The Society for Human Resource Management reports that each year OSHA conducts 35,000 to 45,000 job site inspections. It is important to be prepared for such an inspection at all times as well as update policies and procedures regularly.
Who is Covered:
In general, the Act covers all employers and their employees in the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories. Coverage is provided either directly
by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or by an
OSHA-approved state job safety and health plan. Employees of the U.S. Postal Service
also are covered.
The Act defines an employer as any “person engaged in a business affecting commerce
who has employees, but does not include the United States or any state or political
subdivision of a State.” Therefore, the Act applies to employers and employees in such
varied fields as manufacturing, construction, longshoring, agriculture, law and medicine,
charity and disaster relief, organized labor and private education.
The Act does not cover:
Self-employed persons;
Farms which employ only immediate members of the farmer’s family;
Industries in which other federal agencies, operating under the authority of other federal laws, regulate working conditions. This category includes most working conditions in mining, nuclear energy and nuclear weapons manufacture, and many aspects of the transportation industries;
Employees of state and local governments, unless they are in one of the states with OSHA-approved safety and health plans.
During OSHA inspections all employees are subject to review, as such it is necessary to instruct everyone on the required policies and procedures. Providing written instructions in easily accessible places is also important. More information on OSHA requirements can be found at the Department of Labor website. To access more information on these and other HR related issues, join HRSentry.
With gas prices climbing to record amounts this year, the IRS has decided to raise the reimbursement standard by 8 cents to 58.5 cents a mile. According to IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, “Rising gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. Given the increase in prices, the IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the real cost of operating an automobile, we want the reimbursement rate to be fair to taxpayers”. This adjustment will come into effect on July 1st of this year and is scheduled to run until December when the situation will be reevaluated.
Workers who use their vehicles for business are able to use either the standard mileage rate, or deduct the actual expense on their tax returns. Many private employers, and the federal government, use the IRS rate to reimburse workers. The IRS includes additional factors such as depreciation and cost of insurance when determining the rate. While the IRS typically adjusts the rate in the fall of each year for the following year, the dramatic increase in prices over the past few months prompted a special adjustment to be made. According to the AAA, nationwide average for a gallon of regular gas is at $4.07, up more than a dollar from $2.98 a year ago. In addition to raising the standard business mileage rate, the IRS also announced they would be making a similar 8 cent adjustment to the mileage rate or deductible medical or moving expenses making the new rate 27 cent per mile.
Tips for better gas mileage:
-Check tire pressure monthly
-Keep your car well serviced and check the oil level regularly
-Avoid hard braking or accelerating
-Use air conditioning only when necessary
-Remove extra unnecessary weight from your trunk or backseats
-Drive with the windows up when at high speeds and remove roof racks when not in use
-Use mass transit when possible, and consider looking into a ride-share or carpool service
Visit Savemorethanfuel to learn more about these and other initiatives.
In a new effort to lower gas emissions and save money for motorists at the pump, members of the European Union Energy commission have begun a public service campaign discussing such techniques. Over the next few months over 30 million pamphlets will be handed out in an effort to educate drivers on eco-friendly driving. In trials at the eco driving school, drivers cut their fuel consumption from 7.3 liters per 100 kilometers to 5 liters. This would save drivers about $800 per 15,000 km driven.
With budgets and resources across a majority of industries becoming increasingly stretched, organizations are looking more and more into alternative ways of lowering costs. As a result organizations are looking at incorporating technology to increase productivity. A recent article on Mid-Market discusses how organizations can save money by using a variety of on-demand services to streamline HR functions. This article focused on the company LifeLock, who was able to use on-demand services to manage a work force of 350 employees with only two full-time HR staff.
Services such as the HRSentry and the HR Made Simple Kit provide a cost effective way to move the focus of you HR functions from basic tasks to more hot button issues such as conflict resolution and employee training. The idea behind these programs is to create a user controlled environment, which keeps the costs down, and allows people with little or no HR training to develop an effective HR compliance program. It also gives experienced HR professionals the ability to take their focus off of time consuming tasks such as keeping track of constantly changing laws, creating employee handbooks and policies, putting their focus on the higher level staff issues.
In addition to the services provided by HRSentry, there are a number of other online resources that can be a valuable asset to any organization including Preventive HR (including a fantastic online job description and evaluation program), AGOS (focusing on claims and incident prevention they provide excellent desktop training modules for a variety of issues), and CompEraser (a top-notch claims management program that can significantly increase profits by staying on top of existing claims and quantifying the impact). As industries become more and more technology driven, online tools such as the ones discussed above are being relied on to take over duties that previously would have required an additional staff member.
