. A majority of those asked were in North America and comprised a variety of industries including healthcare, education, finance and government.<br />
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<h3>
My Commentary...</h3>
IT Professionals by the Numbers:<br />
<ul>
<li>76% run Win XP </li>
<li>27% will continue to use Win XP after its end-of-life</li>
<li>96% would run Win 7 on their network. </li>
<li>42% (only) would run Win 8/8.1 </li>
<li>30% run Apple's OS X </li>
</ul>
<i>Of
those who will replace XP, 75% will choose Win 7 machines to "maintaining a similar user experience" as opposed to Win 8/8.1. </i><br />
<br />
Why do so many still use Win XP?<br />
<ul>
<li>55% lack of budget </li>
<li>39%t a
lack of time </li>
<li>31% a lack of resources</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YRgWuG-9Kgo/Uuai02Z5aWI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/2jrksjCjt3o/s1600/old-faithful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YRgWuG-9Kgo/Uuai02Z5aWI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/2jrksjCjt3o/s1600/old-faithful.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>But what is the real reason so many still use Win XP? </b><br />
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Just as with accident investigation I say
look for the "Root Cause." The root cause in my investigation of this
matter finds that is because Old Faithful (Win XP) <u><b>works good!</b></u><br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-72034792582341950372014-01-16T15:24:00.001-05:002014-01-16T15:24:43.690-05:00Founders Pavilion Will Pay $370,000 to Settle EEOC Genetic Information Discrimination Lawsuit<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jan 13, 2014</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From: <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-13-14.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EEOC</a></i></span><br />
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NEW YORK - Founders Pavilion, Inc., a former Corning, N.Y. nursing and rehabilitation center, will pay $370,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.<br />
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<br />The EEOC charged that Founders Pavilion requested family medical history as part of its post-offer, pre-employment medical exams of applicants. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), passed by Congress in 2008 and enforced by the EEOC, prevents employers from requesting genetic information or making employment decisions based on genetic information.<br />
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<br />The EEOC also alleged that Founders Pavilion fired two employees because they were perceived to be disabled, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the suit, Founders Pavilion also refused to hire or fired three women because they were pregnant, in violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).<br /><br />The EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of N.Y. (EEOC v. Founders Pavilion, Inc., 13-CV-01438), after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.<br />
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<br />As part of a five-year consent decree resolving the suit, Founders Pavilion will provide a fund of $110,400 for distribution to the 138 individuals who were asked for their genetic information. Founders Pavilion will also pay $259,600 to the five individuals who the EEOC alleged were fired or denied hire in violation of the ADA or Title VII.<br /><br />After the lawsuit was filed, Founders Pavilion sold its Corning, N.Y. nursing facility to Pavilion Operations, LLC d/b/a Corning Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare and ceased operating any business. If Founders Pavilion resumes conducting business, the consent decree requires Founders Pavilion to post notices and send a memo to employees regarding the lawsuit and consent decree. They will also adopt a new anti-discrimination policy that will be distributed to all employees, provide anti-discrimination training to all employees and provide periodic reports to the EEOC regarding any internal complaints of discrimination.<br /><br />Pavilion Operations, the buyer of the Corning, N.Y. nursing facility, agreed as a non-party signatory to the consent decree. They will revise their anti-discrimination policies and will include specific references to genetic information discrimination, disability discrimination, and pregnancy discrimination laws and will include a complaint and investigation procedure for employee complaints of discrimination. Pavilion Operations will also provide anti-discrimination training to all of its employees.<br /><br />"This is our third lawsuit since the enactment of the GINA law and the first one that is systemic," said David Lopez, EEOC General Counsel. "Employers need to be aware that GINA prohibits requesting family medical history. When illegal questions are required as part of the hiring process, the EEOC will be vigilant in ensuring that no one is denied employment opportunities on a prohibited basis."<br /><br />"Employers should take heed of this settlement because there are real consequences to asking applicants or employee for their family medical history," said EEOC New York District Director Kevin Berry. "The EEOC will pursue these cases to the fullest extent of the law to ensure that such genetic inquiries are never made of applicants or employees."<br /><br />EEOC Trial Attorney Konrad Batog said, "We are pleased that Founders Pavilion worked with us to resolve this lawsuit and that Pavilion Operations signed onto the consent decree, agreeing to provide its employees anti-discrimination training and revise its anti-discrimination policies. The resolution of this lawsuit should serve as a message and educate employers about genetic information discrimination and help ensure compliance with the laws that the EEOC enforces."<br /><br />Addressing emerging and developing issues in equal employment law, which includes genetic discrimination, is one of the six national priorities identified by the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).<br />
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<h3>
"Trust No One..."</h3>
This is the famous line of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) on the television series "The X-Files."<br />
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<br />
<i>This is good advice. I live by it.</i><br />
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So how does this apply to you? If your company requires post-offer, pre-employment medical exams of applicants, then chances are that the doctors are taking family medical history. Even if you do not see the family medical history, the doctor may offer an opinion of "fitness for duty," and that decision may be based on family medical history.<br />
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You need to ensure that occupational medical centers avoid asking discriminatory questions. You also need to ensure that if an applicant is having the family doctor sign off, that they are excluding protected information.<br />
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<h3>
The problem with doctors:</h3>
Another potential problem looms with the doctors themselves. Doctors are best at "TELLING," many even have very good listening skills, but most have very poor teamwork skills, and even worst customer skills. When I go to a doctor, regardless if it is an emergency or annual physical, I am the consumer and the owner of my body, and I have the FINAL SAY!<br />
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Most doctors do not want to hear this. For too many years they were the magicians and keepers of secrets. People just blindly followed their advice, and if anything happened, the doctor did all that he could.<br />
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Furthermore, the whole process of medical procedures is designed to reenforce the doctor's dominance and absolute power. <br />
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The internet changed all that. It has opened the public's eyes that there are good doctors and there are bad doctors. Patients now have knowledge, understanding, and access to information that they never had before. The way doctors interact with patients is changing. Patients should discuss findings with their doctor AFTER the exam, fully dressed, sitting down with the doctor, on an equal footing.<br />
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Patients are encouraged to "fire" their doctor if they do not respect their autonomy. Even laws such as HIPPA and ACA empower patients to take more control over their medical decision making. Doctors are resisting, they now "fire" patients that question them. Soon laws will change to curb this practice as the ACA brings about a shortage of doctors.<br />
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<i><u>Disclaimer</u>: I have an excellant relationship with my current physician. My previous physician was horrible. </i><br />
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I digress... back to GINA. Doctors are ingrained with taking family medical history. Even the AMA touts family medical history:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Gathering a complete and accurate family medical history is extremely important as genetic medicine explains more diseases. In fact, the Surgeon General has named Thanksgiving as Family History Day. Since several family members gather together on Thanksgiving Day, it's a great opportunity to talk to family members and learn more about their health history. Several tools have been developed to aid both the physician/health care provider and the patient in documenting family history. The family history tools below have been developed by the AMA and/or other trusted groups. </i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.ama-assn.org//ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-science/genetics-molecular-medicine/family-history.page" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AMA website</a></i></span></blockquote>
Here some things that you can do:<br />
<ul>
<li>The EEOC offers guidance on their website <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here:</a> </li>
<li>Do not blindly trust that the physician's office is not collecting family medical history. Many even require it as a condition of being seen as a patient. </li>
