New Hampshire OSHA Alert

May 9th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

New Hampshire employers play a very important role in protecting the health and safety of their workers. If you’re an employer, then you know this. You’ve likely created disaster plans for hurricanes and natural disasters, and even have plans in place in case of a power outage or fire.

But you may not have a plan in place in the event of a worldwide influenza outbreak.

A worldwide influenza outbreak, or pandemic, occurs when a new strain of the virus emerges. Since immunity to the strain hasn’t had a chance to build, the virus quickly spreads from person to person worldwide.

The affects of a potential flu pandemic are addressed in a New Hampshire OSHA alert. The alert also addresses any type of potential global disease outbreak. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration encourages employers to protect their workers and be prepared for an outbreak. According to the OSHA, “As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is essential.”

A contingency plan created by each employer will help prevent or minimize widespread economic disruptions. A pandemic could cause employee absenteeism, interrupt the normal delivery of products, and change patterns in commerce.

A pandemic will affect grocery stores because they’ll be busier and may even run out of necessary supplies like hand sanitizer and tissues. Healthcare facilities may become overcrowded as more and more people get sick.

Tourism and travel will be affected. So will trade, the food supply and consumer buying in general. Ripples from these affects will ultimately spread to and affect investment and financial markets.

Pandemics have the potential to kill hundreds of thousands of people. The most recent influenza pandemic, the 1918 Spanish Flu, killed 50 to 100 million people in just 18 months. World War I killed fewer people. Nine million soldiers died and several million civilians also lost their lives.

No new strain of strain of influenza has been discovered, according to the OSHA. There is no risk of a pandemic any time in the near future.

No Comments >> Posted in Compliance Issues,Department of Labor,New Hampshire

New Hampshire Drug Free Workplace News

May 9th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

The New Hampshire Drug Free Workplace Alliance is expanding. Since 2004, this alliance has worked to prevent drug abuse, thereby enhancing worker safety.

The New Hampshire Drug Free Workplace Alliance is addressing a serious problem. Alcohol and drug abuse are a huge problem for employers, and this program address that problem. Because of alcohol and drug abuse, businesses in America have a higher number of absent employees, and when employees do come to work, they cause more accidents and mistakes. Worse, OSHA maintains that many accidents that caused fatalities were the result of either alcohol or drug abuse.

The construction industry, along with the mining industry, are the focus. Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor, along with representatives from labor unions and contractor associations were at the signing ceremony for the expansion.

At the signing ceremony for the expansion of the New Hampshire Drug Free Workplace Alliance, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao was joined by representatives of the following five unions, all of whom are members of the Drug-Free Workplace Alliance:

  • International Union of Operating Engineers
  • Laborers’ International Union of North America
  • International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
  • United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting
  • Industry of the United States and Canada
  • International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers

What contractor associations had leaders present?
The 5 contractor associations represented were NEA — The Association of Union Constructors, the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association, the Associated General Contractors, the National Asphalt Pavement Association, and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

The goal of the alliance is to increase awareness of the problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace. The alliance also works to supply information on establishing a drug-free workplace. The programs offered by the alliance should protect employees’ health and increase their safety, something Chao is committed to making happen. She’s working along with the unions and contractor associations to make this goal a reality.

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New Hampshire OSHA 300 Form

April 27th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of the New Hampshire OSHA 300 form? It’s not simply to make employer’s lives more difficult, although that’s how some managers feel.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all businesses to display the 300 form. The dates that it should be posted between are February 1st and April 30th.

The OSHA 300 form shows the accidents of the previous year at the company. The point is to prevent future problems.

According to OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role 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.” Part of an employer’s responsibility is to display the OSHA 300 log as well as the OSHA-It’s the Law Poster.

The prominent posting of the OSHA 300 form is required by the law. The OSHA will not tolerate noncompliance. A company caught not properly displaying the required poster for the full appointed time will be subject to fines. Your health and safety while you work is important to the OSHA, and they are making continued efforts to inspire that kind of drive for protection in your employer.

The thought process is that if the company keeps track of the types of accidents that take place most frequently, they can better focus efforts on preventing the same things for the next year. Job-related illness, injury, and fatality are nothing to ignore. I hope that you have attended meetings with your employer about keeping your place of work a healthy and safe one.

Reducing and preventing workplace accidents is one of the major goals of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. You can do your part as an employee by making sure that you follow safety precautions. Remind your coworkers of the importance of safety and health. Be careful to protect yourself, your colleagues, and the customers.

No Comments >> Posted in Compliance Issues,Department of Labor,Federal Labor Laws,Health and Safety,New Hampshire,Regulations

New Hampshire Labor Law News

January 26th, 2007 Posted by Mark

The deal on the New Hampshire workers’ comp system is that it’s changing. It is constantly changing, of course, but the particular change that I’m letting you in on now is the one to the weekly maximum compensation rate.

The rate has been increased to $1,123.50 per week, as of July 1, 2006. This whole rate is determined by what the worker made before he or she go hurt, so that part of the equation is not up to you. But in case you were counting, to get the maximum weekly allowance, the worker had to be earning up to $1,922.50 per week in salary before they got hurt, which in most quarters in New Hampshire is not chump change.

There is also a minimum weekly compensation rate to take account of in New Hampshire, and that is a rate that will also be increased to $224.70 per week for this low end of the workers’ comp spectrum. This minimum wage equals about 30 percent of the state of New Hampshire’s average weekly salary earning for all workers in the state.

Mind you, here is where some serious math comes into the workers’ comp mix, and where the actuaries at your workers’ comp insurance company and other math professionals take over and us administrative brains kind of just sit back and let the wonder happen.

For instance, if one of your workers makes more than $230.70 per week, but less than that max of $1,9220.50, then they get 50 percent of their weekly wage per week as compensation, or $230.70 per week, whichever is greater. But no where in the books does it allow a worker to get more than 90 percent of what they used to earn while they were working as their workers’ comp benefits for the week.

No Comments >> Posted in Compliance Issues,Department of Labor,New Hampshire

New Hampshire Department of Labor Posters

August 23rd, 2006 Posted by Jolie

Hi there. Just wanted to get on here for a few minutes to talk about New Hampshire Department of Labor posters. Yes, I’m talking about those posters required by law to be displayed in rooms that employees frequently hang out it, like lunch rooms or break rooms. Well, did you know that these posters change frequently? And that it is also the law that current New Hampshire Department of Labor posters be displayed?

That makes sense, when you consider that the whole reason the posters are displayed is so that employees can be kept up to date on the latest New Hampshire labor laws. Since, as I mentioned before, the posters change frequently, having old, outdated New Hampshire Department of Labor posters will not be beneficial to either the employer or the employee. Employers should also realize that during an inspection by the labor department, the New Hampshire Department of Labor Law posters will be looked at to make sure they are the most recent ones.

So, what information will you get from the New Hampshire Department of Labor posters? State notices include those on vacation shut down, right to know, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, protective legislation, discrimination, whistleblower protection, and minimum wage. The federal posters include the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Equal Opportunity Employment, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and OSHA Job Safety and Health Protection.

The USERRA poster is new on all state posters, and if you aren’t familiar with the law, you should take some time to read about it. If you are a veteran, in particular, you will find this law really helpful to know.

Hope this updated information on New Hampshire Department of Labor posters is informative and helpful. I definitely thought it was important to get the word out on these changes.

No Comments >> Posted in Compliance Issues,Department of Labor,Employer Requirements,Labor Law Posters,New Hampshire

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