Author Archives: Greg Enright

About Greg Enright

Greg Enright is a veteran Canadian journalist, writer, editor and content marketing professional. He has written extensively on technology, finance and EHS and Quality issues.

The Hidden Benefits of Document Control Software

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There are a multitude of hidden benefits that an organization can enjoy when document management becomes a part of their operations.

A knock on the door from an OSHA or FDA official is usually enough to send the average EHS manager into at least a mild panic. That sound usually means a dreaded regulatory inspection is upon them, bringing with it nightmarish visions of hefty fines, shutdown orders or costly reputational damages to the organization. 

Some of these managers, however, tend to accept the predicament with considerably more calm and confidence than others. That’s because they know that when their uninvited guests inevitably ask to see documented proof that procedures were properly followed and regulations were adhered to, they will be able to produce that documentation in a quick and efficient manner. 

They will be able to do so because they will have been using document control software as part … Read more...

To Reap AI’s Rewards, Employers Must Know its Dangers

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The very real dangers surrounding artificial intelligence in human resources environments should not deter companies that are looking to bring the burgeoning technology into their organizations. They just need to fully vet vendors.
The very real dangers surrounding artificial intelligence in human resources environments should not deter companies that are looking to bring the burgeoning technology into their organizations. They just need to fully vet vendors.

Employers that implement artificial intelligence technology for human resources purposes and expect it to run effectively on its own will be setting themselves up for more problems than they had hoped to solve.

This was a key message that U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) head Keith Sonderling delivered during a recent webinar, “Artificial Intelligence in the Workforce.” The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.

The webinar, hosted by law firm Conn Maciel Carey, delved into … Read more...

OSHA Set to “Sharpen Its Teeth” in 2022: More OSHA Citations, Inspections Part of the Occupational Safety and Health Forecast

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Higher OSHA violation penalties, more inspections and an increase in OSHA’s penalty authority are all possible developments on the U.S. workplace health and safety front in 2022.
The total number of federal OSHA inspections increased in 2021 over 2020, and it is likely we will see that trend to continue this year.

Higher OSHA citation penalties, more inspections and an increase in OSHA’s penalty authority are all possible developments on the U.S. workplace health and safety front in 2022, according to a law firm specializing in OSH matters.

With the Biden administration expected to funnel more federal money toward the agency that oversees health and safety in American workplaces in the coming year, observers can expect to see an increased effort to hold employers accountable for failures to protect their workers.

The total number of federal OSHA inspections increased in 2021 over 2020, and it is likely we will see that trend to continue this year, noted Aaron Gelb, a partner with Conn Maciel Carey, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. He made his observations during a … Read more...

Tips and Tactics for Reducing Workplace Aggression

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An average of 455 incidents of workplace violence and abuse were perpetrated against retail shopworkers in Britain every day in 2019.
There are certain tactics that organizations can take to help reduce the frequency of aggressive acts toward front-line service staff.

An average of 455 incidents of violence and abuse were perpetrated against retail shopworkers in Britain every day in 2019, according to the British Retail Consortium. The U.K. Railway Safety and Standards Board reported that 94 percent of frontline rail staff experienced workplace abuse in 2020, with 25 percent of incidents being physical assaults. In the same year, the Fire Brigades Union found that UK firefighters were subjected to a total of 1,170 attacks. 

These sombre statistics illustrate just how serious the issue of aggression in the workplace is, particularly the variety carried out against frontline service delivery personnel.

Why are these numbers so high, and what can be done to reduce them? These were key questions addressed by Nicole Vazquez, Director at Worthwhile Training, a Stratford-upon-Avon, U.K.-based workplace consultancy … Read more...

Investment Money Moving Away from Poor OSH Performers

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Evidence is mounting that investors are flat out unwilling to do business with organizations that don’t demonstrably place an importance on the human side of sustainability.

It’s no secret that having an effective workplace health and safety program in place invariably leads to big benefits, such as lower worker injury and mortality rates, a more engaged workforce and a sense of pride and loyalty amongst employees.

As startling statistics prove every year, however, not every business is completely committed to ensuring the health and safety of their workforce.1 Lax standards enforcement, hazard-laden workspaces and cut corners on machine maintenance are just a few of the ways employers routinely place their employees in the face of danger.