<li>Check the requirements and practices of any physicians, occupational medical facilities, etc. to ensure that they are not collecting protected information (under GINA, ADA, etc.), but that they are ensuring <b>patient dignity</b> as well. </li>
<li>Only gather the information needed, evaluate what information you really need.</li>
<li>Avoid Third Party information (such as from a work comp TPA). </li>
<li>Be aware of the EEOC's distinction between a <b>"<i>test</i> "</b> and a <b>"<i>medical exam</i>."</b> <i>More info <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/medfin5.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here:</a></i></li>
<li>Avoid <b>"<i>personality test</i><i>s</i>"</b> and a <b>"<i>psychological exam</i>s."</b> <i>More info <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/medfin5.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here:</a></i></li>
</ul>
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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<br />EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-86632637386466944412014-01-16T13:31:00.000-05:002014-01-16T13:32:12.649-05:00U.S. Workers’ Comp Industry Revenues Could Decline<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jan 12, 2014</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From: <a href="http://ifawebnews.com/2014/01/12/u-s-workers-comp-industry-revenues-could-decline/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Insurance & Financial Advisor Webnews</a></i></span><br />
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In a new report, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services predicts revenues for the U.S. workers’ compensation insurance industry could decline amid economic weakness and an unsettled labor market.<br />
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“We remain pessimistic about the near-term profitability prospects for the U.S. workers’ compensation market despite improved pricing in the past couple of years,” said S&P credit analyst Siddhartha Ghosh. “We base our cautious view of the industry on such factors as continuing high unemployment levels and economic uncertainty, potential adverse reserve development, higher health care costs, and emerging risks like the expiration of Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act in 2014 and significant uncertainty regarding the ACA.”<br />
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In its recent report, S&P explains that demand for workers’ compensation in the U.S. depends greatly on economic cycles with a strong correlation between premium growth for workers’ compensation insurance and the state of the labor market.<br />
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S&P cited unemployment and the GDP as affecting premium growth, noting that consumers remain worried, wages are virtually stagnant, unemployment remains high and the cost of living is rising.<br />
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Concerns about the on-and-off political gridlock in Washington, D.C., uncertainty about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the potential for higher interest rates remain foremost on the minds of many, according to S&P.<br />
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Reauthorization of the terrorism insurance program is also crucial.<br />
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“We believe the bottom lines of most workers’ compensation insurance carriers would be hurt, as early as 2015, if TRIPRA is not extended in its existing or a comparable replacement form,” said S&P’s Ghosh. “This could affect our ratings on these insurers. We believe the commercial lines insurers most vulnerable to potential rating downgrades are those that have sizable workers’ compensation exposures and/or have significant geographical concentration.”<br />
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<h3>
Commentary:</h3>
There is a hard market. Insurance companies need to make money from insurance and NOT on investments of reserves. Therefore they have to increase rates (to cover loss of investment returns) to adequately cover claims.<br />
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The bad economy coupled with the ACA is causing businesses to cut back on number of employees and hours worked. This leads to a decrease in insurance premiums paid (NOT in rates though). <br />
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Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-10726462435119252402014-01-16T13:16:00.000-05:002014-01-16T13:16:04.087-05:00NAFTA Does Not Protect Mexican Business from Workers' Comp Requirements<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>from: <a href="http://www.cvbugle.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=41089" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bugle</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jan 15, 2014</i></span><br />
