Shop Small Saturday & Cyber Monday Preview
Shop Small Saturday & Cyber Monday Preview
The night of Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday is a popular time to shop. It’s an exciting time for deals but it’s also a great opportunity for scammers and thieves. So, whether you’ll be spending your hard-earned cash in Boston, Providence, Hartford, New York City or elsewhere, there are a few safety tips that you should keep in mind:
“It’s a busy time of year and distractions can put us at greater risk of problems. Fortunately, taking a few proactive steps can go a long way to keep you and your family safe” – Valerie Wakefield, President/CEO
Where ever you go shopping, there are a few safety tips that you should keep in mind:
• Don’t be carrying large amounts of cash and flashing it around.
• Shopping in numbers, this will help deter any thieves from mugging you while you’re carrying your purchases out of the store.
• Ladies, don’t leave your purse in your shopping car, and, if you wear in on your shoulder, don’t leave it open.
• Make sure your cell phone is fully charged before leaving and keep in close by at all times.
• Beware of strangers approach you for any reason. At this time of year, con artist may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
• Do not carry multiple packages at once. Use will call and curbside package pickup service instead.
• Lastly, make sure your family/friends know exactly what your plans are, write down the stores and keep in touch throughout that day.
While carrying your purchases to the car, you may want to remember these tips:
• Park in well-lit areas, and report and suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately.
• Reduce distractions, such as using cell phones, while walking to your car, especially at night.
• Try not to carry a large number of packages with you. Keep a hand open and prepare to enter your vehicle.
• Do not load packages in the trunk right before leaving your vehicle. Somebody could be watching.
• Never leave personal items or packages in plain sight in your vehicle. This includes money (even loose change), credit cards, cell phones, laptops, tablets, purses, and GPS units.
• Store valuables in the trunk of your vehicle
For more information on our occupational health and safety consulting or training services please visit us at www.UnitedAllianceServices.com or you can e-mail us at safetysolutions@UnitedAllianceServices.com or give us a call at 877-399-1698.
To ensure that your workplace health and safety program continues to run effectively and meet its goals, it’s necessary to implement a policy for rewarding positive contributions and correcting unsafe behaviors. It’s important to maintain an encouraging tone when it comes to implementing this policy; disciplinary actions should only be taken when a worker is uncooperative or consistently impeding the success of the program.
Before you think about positive reinforcement and discipline, it’s important to ensure that all managers and workers know and understand your program’s objectives and policies. If workers are unsure about procedures or how to complete certain tasks safely, that indicates program failure rather than individual failure. You can begin considering reinforcement and discipline once you are sure that all members of your organization are clear on what is expected of them.
A successful program creates an open conversation in which all workers and supervisors are encouraged to participate. By rewarding positive actions, you show other workers that participation is valued. If workers see safety program compliance as a factor that could Provide positive recognition for actions that support the success of your safety program. Actions that support the program may include:
If you followed the previous steps for developing an effective workplace health and safety program, the need for disciplinary action should be minimal. However, you should set policy and be consistent about discipline. This is the standard order of disciplinary actions for safety violations that we recommend you implement at your workplace:
Would you like assistance with developing an effective workplace health and safety program, contact United Alliance Services today. We offer safety consulting, workplace training programs, assessments, and other services that help businesses become safer and more productive. Check out our Safety Services.
Read the previous Steps:
Step 1: Developing an Effective Health and Safety Program: Step 1: Leadership
Step: Developing an Effective Health and Safety Program: Step 2: Communication and Awareness
Step 3: Developing an Effective Health and Safety Program: Step 3: Tracking Trends & Effectiveness
Step 4: Developing an Effective Health and Safety Program: Step 4: Accountability
Step 5: Developing an Effective Health and Safety Program Step 5: Immediate Corrective Action
Here is a simple one-pager on how United Alliance Services can help get you into compliance!
Beginning February 2019, public employees are required to provide OSHA safety training and maintain OSHA compliance with job sites and safety training.
Click here for OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities!
Click here for OSHA Safety Training for MA Schools!
Prior to the new law, the public sector was exempt from maintaining an OSHA 300 log. The MA Department of Labor Standards (DLS) now states that you only need to provide your OSHA 300 log when an inspector or the Bureau of Labor Statistics requests to see it.
The best practice is to maintain an OSHA 300 log.
An OSHA 300 log is used by private sector employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a record of injuries and illnesses that took place and are referred to as a “recordable”.
All of the recordables are documented, but each record also needs a form 301 completed, which details the injury/illness.
A recordable includes any work-related illness and/or injury that results in:
• Fatality
• loss of consciousness, missed work, restricted work, transfer to a lower-risk job
• medical treatment beyond first aid
• diagnosis of a work-related cancer, chronic irreversible disease, fractured or cracked bones/teeth, and punctured eardrums
• any drugs being prescribed or taken at prescription strength
Needle-sticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis have special recording criteria.
For repeated violations, it doesn’t matter that the violation happened at another location of a company. It is a repeated violation when one location has been issued the violation and a different branch has the same violation.
Here is a simple one-pager on how United Alliance Services can help get you into compliance!
Beginning February 2019, public employees are required to provide OSHA safety training and maintain OSHA compliance with job sites and safety training.
Click here for OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities!
Click here for OSHA Safety Training for MA Schools!
Prior to the new law, the public sector was exempt from maintaining an OSHA 300 log. The MA Department of Labor Standards (DLS) now states that you only need to provide your OSHA 300 log when an inspector or the Bureau of Labor Statistics requests to see it.
The best practice is to maintain an OSHA 300 log.
An OSHA 300 log is used by private sector employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a record of injuries and illnesses that took place and are referred to as a “recordable”.
All of the recordables are documented, but each record also needs a form 301 completed, which details the injury/illness.
