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Warehouse Safety Regulations for 2014

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Accidents at workplaces across the country happen much too often. This is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is so involved in making sure that companies take every measure necessary to keep employees safe while at work. Warehouses are one of the most common places for workplace injuries to occur and safety regulations are updated each year to keep employees as safe as possible.

To help your business to stay on top of preventing worker injuries, here are some 2014 updates and tips to take note of.

Awareness of Eye Injuries in Warehouses

One of the most common injuries across American workplaces each year is that of an eye injury. That’s why early in 2014 is National Eye Injury Awareness month. Some 300,000 Americans visit emergency rooms each year due to eye injuries suffered at work. For the most part, eye injuries tend to occur at manufacturing, mining and construction sites, according to Manufacturing.net.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — February jobs report, the U.S. added 48,000 jobs in construction, 21,000 jobs in manufacturing and 7,000 in mining in January of 2014 alone. The BLS reports that 40 percent of eye injuries at work happen in the industries of mining, construction and manufacturing. The BLS also reports that nearly 90 percent of eye injuries at work can be avoided by employees wearing simple eye protection while on the job.

Annually, eye injuries cause $300 million in lost productivity, workers’ compensation and medical treatment. Injuries can be as mild as a strain to as severe as permanent vision loss.

Targeting Directive Issued by OSHA for 2014

OSHA has released its targeting directive for 2014, which will direct the enforcement resources of the agency towards workplaces where “the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur,” according to Environmental & Safety Law Update.

The new plan will target non-construction workplaces that employ more than 20 people and are high-hazard. The new program is being launched based on a survey of 80,000 workplaces in the high-hazard group. The industries surveyed included trucking, manufacturing, warehousing, automobiles, air transportation and courier services, poultry products, scrap and waste, construction materials, medical facilities, groceries and department stores.

According to a press release from OSHA, Dr. Davis Michaels, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, said, “By focusing our inspection resources on employers in high hazard industries who endanger their employees, we can prevent injuries and illnesses and save lives.”

With the new program, OSHA will select 1,260 workplaces at random to perform a survey in order to determine if the enforcement is working properly.

How to Stay Safe in Warehouses

This might seem obvious to some, but knowing how to stay safe in a warehouse can help to limit or even eliminate the number of workplace injuries that occur each year. All packing stations should have non-slip mats at them, heavy loads should be moved using machinery and not personnel and overhead lighting should be effective enough to prevent employees from straining their eyes.

When running power cords across a floor, make sure they are covered with heavy-duty cord covers or are tapped down to the floor. You can also put a sign near them warning of the cord. All spills and liquids should be cleaned up immediately and the warehouse should be well-ventilated at all times.

We hope you enjoyed this post and share it with your networks! Also, we look forward to your comments and feedback!

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Bickering Co-Workers? Here’s What Employers Can Do

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Bickering Co-Workers Here's What to Do

 

One of the most difficult situations a manager has to deal with occurs when there are co-workers fighting while on the job. The healthiest of workplaces can be destroyed when two or more co-workers fail to get along. Managers need to find new ways to keep the peace between co-workers and know how to resolve conflicts when they arise.

Don’t let bickering among co-workers turn into a dangerous incident of workplace violence! Use these tips to nip arguments in the bud now.

Meet with the Individuals Involved

The first step in solving the issue is to sit down and meet with the individuals involved in the disagreement as soon as possible. The longer you let the issue fester, the worse the outcome will be for the company. Have a meeting with all those involved and find out what is the root of the issue and how you all can go about solving it. If there is a supervisor who works above you, alert him or her to the problem and the fact that you are working to resolve it so your boss is not taken by surprise if the issue explodes.

Include Human Resources Right Away

Depending on the severity of the issue, you must consider involving human resources as a possible mediator. The representative from the human resources office will be unbiased since he or she works in a separate department. Other reasons to include human resources are to begin the transfer of one employee to another department, to put an employee on probation or to file a written notice for the employees involved.

Give Employees a Chance to Resolve on Their Own

In some instances, the disagreement can be so minor that the employees involved will be able to resolve the issue on their own. If this is the case, encourage the employees involved to sit down with each other and discuss their problems. Let them know that it is in the best interest of the company and the employees to resolve the issue quickly and without getting anyone else involved.

Remove Trouble Employees from Common Assignments

If all else fails, but you do not want to or cannot have employees reassigned to other departments, consider removing them from common assignments or projects. This will make it easier on all those involved who have been arguing and will hopefully return the department to a normal working environment.

Be Open with Employees

An excellent way to deal with fighting co-workers is to always be open with your employees as a manager. The more open and honest you are, the easier it will be for your employees to come to you with any problems they are having with their co-workers. This will help to nip any problems early so they do not grow into a major problem.

