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A new year has arrived, and you’re probably busy preparing your business for a successful year. Add safety to your checklist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees suffered roughly 2.9 million workplace injuries or illnesses in 2016. Implement several safety resolutions in 2018 as you create a safe work environment.

Search for and Eliminate Hazards

Schedule a workplace inspection, and look for potential hazards.

• Evaluate the layout, condition and safety of every work area.
• Identify potential electrical, chemical, fire and other hazards, and decide how to address and eliminate those risks.
• Test tools and equipment to ensure they operate properly and safely.
• Schedule regular maintenance to ensure safety precautions remain a priority.
• Inspect the personal protective equipment and verify that everyone is using it properly.
• Watch how employees work and note any unsafe behaviors.
• Schedule regular inspections throughout the year.

Involve Employees

Your business is most likely to maintain its safety standards when you involve every employee from supervisors to new hires. To keep your employees involved, consider several tips.

• Invite suggestions for safety precautions, and take those suggestions seriously.
• Ask employees to brainstorm techniques that improve safety.
• Maintain an open door policy that encourages employees to report safety concerns or violations.
• Encourage all employees to participate in training new hires on safety precautions.
• Form safety committees to perform regular safety checks, investigate reported concerns or violations and promote safety in their individual departments and throughout the workplace.

Implement Training

Whether your business performed regular safety training in 2017 or dropped the ball on this precaution, you can implement training now and during the new year.

• Check and follow OSHA training requirements.
• Utilize technology such as engaging videos, computer games or online quizzes to enhance and expand the training options you offer your staff members.
• Use interactive training techniques like demonstrations and hands-on experiences.
• Give every employee the opportunity to participate in training discussions and to ask questions.
• Include managers and supervisors in the trainings so they know the most current safety regulations, processes and procedures and feel comfortable teaching these safety essentials to the people they supervise.
• Create a schedule for the rest of the year that includes safety meetings, trainings and inspections.

Reward Safe Behavior

Encourage safety when you offer rewards. With a prize or recognition on the line, your team may amp up their safety consciousness and work harder to ensure everyone follows procedures. Plus, friendly competition between departments can improve morale and engagement among all your employees.

As your business prepares for success in 2018, implement several safety resolutions. For more tips and ideas on how to teach, prioritize and maintain a safe work environment, talk to your insurance agent.

Life insurance isn’t just for parents of young children. It’s a valuable resource for almost anyone. Before you dismiss this valuable resource as irrelevant, consider several factors that determine when you need to consider buying a life insurance policy.

You Need a Funeral

The National Funeral Directors Association calculates that the average adult funeral costs $7,095. By purchasing a life insurance policy, you cover that expense and give your survivors one less thing to worry about paying.

You Have Debt

After you die, certain debts, including your student loans, mortgage, credit card balances and unpaid medical bills, have to be repaid with assets from your estate. Money from your life insurance policy can cover these obligations and reduce the financial burden your family faces.

Your Financial Resources are Limited

How much money do you have saved in bank, retirement or investment accounts? If those resources aren’t enough to pay for your survivors’ daily living expenses, purchase adequate life insurance and provide for your loved ones’ needs.

You’re Getting or Already are Married

If you could continue providing financially for your spouse even after your death, would you? Then buy life insurance. It offers extra funds that cover living expenses, and it shows your spouse how much you really care.

You’re Someone’s Primary Caregiver

Whether you care for young children or aging parents, purchase life insurance. The funds provide the care your loved ones need.

Your Loved Ones Have Long Term Needs

Of course you can’t see into the future, but you can plan for the long term needs your loved ones will face, including college, medical treatment or housing. With a life insurance policy in place, you provide for your family long after you’re gone.

While life insurance is beneficial, it’s not a requirement. If your children are grown, your mortgage and debts are paid, and your spouse had adequate financial resources for a comfortable retirement, you may not need a life insurance policy. However, strongly consider purchasing a policy if your survivors need this financial resource.

Talk to your insurance agent today about how much life insurance you need and available policy options that give you peace of mind and protect your loved ones now and in the future.

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As the average cost of getting hitched keeps rising (to $27,000 in 2012), more and more couples are using Wedding Insurance to protect their investment against mishap – and help ensure peace of mind on this special day.

Wedding policies will reimburse you for losses due to:

• Weather: The cost of rescheduling if the event has to be postponed because of rain or other bad weather.
• Illness or injury to the bridal party. The expenses of postponing the wedding if essential people (such as the maid of honor or best man) can’t be there.
• A missing celebrant. Some of the costs if your minister, justice of the peace, rabbi, or other celebrant doesn’t show up.
• Missing vendors. Some, or all, of the expense (including rescheduling) if the caterer, florist, photographer, or other key vendor is missing in action.
• Damage to the venue. Your losses if fire, electrical or mechanical outage, or going out of business makes the wedding or reception site unusable, forcing you to reschedule. (This coverage might not apply if the sites already carry insurance).

You can also buy coverage “riders” for a variety of other risks, ranging from a military service call-up to the bride or groom and damage to a wedding gown or tuxedo, to stolen or damaged gifts, and cancellation of your honeymoon due to illness, bad weather, or other mishap. If you’re holding the ceremony in your home, you might also want Liability insurance in case a guest gets hurt or injures someone.

Premiums can range from $100 to $1,000 (if you buy Liability coverage and host an open bar).

We’d be happy to tailor a Wedding policy to meet your needs, and budget. Just give us a call.

Some employees are happy to take chances when it comes to safety. They take needless risks in an effort to save time or cut their work load. In reality, all they’re doing is subjecting themselves and others to hazards that could cause a serious injury.

Workers form bad habits when they repeatedly perform their jobs in an unsafe way and don’t get injured. They become convinced that because of their skills they are incapable of being hurt. It’s this attitude that usually ends up doing them in, because they take even more chances until eventually a serious accident does occur. Unfortunately, that one accident can turn out to be fatal.

Most of a chance-taker’s careless acts can be broken down into one of the following categories:

• Failing to follow proper job procedure
• Cleaning, oiling, adjusting, or repairing equipment that is moving, electrically energized, or pressurized
• Failing to use available personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, and hard hats
• Failing to wear safe personal attire
• Failing to secure or warn about hazards
• Using equipment improperly
• Making safety devices inoperable
• Operating or working at unsafe speeds
• Taking an unsafe position or posture
• Placing, mixing, or combining tools and materials unsafely
• Using tools or equipment known to be unsafe
• Engaging in horseplay

Although OSHA does not cite employees for safety violations, each employee is obliged to comply with all applicable OSHA standards, rules, regulations, and orders. Employee responsibilities and rights in states with their own occupational safety and health programs are generally the same as for workers in states covered by Federal OSHA.

Employees should follow these guidelines:

• Read OSHA notices at the jobsite
• Comply with all applicable OSHA standards
• Follow all lawful employer health and safety rules and regulations, and wear or use prescribed protective equipment while working
• Report hazardous conditions to a supervisor
• Report any job-related injury or illness to the employer, and seek treatment promptly
• Exercise these rights in a responsible manner

If you are working with a risk-taker, ask him to stop and consider what jeopardy he is putting himself and others in. Then buddy up with him to find a safer way to perform the task. Remember, unsafe actions don’t result in saving time if a worker gets injured in the process.