A recordable includes any work-related illness and/or injury that results in:
• Fatality
• loss of consciousness, missed work, restricted work, transfer to a lower-risk job
• medical treatment beyond first aid
• diagnosis of a work-related cancer, chronic irreversible disease, fractured or cracked bones/teeth, and punctured eardrums
• any drugs being prescribed or taken at prescription strength
Needle-sticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis have special recording criteria.
We are excited to announce that we are the premier Workplace Safety and only Occupational Health & Wellness (OccuMed) provider of ABC MA!
Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts believes that the common good is best served by an open and competitive marketplace; that every company, regardless of its affiliations, has the right to compete free of coercion by any group or organization; and that every person must have the opportunity and right to work. Toward this end, ABC’s mission is to foster an environment that ensures our members and their employees the ability to grow and prosper.
Call and Schedule a Training! ABC members receive a 10 % when mentioning this blog!
Top Workplace Holiday Safety Tips – Keep Your Employees And Their Families Safe During the Holidays!
To conclude our series of blogs, we are excited to announce our attendance to The MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show 1/18/19 – 1/19/19!
In correspondence to the updated MGL Chapter 149, section 6 1/2 we are here to answer any questions.
On March 9, 2018, Massachusetts rolled out an updated MGL Chapter 149, section 6 1/2 to include reference to OSHA regulations, updating the law written before OSHA’s inception. It has left public sector employers scrambling to figure out exactly how they are affected and how to quickly get into compliance within the short time frame provided. The updated law helps clarify the responsibilities of public sector employers, which is enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS), while giving everyone less than a year to become in compliance.
This the largest regular gathering of Massachusetts local government officials. This show features educational workshops, nationally recognized speakers, awards programs, a large trade show, and an opportunity to network with municipal officials from across the state.
Shortly after this, the new Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards’ safety training mandates on the public sector will be enforceable and United Alliance Services Corporation is ready to connect with you. We have already secured our booth at the tradeshow to answer questions you may have about the new mandate and how your department will be affected. Our consultants have decades of experience with OSHA safety standards and can easily apply them to various departments to ensure the best training is delivered.
Our safety consultants and training department have weeded through the requirements and have pulled together a blog series to shed some light on the changes, help you determine the training you need, and bring your department into compliance.
We have created custom packages for municipalities and schools that are budget-friendly, easy to deliver, and satisfies the requirements:
OSHA Safety Training for MA Schools
OSHA Safety Training for Municipalities
In continuance of our blog series..
Prior to the new law, the public sector was exempt from maintaining an OSHA 300 log. The MA Department of Labor Standards (DLS) now states that you only need to provide your OSHA 300 log when an inspector or the Bureau of Labor Statistics requests to see it.
The best practice is to maintain an OSHA 300 log.
An OSHA 300 log is used by private sector employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a record of injuries and illnesses that took place and are referred to as a “recordable”.
All of the recordables are documented, but each record also needs a form 301 completed, which details the injury/illness.
A recordable includes any work-related illness and/or injury that results in:
• Fatality
• loss of consciousness, missed work, restricted work, transfer to a lower-risk job
• medical treatment beyond first aid
• diagnosis of a work-related cancer, chronic irreversible disease, fractured or cracked bones/teeth, and punctured eardrums
• any drugs being prescribed or taken at prescription strength
Needlesticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis have special recording criteria.
As stated in the first blog of the series, Governor Baker amended MGL Chapter 149, section 6 1/2 to include reference to OSHA regulations, updating the law written before OSHA’s inception. This regulation now applies to the public sector.
The law has been updated to contain phrases of OSHA compliance since it was written prior to OSHA inception. OSHA will continue to oversee federal and private entities.
The Mass DLS will oversee the Massachusetts Public Sector while following the general duty clause and practices outlined by OSHA. Neither supersede each other.
There will not be much difference in your day-to-day operations if you’re following OSHA regulations. However, if you’re working on a public job-site be prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS) to pay a visit and look for infractions. Normally, the DLS schedules their visits, unless there is an “imminent” hazard. They can issue corrective action plans that are fine-able if not completed within the given time frame for public sector employers. OSHA will still be the governing agency for private sector employers.
Publicly bid construction projects over $10,000 require the employees on site to have completed their OSHA Outreach 10 Hour Construction training.
United Alliance Services can provide the training right on the job-site, in a private classroom, or in our corporate office. Please call 877-399-1698 if you need to conduct this training to be able to bid on a project.
The law has been updated to contain phrases of OSHA compliance since it was written prior to OSHA inception. OSHA will continue to oversee federal and private entities.
The Mass DLS will oversee the Massachusetts Public Sector while following the general duty clause and practices outlined by OSHA. Neither supersede each other.
DLS administers health and safety inspections of public sector workplaces. The update clarifies the obligations of public sector employers.
Hefty fines are issued if corrective orders for infractions are not addressed within a specific time frame.
All DLS inspections are scheduled except for higher-risk sites labeled as “imminent” inspection sites where active trenches, aerial lifts operations, and roofing are active.
The public sector workplace is anyone overseen by the Commonwealth: courts, municipalities, state agencies, counties, towns, commissions, and educators from public & private schools and colleges.
The requirements are to ensure workers are able to perform jobs safely and in compliance with OSHA regulations.
A checklist has been issued by the commonwealth to provide guidance.
If you have a public sector workplace injury that causes a death, amputation, loss of an eye, loss of consciousness, or inpatient hospitalization, call 508-616-0461 within 24 hours to report the injury.
Keep an updated OSHA 300 log.
Call us at 877-399-1698 if you need training on record keeping or check out our public training schedule or online courses.
Be sure to keep an eye on our upcoming blog that dives a bit deeper into injury reporting.