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PHOENIX -- A Mexican firm cannot claim the North American Free Trade Agreement excuses it from having to provide workers' compensation coverage for its employees doing business in Arizona, the state Court of Appeals has ruled.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klruGmbVQlU/UtgPWqSy70I/AAAAAAAAB0U/IqZdKq5BEh0/s1600/mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klruGmbVQlU/UtgPWqSy70I/AAAAAAAAB0U/IqZdKq5BEh0/s1600/mexico.jpg" height="199" width="200" /></a><br />In a decision this week, the judges also rebuffed arguments by Porteadores del Noroeste S.A. de C.V. that Arizona's requirements to care for injured workers were preempted by provisions of the U.S. Constitution giving the federal government the exclusive right to regulate foreign commerce. Appellate Judge Michael Brown, writing for the unanimous court, said he and his colleagues found no evidence that anything in federal law or regulation intended to preempt state worker-protection laws.<br /><br />The case involves Adan Valenzuela, a Mexican citizen and resident, who was injured in a rollover accident north of Nogales and suffered numerous injuries.<br /><br />After being treated first at a Nogales hospital and then at Tucson's University Medical Center, he returned to Mexico where he requested a determination of disability and benefits from the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. That agency provides coverage for lost wages for injured workers.<br /><br />While IMSS provided benefits, it paid only some medical bills.<br /><br />Valenzuela filed a claim with the Industrial Commission of Arizona. And because Porteadores had no valid Arizona workers' compensation insurance, the claim was paid by a special fund of the commission<br /><br />The commission then sought to recover its costs from Porteadores.<br />
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<br />Attorneys for the company argued that NAFTA controlled its corporate activities in the United States and therefore the commission lacked jurisdiction. They also said requiring a foreign employer to comply with Arizona's worker's compensation laws would violate federal law.<br />
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The appellate court did not see it that way.<br /><br />"States have a strong interest in protecting employees working within their borders,' he wrote. And Brown said the state constitutional requirement for a workers' compensation system is designed to maintain a "just and humane' law to "relieve workers and their dependents from burdensome, expensive and litigious remedies.'<br /><br />That latter part refers to the fact that workers' compensation in Arizona is a no-fault system: An employee injured in a work-related accident is entitled to have medical bills and part of lost wages covered without having to sue the employer to prove negligence.<br /><br />Brown also noted that Arizona law makes any employee injured in the state eligible for benefits, even if the worker was not hired in the state. <br /><br />Brown acknowledged that Congress approved NAFTA 1994 as an agreement setting out trade rules with Mexico and Canada.<br /><br />But he said the federal law implementing NAFTA specifically spelled out that only the U.S. government can use the agreement to challenge any state law. And that, Brown said, did not occur here.<br /><br />The judge acknowledged that the exclusive power of Congress to regulate foreign trade can curb state regulations if there is a "special need for federal uniformity.' But Brown said the court could find nothing in NAFTA or any other any trade agreement that suggested the federal government intended to preempt state laws protecting workers.<br /><br />In fact, Brown wrote, there is nothing in NAFTA or other agreements mentioning workers' compensation at all.<br />
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<h3>
Over again...</h3>
This is reminiscent of the California Tribal Staffing Companies around 2003. Read on about Tribal Staffing Companies...<br />
<h4>
Tribal warfare: a Native American tribe raises the hopes of compensation managers desperate for lower insurance premiums, but instead winds up incurring the wrath of California regulators.</h4>
Fast-food restaurant owner Safar Ghaffari, a foot soldier in the small-business community's war on steep workers' comp rate hikes, sought in late 2002 to secure affordable coverage for roughly 120 employees at four restaurants he owns in Humboldt County north of San Francisco near the Oregon border. <br /><br />Ghaffari says he acted on the advice of his insurance broker who suggested he find coverage through an occupational-injury system run by the Blue Lake Rancheria, a tiny Native American tribe with just 53 members spread across 42 acres. "The coverage was better and it stayed within the spirit of the workers' comp law," says Ghaffari. <br />
