It can be easy to think of insurance fraud as a ‘victimless crime.’ After all, sometimes insurance can feel like the worst form of gambling, where you actively put down good money to bet against yourself. And insurance companies themselves don’t always act like the valiant protectors they claim to be — just ask anyone who’s ever had a valid claim denied or lost their coverage when they needed it most. Is the occasional insurance fraud here or there really such a big deal?

Even if your business is lucky enough to avoid on-the-job injuries, an unsafe work environment will still take its toll on your workforce. We as human beings are deeply influenced by our surroundings, and when we find ourselves in an unsafe environment we become anxious and start to look for a way out — whether we recognize it consciously or not. As such, unaddressed workplace safety issues can easily lead to employee absenteeism, poor quality of work, and increased turnover (along with the more obvious risks of injury or death).

With so much on the line, organizations across all industries are recognizing the importance of a culture of safety in the workplace. Here, we discuss 8 steps for building a safety culture. But first, let’s define what a safety culture is, and what it can mean to your business.

A new regulation was passed in 2017 that pertains to your OSHA recordkeeping information. This regulation requires you to visit the OSHA Injury Tracking Application (ITA) via their website and submit your information digitally for each establishment.  Here are few FAQs that may help you on this process.

Hopefully this isn’t new news to you but the deadline to submit your information off of your OSHA 300a to OSHA directly is coming up! This deadline is separate from posting your 300a in a conspicuous location at your facility. This regulation requires you to visit the OSHA Injury Tracking Application (ITA) via their website and submit your information digitally for each establishment.  Here are few FAQs that may help you on this process.

Who has to submit their information?

Pretty much everyone if you have greater than 20 employees! If you are in the construction or general industry business, then you’re more than likely on the list. For a complete list of industries that are required to submit, visit this link: https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/NAICScodesforelectronicsubmission.pdf

On October 11, 2018 OSHA issued a Standard Interpretation to clarify its position on the new recordkeeping rule’s anti-retaliation provisions that were put into place in 2016.  Essentially, they completely reversed their position on previous limitations with safety incentive programs and post-incident drug testing. 

According to the memo, OSHA believes that safety incentive programs and post-incident drug testing are generally not put into place to penalize employees for reporting injuries.  Rather, they are implemented to promote the safety and health in the workplace.  

How does the new interpretation impact you?  

The original regulation required employers to remove all-inclusive testing rules for post-incident drug testing.  

OSHA recently released its 10 most frequently cited violations in 2017.

1. Fall protection: 6,072 citations—Falls from ladders and roofs still account for the majority of injuries at work, and the first step in eliminating or reducing falls is to identify all hazards and decide how to best protect employees.
2. Hazard communication: 4,176 citations—This standard governs hazard communication to employees about chemicals that are both produced or imported into the workplace. Most violations concern the failure to develop a written hazard training program or failure to provide a Safety Data Sheet for all workplace chemicals.

Access the full training here.

Who does this impact?

Establishments with 250 or more employees and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in certain industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses will be required to submit the information off of the company’s 300A forms.

An OSHA inspector arrives at your door, unannounced, and wants to conduct an inspection of your workplace. What do you do?