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...

The next time you get behind the wheel, be it for work or pleasure, take a moment to consider how tired you feel and if you are really in the proper condition to operate a motor vehicle.  This may sound like common sense, but all too often peopl...

Have you ever nearly taken a drink from a bottle of soda only to be yelled at by someone “DON’T DRINK THAT!” As it turns out, that someone else had used the bottle to store chemicals, it wasn’t soda at all.  Talk about sh...

Yesterday, our ergonomist Allan Brown led a webinar about the much-discussed topic of the aging workforce. (A recording of the one-hour webinar is available to MEMIC policyholders on our website.) This demographic reality enters nearly every conversa...

Today, we write with heavy hearts as we remember our former colleague and the founding writer of this blog, Paul Caret. Paul died earlier this week at the young age of 53. He suffered yet exhibited tremendous grace in his three-year battle with ...

Recently, one of my customers from a social service organization asked if I could present a workshop on bed bugs to their risk management team.  While not an entomologist by education, I accepted the request and proceeded to review the plethora ...

So what’s OSHA’s stance on respiratory protection in the workplace? Does everyone need to have a program?  Does everyone need to wear respiratory protection?  The short answer is “no." Now, here’s the longer answer. ...

Twenty-five years ago I was a paramedic working for an ambulance service. Seat belt usage was somewhere around 25 percent. In other words, only one of four drivers used the belts. Being young and impressionable I was left with one lasting impression&...