Archive for Safety

Tips for Promoting a Safe and Healthy Work Environment

In California, every employer with 10 or more employees is required by the State (Cal/OSHA) to have an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).  This program must be a written plan that includes policies and procedures on topics such as safe work practices, periodic inspections, what to do in the event of an accident, safety training, workplace threats, and recordkeeping.

The plan should be periodically updated and communicated to employees on a regular basis.

In addition to the plan, and in light of these stressful times, there are a number of preventive actions employers can take to promote a safe and healthy work environment for employees.

Here are some tips:

Offer mental health awareness and resources. Many employees are struggling to adjust to being back in the office. Commute woes (and gas prices), childcare issues, change in routine, rusty social skills, in some cases a change in job role or management, fear of another COVID wave, etc. 

Recognize this and provide resources, e.g., a Lunch & Learn where a wellness expert speaks to employees about general mental health awareness and ways to relieve stress. In many cases, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can provide access to wellness experts at a low cost or no cost to the employer. If your insurance plan offers an EAP, be sure employees know about it and encourage them to take advantage of it. As a leader, let your employees know that you are available if they need a sounding board. Be flexible in adapting work schedules/workloads as they work through it.

Also, there is information on the EEOC website about medical accommodations under the ADA. 

Promote camaraderie. One of the major causes of stress for employees is the sense of isolation that has built up over the past couple of years during COVID. Research has shown that when people have strong social connections at work they are happier and healthier which can translate into higher motivation and engagement.  Many companies offer new hires a buddy to assist them during the on-boarding process.  This is especially important for employees who will be working remotely.

Build connections via non-work-related group activities, such as a walking group.  Walking is a no-cost, accessible activity that requires no equipment and has the added benefit of the great outdoors.   Promoting these connections is especially important for those employees who may have started with the organization via Zoom.  Walking, as an example, is something that any employee can do whether working remotely or in the office.

Watch for signs. If you notice changes in the behavior of one of your employees – e.g., lashing out at others, isolating, frequent tardiness or absence, deteriorating performance – initiate a conversation to determine the cause and find out whether, and how, you can help. Sometimes all the person needs is someone to listen and/or a referral to available resources.  And other times, it could be more than that. 

Remember, an employer is obligated to begin the interactive process and possibly provide a medical accommodation under the ADA for anyone who may become disabled due to their mental health condition and is under their doctor’s care.  It’s important to check in with your employees to see whether stress is impeding their ability to perform their work. So, if you see something, say something. Don’t wait.

For additional ideas on how you can support employee wellness, check out this Fast Company article.

If you need help implementing these or other preventive measures, please contact me at michelle@connecttohr.com

Help Prevent Workplace Violence: Be Aware

It’s no secret that we are living in stressful times.  Inflation, ongoing concerns about COVID, political and racial divide, anxiety around returning to the office after months of isolation…the list goes on. Sadly, some of this frustration has led to heinous acts of violence such as the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, and the many others since then.

Everyday situations turned deadly.

This calls on us all to be more aware of our surroundings – whether at large public events or at the smaller venues where we learn, where we play, where we shop, where we worship.

And where we work.

If you see something, say something. You may prevent someone from harming others or from harming himself/herself.

Pay attention when a coworker’s behavior or demeanor suddenly changes. Check in with them. Maybe they just need someone to talk to.  If you’re not comfortable doing that or they resist, consult with your manager or HR. If you see behaviors that are particularly alarming – bullying, threats (face-to-face or in writing), etc. – contact HR immediately. If you perceive that you or others are in immediate danger, call your security team or the police.

The hotline number for Workplace Violence Prevention and Response is: 1.877.987.3747.

Often, we get so busy with the multiple obligations we have – work, home, family – that we don’t notice the human interactions around us. Pay attention.

And leaders, if you are faced with or become aware of a potential harmful situation, send security or someone trained to deal with such incidents rather than putting staff members in that position.

There are a number of preventive measures that organizations can take to reduce the possibility of violent and harmful situations in the workplace.  We’ll talk about those in my next article.