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<br />Insuring through the tribe meant that Ghaffari would be able to pay the cost of occupational-injury and medical indemnity benefits coverage at half the rates paid by scores of businesses--rates set by the state of California. <br /><br />But before a deal could be finalized, California labor officials began questioning the carrier's integrity, eventually forcing Ghaffari to purchase coverage from a more expensive state fund.<br /><br />Ghaffari wasn't pleased. "It costs twice as much, and they fight you tooth and nail over any claim," he fumes. The state demanded that he deposit 20 percent of his estimated annual premium, which was nearly $50,000. <br /><br />"I can't print money fast enough to do that," says Ghaffari, who pleaded with the regional labor office in Eureka, but to no avail. So state officials shut down one of his three Denny's franchises and a steakhouse. <br /><br />Ghaffari consoled crying employees after voluntarily closing the other two Denny's operations until less than a week later when he raised the necessary cash. <br /><br />The trouble with California's workers' comp law is that the state doesn't simply issue a citation, Ghaffari gripes, "they just shut you down. That's unfair and it doesn't help the state or the employer. Many small businesses are going belly up." <br /><br />The state of California doesn't see it that way. State officials say they worry that American Indian tribes may not always have the requisite capital to pay compensation claims, should the need arise. <br />
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"If they are not capable of paying their claims," says Rebecca Westmore, staff counsel for the California Department of Insurance, "then claimants are either out of luck or have to go to the California Guarantee Association." <br /><br />In addition, advocates for workers' insurance rights say there's a reason the state has standards which private-sector employers must follow in the interest of their employees. <br /><br />"The state regulates workers' comp insurance to assure workers and employers that the money will be there to pay claims and that insurance rates are fair," says Eric Oxfeld, president of the UWC-Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers' Compensation, a watchdog group to ensure that workers are adequately protected on the job. <br /><br /><b>Battle Lines Harden </b><br />Ghaffari is not alone in his despair at finding affordable insurance for workers. Thousands of small-business owners are looking for ways to loosen the grip that insurance costs have on their bottom lines. <br />
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In fact, a billion-dollar staffing industry employing thousands of workers, permanent and temporary, is seeking to use tribal ordinances to lower the cost of insurance to client businesses, and a bill pending in the California Legislature would allow employers to bypass buying workers' comp coverage when covering employees through tribes. <br /><br />Take the temporary-staffing agency Mainstay Business Solutions, for example. The agency, formed last June and owned entirely by the Blue Lake Rancheria, has placed more than 10,000 temporary workers with about 2,000 corporate clients. It self-insured all comp claims under tribal ordinance and until recently, the agency had made available a low-cost alternative to California's pricey worker' comp coverage as part of the bundled-services it offered to 350 employee-leasing company clients.<br />
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<br />But last year the California Department of Industrial Relations issued a work-stop order to several International House of Pancakes restaurants and slapped Mainstay with a $100,000 fine. And last November, all of Mainstay's employee-leasing contracts were terminated after the agency agreed to indemnify its clients if the state tried to fine them. <br />
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The staffing company isn't alone. Michael Hansen, president and CEO of Mainstay, says he knows of three other "sovereign nation" staffing agencies--Labor Source, General Labor and ISS--operating in California, Oklahoma and Nebraska, that provide employee benefits through tribal ordinance. Eric Ramos, CFO of the Blue Lake Rancheria and a member of the tribe, says it's easy for people to overlook the benefits of Mainstay's business model and the advantages to it brings to non-tribal businesses located off the reservation. <br /><br />He contends that city, county and state officials have marginalized tribal governments and their right to sovereignty. "It's easy for people in the outside world to beat up Indian tribes based on their tribal gaming operations," says Ramos, a founder of Mainstay. <br /><br />For the tribes like Blue Lake Rancheria and their ancillary corporate interests like Mainstay, the time had come to act in the face of rising workers' comp rates. "The old adage in Indian country is whether to ask for permission now or beg for forgiveness later," says Ramos. <br /><br />And so, the tribe and Mainstay acted first and began offering insurance coverage. They figured they would ask questions later. <br /><br />But in the eyes of the state, the tribe had done so without permission. All of which means that the parties are squaring off in court. <br /><br /><b>To Court--Of Course </b><br /><br />The California Insurance Department has filed several motions seeking to prevent licensed insurance agents and brokers from marketing, soliciting and selling insurance coverage offered by Mainstay. <br />