If the negative impacts on workers that result from such a philosophy – injury, mental illness, death, to name just a few – are not reason enough to get these organizations to place … Read more...

Post-Brexit, Britain Faces an Altered Health & Safety Landscape

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The big change resulting from Brexit is that the British government is no longer accountable to any external authority or body when formulating and implementing health protection policy.

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union in a move that has popularly come to be known as “Brexit” (‘Britain’ + ‘Exit’). The nation’s departure ended 47 years of formal association with its European neighbors since joining what was called the European Communities in 1973. It brought with it significant uncertainty about what would change from both political and economic perspectives and the impacts it would have on all sectors of the economy.

On the health and safety front, though, many observers felt that the impacts of the pullout would be minimal, said Kevin Bampton, CEO of the British Occupational Hygiene Society. Bampton made his remarks during the recent Health & Safety Matters virtual conference … Read more...

Why Wellbeing Programs Fail – And How to Build Ones That Work

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The need for improved wellbeing in the workplace is clear.
BCS Support Manager Joanna Saines recently outlined why so many well-intentioned organizations fail to implement a successful wellbeing program and offered practical advice on how to establish one that works.

The term “wellbeing” has truly become a buzzword within the last few years, particularly as it applies to the workplace. Despite its ubiquitous presence in corporate literature and CEO speeches, however, its exact meaning is often unclear. This is the case partly because so many different definitions have been put forth by so many different groups and individuals. For some, the term refers to mental health. To others it involves physical health, while some associate it primarily with diet and nutrition. There are many other interpretations as well.

The British Safety Council (BSC) has spent considerable time studying the topic and recently defined wellbeing as, “An individual’s ongoing state which enables them to thrive.”

Using this definition as a foundation, … Read more...

Staying Focused Key Step to ESG Reporting Success: Panel

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key step in the ESG process is creating a core document, often referred to as a corporate sustainability report, that encapsulates a company’s overall mission around ESG and how they intend to meet their goals.
A key step in the ESG process is creating a core document, often referred to as a corporate sustainability report, that encapsulates a company’s overall mission around ESG and how they intend to meet their goals.

It’s tough to surf through business news or visit a company’s website without coming across a mention of ESG – Environmental, Social & Governance. The term refers to a firm’s collective efforts to conduct business in ways that benefit the environment and ensure social equality within its workplaces. Increasingly, stakeholders are basing their opinions and investment choices on how well companies are performing in these areas.

Getting ESG right is, quite simply, now a corporate imperative.

The challenge for firms to not only improve their ESG outcomes but also to communicate their progress to an incredibly attentive public can be monumental, particularly for those just starting out on their ESG measurement and reporting … Read more...

Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset: Best Practices for Reducing Worker Injuries and Illnesses

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Training is one thing employers can do to protect their most valuable asset – their workers – and ensure these individuals return home every day just as healthy as when they arrived.

When researchers in Ireland set out to document the experiences of workers across a variety of industries who had suffered on-the-job injuries, they ended up with 20 different stories. Their final report included first-person descriptions of what happened before, during, and after their subjects’ individual incidents.

Each is a fascinating case study of not only their personal traumas, but also the overall financial toll the incidents took on themselves and their employers.

One manufacturing plant worker, for instance, was clearing a blockage in a machine when another employee switched it on, causing two large blades to activate. The affected worker, Hugh O’Carroll, lost the tops of his index and middle finger on his left hand as a result.… Read more...

Is Your Workplace Safety Culture Lagging, Leading or Transformational?

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When a workforce buys into safety, good things happen. When everyone from the CEO to the rookie shipper/receiver comes to work each day recognizing how important safety is to them and their colleagues, the number of fatalities, injuries and near misses invariably starts to plummet.

As any EHS professional will tell you, increasing engagement in safety is easier said than done. Competing priorities, such as rigid product ship dates, unforgiving supply chain schedules and other factors tied directly to the bottom line, can have a negative impact on safety practices and the safety culture. It’s only when buy-in occurs at all levels – from the C-suite to the newest employee – that culture can be transformed. 

Fortunately, robust new technologies and modern workplace health and safety approaches like Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) are providing companies with a greater ability than ever before to increase engagement levels across the enterprise. … Read more...