If you need help preparing for or dealing with employee issues, please contact me at michelle@connecttohr.com

New Health Guidelines for Post-COVID Return to Work

If you are a business leader starting to bring employees back into the office, there are some specific Public Health Department guidelines you need to follow. These may vary according to your business location and where your employees actually perform their work. Also, the state, county, city and CalOSHA all have guidelines. If these guidelines differ, the more restrictive ones prevail.

Santa Clara County issued a new health order effective May 19, 2021. If your business is in Santa Clara County or you have employees or volunteers who regularly work at worksites in the County, be sure that you comply with these guidelines. We’ve listed a few of them below. For more information, read the full health order.

  • Employers must require that employees immediately notify them if they test positive for COVID-19 and were present in the workplace within 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms (or the date when they were tested) or within 10 days after the onset of symptoms (or the date when they were tested if they were asymptomatic).
  • Employers must ascertain the vaccination status of all personnel who perform any work at a facility or worksite in the county within 14 days of this order (by June 1, 2021).  Personnel includes employees, contractors, volunteers, and anyone who regularly works at worksites in the County.
  • Personnel who decline to provide vaccination status are to be treated as unvaccinated. After the initial request, businesses must follow up every 14 days with all personnel who were not fully vaccinated to determine their status.
  • Employers must require unvaccinated personnel to wear masks, maintain the appropriate physical distance, and comply with all other County health guidelines for unvaccinated individuals.
  • Employers are also required to provide unvaccinated personnel with information on how to get vaccinated.
  • All employers must maintain appropriate records to demonstrate compliance. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to $5,000 per violation per day.

Per the County FAQs, compliance with the vaccination/recordkeeping requirement takes just a few steps:

  1. Provide staff members a copy of the one-page Self-Certification form the County has provided to assist businesses in meeting this requirement.  It should take employees no more than a minute or two to fill out the form.
  2. Collect the forms and store them in the same way you store confidential employee information like documents requesting medical leave, reasonable accommodations, etc.
  3. Provide employees who are not vaccinated or declined to state whether they are vaccinated an information sheet on vaccination, which is available here.

Click here for the Santa Clara County Public Health Order FAQs.

If you are based in San Francisco or have employees working in San Francisco, check out these guidelines from the San Francisco Department of Health.

Learn about the State of California guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals here.

CalOSHA is in the process of revising their COVID-19 prevention guidelines (ETS), which may be stricter than those issued by California and the CDC. These will not be finalized until later this month. The revisions include updates to face coverings, physical distancing and other prevention measures for vaccinated and unvaccinated workers. The ETS applies to most workers in California.  We suggest you visit their FAQ which will have more details on the proposed changes once they are approved and adopted later in June.

Disclaimer: Because information and guidelines continue to evolve, it’s essential for leaders to keep an eye out for the latest guidelines from the state, CalOSHA, and the city and county where you have personnel performing work, as defined above. 

Also, if you have questions about your particular situation, it’s always a good idea to seek advice from your legal counsel.

Please reach out to me at michelle@connecttohr.com if you need help creating a return-to-work plan.

Podcast: Best Practices for Keeping Employees Safe and Healthy

Protecting the health and safety of employees, not just during a crisis but at all times, is a key responsibility of business leaders in both for-profit and nonprofit environments. This means putting practices in place to protect both the physical health and safety of employees, as well as their emotional and mental health.

Tune in to my recent “Inspired Nonprofit Leadership” podcast with Mary Hiland, PhD, president of Hiland Consulting, to learn some tips and best practices for keeping your employees safe and healthy. 

Mary Hiland created Inspired Nonprofit Leadership to provide nonprofit leaders with information, inspiration, and encouragement so they can be even more effective. Throughout the series, guest experts and nonprofit leaders share insights, useful strategies and lessons learned.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share my experience as an HR leader and consultant with her listeners.

I hope you’ll tune in.

Developing an Injury and Illness Prevention Program

Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for their employees.

