News

This unfortunate topic is ripped from the headlines and from an email I received from a friend recently. In response to news of a workplace shooting, my friend wrote: "Disturbing – are you fully insured for this? Advice to companies as to how to handle?" Disturbing, indeed. It's very difficult to create policies that adequately account for tragedies. However, I believe that the best insurance against problems is prevention. Could good hiring practices, background screenings,…

As a follow up to an article in our May newsletter about e-cigarettes, I wanted to share an update with you from the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). They recently released new recommendations that employers maintain completely smoke-free workplaces. This means treating e-cigarettes just like those made with tobacco. The recommendation comes in an attempt to protect workers from the occupational hazards of tobacco and secondhand smoke or emissions from e-cigarettes. It…

Earlier this month, I conducted a safety audit with a client and the risk manager raised a few issues that I thought would be helpful to share. The first is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the summer months. Often, workers will remove hard hats, safety glasses and heavy, steel-toed footwear because it is so hot outside. Employers need to remind workers of the importance of protective gear and enforce their policies about…

In the 2015 Georgia legislative session, the use of cannabis oil was legalized for medical purposes in the state. (See the Atlanta Journal Constitution article.) Georgia's new law allows cannabis oil – and oil only – to be used to treat eight medical conditions: cancer, Crohn's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, mitochondrial disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, seizure disorders and sickle cell disease. People may possess up to 20 ounces of cannabis oil with a physician's…