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Westmore says the state is not convinced the tribal council is qualified to adjudicate compensation claims cases that come before it. "We're not familiar with the make-up of that council or even if the tribe knows how it works," she says. <br /><br />"If they are not capable of paying their claims, then employers have no recourse and claimants will be forced to seek assistance from the state," she also says. "The state then has the right to subrogate its claim against the employer, causing the employer to pay for the individual claim that normally would have been covered under a workers' comp policy." <br /><br />Hansen says these fears are completely unfounded. Claimants have nothing to worry about. Insurance through the tribe offers the insured access to a 40,000-strong credentialed PPO network guaranteeing access to 70 percent of the state's physicians and hospitals, as well as vocational rehabilitation benefits and the use of mediation rather than litigation to resolve disputes. <br /><br />Consequently, Mainstay can offer a cheaper alternative to the expensive rates levied by the California compensation system, which critics say is broken and dysfunctional. <br /><br />"California has 2,000 permanent partial disability awards for every 100,000 workers," he says. "The next-highest state is New Jersey at 900. You're telling me it's twice as dangerous to work in California as New Jersey? Absolutely not. The difference is it's easier in California to settle a claim than fight it." <br /><br />The tribe's appeal process is grounded in mediation, not litigation, and that lowers the insurance premiums for policyholders. <br /><br />Mainstay, thanks to the economic backing of the Blue Lake tribe and its profitable casino operation, has more than $12 million in surplus to fund $1.7 million in reserves for future claims liability on 401 claims. A total of $462,000 in payments have been made to injured workers on these claims. "We're very well funded relative to our claims liability," Hansen says. <br /><br />Revenue from the Blue Lake tribe's casino provides a safety net for injured workers if the loss fund contributions set aside in trust fall short of covering the entire cost of claims. <br /><br />In short, Mainstay and the tribe say they have a case against the state of California. As a result, Mainstay has filed suit in Superior Court seeking to regulate its own licensed agents and brokers. A verdict is expected to take at least two years. <br /><br />California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi remains unconvinced. He says insuring workers through tribal ordinances amounts to back-door scheming. <br /><br />"Because the schemes fail to comply with the licensing requirements of California law, the arguments about providing sufficient benefits, claims adjustment and mediation are irrelevant," he says. Injured workers with so-called "coverage" under one of these tribal insurance programs would miss out on the full protections afforded under California law. <br /><br />"There is no assurance that the Indian tribe or any other entity offering this product will have sufficient financial reserves to pay claims due over the extended life of a workers' compensation benefit," says Garamendi. Agents or brokers who sell illegal insurance products will have their licenses revoked, he says. <br /><br /><b>A Question of Precedent </b><br /><br />The question before the litigants is whether the tribe has a right to be in the occupational-injury business off an Indian reservation. Both sides point to case law arguments to support their case. <br /><br />Among the cases Mainstay cites that grant tribes sovereign immunity from state regulation in several areas of employment: Worchester vs. Georgia, which dates back to 1832, California vs. Cabazon and Segundo vs. City of Rancho Mirage, both of which were decided in 1987. <br /><br />Moreover, Mainstay notes that case law affirming the sovereign right of tribes to govern their own workers' compensation claims both on and off reservation land can be found in Oneida Indian Nation vs. Oneida County from 1972 and Sac & Fox Nation vs. Hanson from 1995. <br /><br />Late last year, Mainstay hired a lobbyist and political consulting firm to cajole the state legislature about the importance of enabling all employers to choose their own exclusive network of providers with a certain percentage of access to doctors and hospitals and pursue claims mediation rather than litigation. <br /><br />California Indian tribes have successfully argued that they're exempt from regulation governing the state workers' comp system, notes Scott Rubel, an attorney with Rose, Klein & Marias in Ontario, Calif., citing a recent California Supreme Court case (Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians vs. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board et al.). <br /><br />But at the same time, Rubel questions how the Blue Lake Rancheria Indian tribe can make available to non-tribal entities tribal-governed insurance without subjecting itself to California's insurance benefits regulation. <br /><br />"The law is clear: You cannot sell insurance in the state of California unless you're licensed to do so," he says. "The tribe doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning this issue because they're trying to expand their sovereignty into the United States. And if another nation like Mexico or Canada tried to do this, we could consider this an act of war." <br />