According to a survey conducted last year by The National Sleep Foundation almost one in every three workers have become very sleepy, or fallen asleep, at work over the past month. This results from the fast paced, high pressure lifestyle that many people live in. This lack of sleep not only will effect the employee’s morale, but diminish their abilities, thus effecting the companies bottom line. As a result, it benefits organizations on all levels to keep their employees rested and ready. A good way to do this is to promote healthy lifestyles including proper sleep techniques and the importance of getting sleep in the workplace. A growing trend in organizations is to provide napping rooms, such as the “serenity rooms” created by PR agency Lippe Taylor. The three rooms, one located on each level of the building, are outfitted with large sofas, blankets and comfortable chairs, the rooms are phone- and BlackBerry-free zones. “A lot of people nap in our serenity rooms, even me,” Lippe says. Others feel that providing napping rooms doesn’t address the real problem, an unhealthy lifestyle leading to a lack of sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation, dedicated to improving the quality of life for Americans who suffer from sleep problems and disorders, is a great resource for tips and other information. They focus on helping the public better understand the importance of sleep and the benefits of good sleep habits, and recognizing the signs of sleep problems so that they can be properly diagnosed and treated.
How much sleep is enough sleep? The amount of sleep an individual should get varies person to person. The average person should shoot for around 7 to 7.5 hours a night. According to Danial Kripke, co-director of research at Scripps Clinic Sleep Center, getting any less can cause a lack of sleep, while too much more can actually be worse, see his interview in Time Magazine for more information. Certain conditions such as diabetes can cause that time to change, the average for this condition is around 9 hours a night. Making sure you don’t oversleep is just as important as getting enough sleep.
Before reaching for an over-the-counter sleep aid, try these natural tips from the Better Sleep Council to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Keep regular hours
Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, even on weekends.
Develop a sleep ritual
Whether it is to take a hot bath, have a cup of herbal tea, or read a book, doing the same things each night just before bed cues your body to settle down for the night.
Exercise regularly
This can help to relieve tension. But be careful not to exercise too close to bedtime or you may have a hard time falling asleep.
Cut down on stimulants
Consuming stimulants, such as caffeine, in the evening interferes with falling asleep and prevents deep sleep. Instead, have a cup of herbal tea, which is noncaffeinated, before bed.
Don’t smoke
Smokers tend to take longer to fall asleep, awaken more often, and experience disrupted, fragmented sleep.
Drink alcohol in moderation
You may fall asleep faster, but drinking alcohol shortly before bedtime interrupts and fragments sleep, leading to poor quality sleep.
Unwind early in the evening
Deal with worries and distractions several hours before going to bed. Make a list of things you need to do tomorrow, so you won’t think about them all night. Try relaxation exercises, like slow rhythmic breathing, once in bed.
Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation
It’s difficult to get deep, restful sleep on a bed that’s too small, too soft, or too hard.
Create a restful sleep environment
A dark, quiet room is more conducive to sleep. Sudden, loud noises or bright lights can disrupt sleep. A room that is too hot or too cold can disturb sleep as well. The ideal bedroom temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make sleep a priority
Say “yes” to sleep even when you’re tempted to stay up late. You’ll feel healthier, refreshed, and ready to take on the day.
In addition, restrict the number of activities you do in bed. Your bed should not become a place for watching TV, eating food, or doing work. It should be a place to sleep and perhaps, if you’re not alone, one other activity.
•Dangers on the road. Thirty-six percent of respondents say they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving, including 26% who say they drive drowsy during the workday.
•Work performance. Twelve percent of respondents have arrived late to work in the past month because of sleepiness. Other problems cited: impatience with others, difficulty concentrating on job tasks and lower productivity.
•Work hours. Employees with more than one job report the highest rate of dissatisfaction with sleep: 43% say they get a good night’s sleep only a few nights per month or less. Part-time workers report the highest rate of sleep satisfaction.
On July 8, 2008 at 2 p.m. HRSentry will be hosting a free webinar that will discuss both the importance and steps to creating and implementing an effective employee orientation program. Employee retention and productivity can be impacted by a number of different organizational forces, which start the moment the employee steps in the door to interview for the job. One of the most important things to remember is that first impressions can set the tone for the whole experience. You want to make sure that both the employee and the organization are on the same page and know what to expect from each other.
Get started with your employee orientation program by going to the HRSentry Homepage and clicking the link “Register Now” tab on the right side of the page.
The Webinar will be presented by Brenda Sabin and run for about one hour. Participants will receive a free 30 day trial of the HR Made Simple Kit. Email support@hrsentry.com or visit the HRSentry Homepage with any questions regarding the upcoming webinar.
