This year many wood product companies have requested assistance from MEMIC to help identify and control wood dust exposures and to develop procedures to comply with OSHA’s wood dust regulations. According to a 2006 report issued by the Che...

The expression  "Put your shoulder to the wheel." is an idiom for working hard at something.  Certainly, we don't want to actually place a shoulder against a wheel, especially if it's of the rotating and grinding variety.  Ouch!  ...

As I lay in bed last night, listening to 50 mile-per-hour wind gusts shake and rattle my home as though it was nestled in close proximity to Grand Central Station, I wondered if my family was truly prepared to deal with the potential of sleeping on t...

The Federal law passed by Congress in 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act contains a passage known as the General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide a workplace that is “free from recognized hazards that are causing ...

Asthma affects approximately 10% of the people in Maine. Asthma is a chronic disease that literally takes a person's breath away. Employees suffering from asthma or caring for a loved one with the disease are oftentimes faced with livelihood challeng...

Recently, I ran a fall protection workshop for one of our policyholders. They passed with flying colors when it came to fall prevention, but when it came to fall rescue, they were like most companies—they weren’t prepared for what to do a...

It's so hot even the lobsters are buying fans here in Maine. Temperatures everywhere in the east are soaring and relief isn't in sight for the week. Some workplaces are hot to begin with (think restaurant kitchens), so when summer temperatures a...

Every year we pay tribute to a select group of policyholders for the excellent work they do in their workers’ compensation programs. Whether it’s their efforts in safety or how well they manage the injuries that do happen or a combination...

Ah, the question of the day for the safety professional. How do we motivate employees to safely execute their duties? Well, if I had the perfect answer, I wouldn’t be writing this BLOG, but retired on a golf course somewhere. However, I will of...

Water seems so ordinary that we may forget how vital it is.  Between 40% and 60% of our body’s mass is made up of water, and nearly every major function of the body requires it. Water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxyge...