Electricity is so commonplace in our lives and on our work sites that it’s easy to forget how potentially dangerous it is. I worked as electrician before I became a safety professional, so it’s not surprising that I pay particular attention to matters regarding electricity. What does surprise me, however, is how often very basic safety rules for working around electricity are ignored.

Recently, a friend of mine got a phone call from his bank to alert him that they were freezing his account. The representative described to him a series of suspicious transactions which were indeed purchases he had not authorized. It turned out to be a scam, and if he had fallen for the ruse, he would have given up personal details allowing unscrupulous people to raid his account.

Equipment must be inspected and tested at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer or mandated by an authority having jurisdiction. After equipment has been accepted and placed in service, it should be tested within its designed parameters to prevent damage.

When employers think diversity, most think in terms of sociological factors such as race or religion. But there’s another type of diversity that’s just as relevant in today’s workforce: age diversity. As Baby Boomers continue to work well past normal retirement age, the phenomenon of having older employees will become even more widespread.

For employees who have a fixed place of employment, injuries that may occur in their normal driving to and from work are generally held not to be compensable because such travel is not considered an activity that arises from employment. This is often referred to as the “going and coming rule.”

Substance abuse can create a wide array of common workplace problems such as tardiness, absenteeism, theft, impaired judgment, lost productivity, turnover, difficulty interacting with co-workers, injury to self or others, and performance issues.

The Workers’ Compensation Act of Colorado does not exclude Workers’ Compensation coverage for undocumented workers. In fact, Colorado statute [8-40-202 (1) (b)] specifically says:

…an “employee” is any person under any contract of hire, express or implied, including aliens and minors, whether lawfully or unlawfully employed, is deemed an employee and entitled to the maximum benefits provided by Workers’ Compensation…

Accidents involving rented items such as lifts, forklifts, trailers, tents and chairs posed the greatest risks for consumers and were associated with the highest numbers of fatalities, injuries and damages in the equipment rental industry, according to the findings of a recent St. Paul Travelers study.

If you are not familiar with the term “toxic mold,” you are part of a dwindling group. The subject reared its ugly head in Texas and is now the source of market restrictions and new exclusionary language and class action lawsuits. Most if not all insurers have specific exclusionary language that excludes mold from liability and first party property coverages.