FAQ

A written safety program shows management concern for employee safety. It outlines steps the company will take to identify and control hazards, provides an opportunity to evaluate (and possibly revise) work practices, and helps make employees aware of safety issues.

A program stressing that safety is everyone's business benefits both employer and employees: It prevents injuries to workers, provides for documentation and investigation of any incidents that do occur, and reduces the employer's claim costs.

The purpose of a return-to-work program is to facilitate a worker's return to the workplace as soon as feasible after a work-related injury or illness. It should focus on the abilities of the employee while complying with any medical restrictions.

The advantages to the employer are that it will reduce the number of lost-time days and the claim costs. It will benefit the employee by reducing the financial impact of the injury and encouraging the use of abilities.

All Loss Prevention services of the Beacon are free of charge to our policyholders.

Only your employer, our policyholder, can request Beacon services. We suggest that you speak with your company’s safety department who can then request LP services.

No. Employers are obligated to evaluate the hazards associated with each job and then provide, at no cost, workers with the appropriate PPE to do that job.

The Beacon’s loss prevention consultants work with policyholder to identify and eradicate hazards in the workplace. The Beacon uses OSHA standards as a guide and baseline for identifying unsafe conditions or practices. OSHA is branch of the federal government charged with enforcing safety standards. OSHA's mission is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

Even if you have never experienced a claim, the Loss Prevention department conducts an overall risk assessment for the Underwriting department. Once your risks are determined, we can assist you through proactive controls, recommendations, resources and training. We believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If directly supervised by your company, injuries may have to be reported on your OSHA 300 log. You are required to have a safe workplace free of any recognized hazards that may cause injury to any worker.

In 2004, the number one cause of workplace fatalities was assaults, followed by falls, electrocutions and crushing.

The client company is responsible for the safety of every employee working at their facility, regular staff or temporary employee.

Yes. Especially fire safety, how to exit the building, where the primary and secondary exits are located.

Yes. For those who are not coming in direct contact with chemicals at the location, knowledge of the location of the Material Safety data sheets would suffice. For those employees coming in direct contact with chemicals, they should receive the same training given to your employees for Right to Know.

Reduce losses! The most impact that your business can make toward reducing the experience modification is by reducing the frequency and severity of your claims. Reduce the number of injuries as much as possible and when you do have a claim reduce the costs by getting the employee back to work as soon as possible.

Yes. Even if your company has a good safety record. Safety committees help keep safety a priority. Safety committees can help improve employee awareness levels toward safety by talking about prevention measures. The committee should also be involved with reviewing safety policies and procedures. If your committee is lacking excitement, invite an outside safety person in, such as a loss prevention person from The Beacon or your local fire department.

No. Though back belts keep low back muscles warm and encourage proper posture while lifting, they do not decrease the forces responsible for low back injury. They promote a false sense of security and in general should not be considered a piece of personal protective equipment.

There is no defined weight that is safe for employees to lift. The circumstances of the lift: below knee, above shoulders, at arms length, all increase the difficulty of the job task and therefore would lower the acceptable weight lifted. The frequency of the job task is also important. Finally, you must consider the workforce. What is an “average” worker? We all have differing physical capacities. Therefore establishing a simple weight limit is not a comprehensive solution to reducing material handling risk.

No. There are currently no standards that regulate or set maximum limits on lifting. It is up to each employer to determine what works best for the type of work performed. Click here for more information.

No. Back belts will not prevent back injuries if the person still lifts using the "rounded back" or non-neutral postures. Most people only think the belt is helping them because the belt stabilizes weak stomach muscles, making the trunk feel stronger, which gives a false impression of extra strength a.k.a. the Superman Effect. Back belts are only effective when lifting greater than 75% of the maximum weight a person can lift, and will not take the place of good lifting techniques and proper back posture.

No. Ergonomic issues for most industries are generally addressed under the General Duty Clause. OSHA has developed some industry specific and task specific guidelines to reduce and prevent workplace ergonomic injuries. These voluntary guidelines are a major part of OSHA's new four-pronged approach to ergonomics. The voluntary guidelines currently in place are for the poultry processing industry, the retail grocery industry, nursing homes, and meatpacking plants. For more information on this topic please visit OSHA.

Although back training has been the most frequently used approach in the past to help RNs and CNAs, the true solution lies in a step-by-step process involving a facility cultural change, customized task analyses, and utilization of safe patient handling devices. The Beacon has developed a 10-step process for safe patient handling to address these exposures in health care facilities. For additional information on safe patient handling, please visit Patient Safety Center.

The State of Rhode Island has a good web resource for the RI Fire Codes: http://www.fsc.state.ri.us/

Yes. Vibration is an exposure that increases the risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders. Vibration has been proven to desensitize the neuromuscular system resulting in increased force production and corresponding trauma to the musculoskeletal system. Vibration also reduces the flow of blood to hard working muscles.

No, not necessarily. Adjustable keyboard trays allow for employees of all statures to maintain neutral posture while performing computer tasks. The goal is to keep the keypad approximately one inch below seated elbow height. For some employees desk height meets this recommendation. The adjustable keyboard tray allows all workstations to meet the recommendation.

Employers must have a written respiratory protection plan prior to the use of respirators, this plan shall include selection of respirators; medical evaluation of employees prior to wearing respirator; fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators; procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators; training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations.

The employer shall provide a medical evaluation by a physician or other licensed health care professional to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is required to use the respirator in the workplace. Employees must also be fit-tested to determine the correct size respirator they will need to be completely protected prior to issuance of respirator. Click here for more information.

You will need an OSHA 10-Hour Construction card whenever you begin work on any Rhode Island municipal or state job that is $100,000 or more in total contract value. This also includes any employee who visits the site from your company. For instance, you may have a "roving" superintendent or project manager who may visit the job infrequently. He or she is still mandated to have the card. In addition, any of your suppliers or vendors need to have this card even if they are only delivering stock or supplies to the project but have to step or drive inside the footprint of the construction site. The only employees that are exempt are municipal, state, or federal employees.

Yes. Both OSHA and ANSI govern the use of spreader bars and other types of rigging equipment. Your spreader bars are either made from steel I-beams, steel pipe, or tube stock ('box beam'). Although this material can be used, it must be rated and stamped by a structural engineer prior to use in the field. This equipment, even if used infrequently, must be inspected by a qualified person annually.

Remove it from service and place a “DO NOT USE” tag on it.

Employers must conduct a hazard assessment of the workplace prior to placing employees in PPE. OSHA calls this the Workplace Hazard Assessment. Click here for more information.

The National Safety Council recommends a minimum three-second following distance with an additional second for adverse or hazardous driving conditions, like heavy traffic and poor weather and visibility. If your speed is higher than 60 miles per hour, you will need to add extra following distance between the vehicle ahead and your vehicle. The higher the speed, the more distance it takes to stop your vehicle.

To find the right following distance, begin counting when the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, such as an underpass, or a billboard. Count "one-thousand and one, one-thousand and two, one-thousand and three." Your vehicle should not pass the fixed object until after you have finished your counting.

If another car enters that "safe space" you must begin counting again.