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<br />Applying tribal law to non-tribal employers through an employee leaseback agreement just will not fly, says Rubel. Most workers have no idea they are subject to tribal law and not entitled to rights guaranteed by California law. <br /><span id="goog_1019659356"></span><span id="goog_1019659357"></span><br />Westmore says the California Insurance Department views the tribes' chance of success as a long shot. "It's an issue that will have to be resolved at the state or federal Supreme Court level," she says. <br /><br />Since the California Department of Insurance is bound by the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, she says, "some would say it does not comport with the sovereign immunity Congress granted to the Indian tribes, which does not let them engage in business off the reservation affecting the citizens of California." <br />
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<h3>
Humor:</h3>
This also reminded me of a parody of the tribal staffing companies, it was an advertisement for Amish Staffing Services. They claimed a workers' comp exemption based on religious beliefs.<br />
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Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637926770396292410.post-34887641798941911872014-01-16T12:30:00.001-05:002014-01-16T12:30:24.558-05:00Intuit Acquires Workers' Comp Service Provider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jan 14, 2014</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://investors.intuit.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2013/Intuit-To-Acquire-Workers-Compensation-Payment-Solutions-Provider-Prestwick-Services/default.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Intuit Inc</a>. announced on Monday that it will acquire privately-held <a href="http://www.prestwickservices.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Prestwick Services</a>, a subsidiary of Prestwick Holdings. The Massachusetts-based company is a provider of payroll-based billing and payment solutions for the workers’ compensation industry.<br />
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<br />Traditional workers’ compensation plans involve large pre-payments based on estimates, with the potential for substantial extra payments at year-end audits. With the acquisition of Prestwick Services and its <a href="http://www.prestwickservices.com/?page_id=30" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TRUPAY</a> technology, Intuit will open the platform that enables workers’ compensation insurance premiums to be calculated in real-time, based on actual payroll, and will not require small business owners to switch insurance carriers or agents.<br />
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The company says that small businesses with pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation will benefit from the acquisition through increased accuracy of premium calculations, increased cash flow, since it doesn't require large lump sum pre-payments, and the convenience of an automated premium collection system.<br />
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“This transaction furthers our commitment to helping small businesses manage every aspect of their business, so they can be free to focus on doing what they really love,” said Ginny Lee, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Employee Management Solutions division. “We are very pleased to be adding a team that brings deep insurance industry experience as well as their robust TRUPAY technology platform. Together, we look forward to providing more benefits to our small businesses customers as we work to bring even more insurance carrier partners onto the platform.”<br /><br />The integration of Prestwick Services means more than 1 million Intuit payroll customers will have access to flexible payment options from 15 top insurance carriers, without requiring a change to their existing agent-client relationships.<br /><br />When the transaction closes, Prestwick Services will become part of Intuit’s Employee Management Solutions division.<br /><br />“Our drive has always been to make running a business simpler. Intuit’s expertise in doing just that, coupled with our TRUPAY technology, will enable workers’ compensation insurance carriers to better serve their small business clients with flexible payment options while retaining the benefits of existing client-agent relationships,” said Adam Black, founder of Prestwick. “As part of Intuit, we’ll be able to benefit millions of payroll customers by putting our technology into the hands of a trusted brand that has a long history of innovation and delighting customers.”<br /><br />The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of Intuit’s fiscal year 2014, which ends Jan. 31, and is subject to customary closing conditions.<br />
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<h3>
Another nail in the coffin of the PEO industry?</h3>
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The PEO industry has faced many challenges recently causing many to close their doors. This is just another PEO benefit being offered by traditional carriers.<br />
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Thank you for reading.EJHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946957101966424383noreply@blogger.com0