In California, every employer with 10 or more employees is required by the state (Cal/OSHA) to have an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Additionally, they must record injuries and illnesses on Form 301, and prepare an annual summary on Form 300A of all the work-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during the calendar year. Form 300A must be posted between February 1 and April 30. These forms are available from the State of California Department of Industrial Relations. Records need to be maintained in your files for 5 years.

The Injury and Illness Prevention Program must be a written plan that includes policies and procedures on topics such as safe work practices, periodic inspections, what to do in the event of an accident, safety training, and recordkeeping. There are 8 specific elements that must be included in the plan:

  1. Management commitment/assignment of responsibilities
  2. Safety communications systems with employees
  3. System for ensuring employee compliance with safe work practices
  4. Scheduled inspections /evaluation system
  5. Accident investigation
  6. Procedures for correcting unsafe/unhealthy conditions
  7. Safety and health training and instruction
  8. Recordkeeping and documentation

Review your IIPP at least annually to ensure that policies and procedures are up to date and that it includes any newer situations, e.g., active shooter, that you need to be prepared for. FEMA has some helpful information on what to do in the event of an earthquake, fire, or active shooter.

Additionally, to be effective your IIPP must:

  • Fully involve all employees, supervisors and management
  • Identify the specific workplace hazards that employees are exposed to
  • Correct identified hazards in an appropriate and timely manner
  • Provide effective training

If you employ fewer than 10 employees, you can:

  • Communicate to and instruct employees orally about safe work practices
  • Choose to maintain records of inspections only until the hazards identified are corrected
  • Document training by maintaining an instruction log that you provide to a new employee or to an employee reassigned to new duties

Seasonal employers can use a model program designed specifically for seasonal employers, available at the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) website. Additional IIPP requirements apply to specific industries, such as the construction and petroleum industries.

Cal/OSHA has created a Microsoft Excel workbook that contains Form 300, Form 301, and Form 300A. The forms are linked, so the totals on Form 301 are automatically copied to Form 300A. This facilitates the process of recording illnesses and injuries and transferring them to the yearly summary.

If you need help developing your IIPP plan, please contact me at Michelle@connecttohr.com.

If You See Something, Say Something

We think it can’t happen here until it does.

The deadly shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival – an annual event meant to celebrate summer, food and community – and this past weekend two more mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

These three incidents have been added to a growing list of tragedies perpetrated by disturbed, angry or just plain evil individuals.

It calls on us all to be more aware of our surroundings – whether at large public events or at the smaller venues where we play, where we worship, where we work.

I’ve been pondering what we can all do.  Today, while I was watching the news, an FBI agent shared that in deadly shootings in the past there were warning signs.  If you see something, say something. You may prevent someone from harming others or from harming his or herself.

A situation comes to mind that happened several years ago when I was working in corporate. A manager who was beloved by all lost two people close to him within a matter of months. He still came to work and he still got things done, but he just didn’t seem to be himself.

Then one day he didn’t come to work. He didn’t call in and he didn’t answer his phone. His leader sent two staff members to his home (bad idea, but more on that later). When no one answered his door, the staff members called police (good idea). Tragically, the manager had taken his own life.

I share this to emphasize the importance of being aware. Pay attention when a coworker’s behavior or demeanor suddenly changes. Check in with them. Isolation can be another warning sign.  Maybe they just need someone to talk to.  If you’re not comfortable doing that or they resist, consult with your manager or HR. If you see behaviors that are particularly alarming – bullying, threats (verbal or in writing), etc. – contact HR immediately. If you perceive that you or others are in imminent danger, call your security team or the police immediately.

The hotline number for Workplace Violence Prevention and Response is: 1.877.987.3747.

Often we get so busy with the multiple obligations we have – work, home, family – we don’t notice the human interactions around us. Pay attention.

And for leaders (back to my story) if faced with a similar situation, send security or someone trained to deal with such incidents rather than putting staff members in that position.

Please contact me if you need help dealing with any employee issues.

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