According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), about 30 million workers in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous noise. One of the most common occupational diseases is noise-induced hearing loss. With this many workers at risk each day, it also means very high risks of workers’ comp claims, which can be very costly to companies. What can be done? How can you protect your workers against hearing loss?

At Gibson, we are proud of the company culture we have established, but in order for our culture to stay strong, we must pay attention to how to we handle the integration of new employees. This is the onboarding process.

The goal of onboarding is to have engaged employees who feel valued and become a part of the company culture. Not only does onboarding teach an employee about the company and their role, but it helps them feel like a part of the organization, which in turn makes them a more engaged, empowered and productive employee.

How do you accomplish this? How do you successfully integrate new employees into your company culture?

As baby boomers reach retirement age, many are choosing to work longer, thus changing the demographic makeup of your workforce. There are proven benefits – they are some of your most loyal and experienced employees, which makes it important for risk and safety professionals to look for targeted strategies to safeguard the safety of their aging workforce.

Studies show that one in four workers will be older than age 55 by 2030. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the numbers of workers age 55 and over will increase from 19 million in 2020 to 32 million by 2015. Workers have several motivators for working longer including improved medical treatment, financial needs (short-term and for retirement), the opportunity to use their talents and skills, to keep mentally and physically healthy, and the enjoyment of work. Regardless of the motivating factor, it is clear that the aging workforce trend is going to be bringing changes to the workforce in the years to come.

Maintaining a safe workplace is key to business success. Having a safe work environment will not only keep the probability and severity of occupational injuries at bay, but also give your workers the peace of mind to focus on their tasks without fear of physical threats. As WorkMT, a non-profit organization, explains, "A serious workplace injury or death changes lives forever – for families, friends, communities, and coworkers too." Occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths in your business evoke fears and uncertainty; the mentality of "it could have been me" or "would I be next" will play against your workers' psychology, making them feel insecure and anxious.

Having workers who are constantly worried about getting injured will detrimentally affect your business productivity and reputation. Creating a safe workplace then becomes a goal for all business owners. When it comes to operating a forklift that can handle tons of loads in any given transaction, your chance of having a major injury automatically increases. Because of that, it is important for you to observe the following five safety steps and learn to create a worker-friendly environment:

It seems like every week the news is reporting another active shooter incident; these incidents have truly become an epidemic. In the past few years we’ve seen schools, universities; movie theaters, military bases, and businesses face threats, scares and shootings. There are two ways to approach these active shooting situations: 1) Prevention and 2) Damage Control.

As a law enforcement officer, I spent a lot of time focused on damage control. However, as a Risk Advisor I would say that although we absolutely have to be able to respond if an active shooting were to occur, we would be much better served if we were able to recognize and prevent the shooting before it happens.

Today’s business climate requires that companies keep an especially close eye on expenses. One area where this monitoring sometimes escapes the attention of accountants, bookkeepers, and others who are responsible for corporate financials is workers’ compensation.

Workers’ compensation claims are ultimately a liability for an employer, whether the actual money paid to the injured worker is done through the state, through a private insurance company, or through the self-insured employer itself. But the direct costs of claims are not the only potential expense that employers can incur when it comes to workers’ compensation. Two very costly mistakes that often escape oversight but that can ultimately have a devastating effect on an employer's financial position include:

• Overestimating the amount of reserves needed to pay particular claims
• Failing to bring injured workers back to transitional duty

All tools have safety considerations, and a ladder is no different. However, when you regularly use a ladder, you may begin to take ladder safety for granted. Falls are a leading cause of injuries and fatalities in the workplace and proper ladder safety is essential. This guide will take you through picking the right ladder, the proper technique for placing and climbing the ladder, and how to conduct maintenance checks to ensure ladders remain safe to use.

All you need for a workplace strain or sprain to occur are stairs or a floor. While there has been an encouraging decline in workplace injuries overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a slight increase in musculoskeletal injuries classified as sprains, strains, and tears. And, that includes an increase in injuries to the lumbar region, which are typically long-term and expensive to care for.

The property and casualty marketplace evolved favorably in 2013. According to the Insurance Services Office (ISO), despite persistently low interest rates undermining insurer investment returns over the past few years, the industry experienced an increase in underwriting profits in 2013, as follows:

Whether in the workplace or at home, leading by example is a powerful motivating force. As a parent, you teach your children by example. As a supervisor at work, you can have a great, positive influence by not only your actions but also your expectations.