Dealing with fighting co-workers as a manager is a difficult process. Have a plan in place to handle such issues when they arise so you can defeat them quickly. Work with Advance Staffing solutions, a Southgate OH Recruitment firm, for ways to reduce bickering between your employees with temp staff who can take some of the pressure off existing employees, and replace those who are constant trouble.

 

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Gearing Up For Winter Safety Regulations

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

As the seasons move rapidly into the winter months, conditions can become treacherous around Michigan and other Northern Central states. This means that companies across the country, no matter where they are located, should be preparing their employees for winter safety regulations. Your employees need to be put in a safe situation no matter the circumstances, but this is very important when the winter weather delivers its brutal punch on the country.

Review Insurance Coverage

One of the first things your company needs to do is to review its insurance coverage. You can do this by speaking with your company’s insurance agent in order to find out what the policy covers, how the employees are covered and what property you can afford to lose should the winter weather wreak havoc on your business.

Determine Largest Risk Potential

The next step your company must take is determining the largest risk potential that will be present when the winter weather hits hard. This includes the loss of heat at the office, loss of access to the property due to heavy snow or ice and water damage due to broken pipes. Take a look at the property where you do business and determine if any changes can be made prior to the winter season to prevent the risk of losing time or money to storms.

Determine Cost of Business Interruptions

Another important thing you must do prior to the winter months is calculate the cost of a possible interruption to your business. This can last one day, one week, three weeks, one month, six months or even a year or more. As the winter months move closer, your business should be calculating this major possibility, especially if you live in an area prone to major winter weather events. Your company should also consider building a cash reserve that will help it operate following a winter weather event that potentially shuts it down for a prolonged period.

Implement Telework Policies

In order to keep customers or clients satisfied should access be limited to your property, it is a good idea to create a telework policy for your employees. Not all of your employees will live close to the business, so they might have trouble reporting to work. If this is the case, or the business cannot open following a storm, let your employees know that they can work remotely. Make sure this plan is in place months in advance of the winter season so it does not have to be implemented on the fly.

Create a Crisis Communication Plan

A crisis communication plan is something that every business should have in place throughout the year, not just for the winter months. This helps employees, staff members, management, clients, partners and customers know what is happening at the office and what can be expected following a crisis.

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Implement Company Policies Now – Before It’s Too Late!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

When an incident occurs at the office, it is too late to discuss implementing a policy to govern such a problem. All company policies need to be implemented right now, before it is too late and something happens that can affect the entire workforce and the success of the company. In this post we will discuss the best ways to implement new company policies and how to activate them immediately without confusing or overwhelming your employees.

Policy Must Solve Problem in Best Way Possible

One of the most important things you need to take into consideration when implementing a company policy is that it must solve the problem in the best way possible. This means that whatever the issue is within your office, it must be solved using this one policy. There should never be more than one policy created to solve the same issue. When this happens, the culture of your organization can take a hit because employees will be confused with the overlap of the company policies.

Policy Should be Reviewed by Multiple Teams

When implementing a new company policy, it should be reviewed by upper management, a select group of employees and the company’s legal team. All three of these groups will have different views about the policy and will be able to determine if it follows employment laws in the country. They should also review the policy and offer any changes, should they be deemed necessary.

Implementation Deadlines Must be Met

As you add new company policies to the employee handbook, it is important that implementation deadlines are always met. If you set a deadline for a new policy, do not push it back to a later date multiple times. This will only frustrate your employees and give them the sense that you are not comfortable with the policy that was created. You want to show confidence in the new policy and that you mean business when putting it into action.

Mandatory Meetings for Staff are a Must

Mandatory meetings must be held for your staff when implementing new company policies. If employees are absent from work when these meetings are held, you must provide make-up dates for meetings. Information about the new policy should be presented at the meetings and employees should be allowed to ask questions and express their concerns at the same time.

HR Must be on Same Page as Management

Another important aspect of implementing a new company policy now, before it is too late, is that the human resources department must be operating on the same page as the management team. No matter which department created the policy, everyone needs to work as a cohesive team in order to ensure success in rolling out the new policy.

Want more information on how to implement new company policies, or how to find candidates who fulfill company requirements? Contact the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions today.

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What is workers’ comp and how do I file a claim?

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Getting injured at work is something that all employees should do their best to avoid. After all, it can be costly both to your health and finances to miss work due to an injury. However, if you are accidentally hurt while at work, your employer must cover your medical costs and a portion of your lost wages through a special insurance program called workers’ compensation.

Here’s what you need to know if you get hurt on the job, so you understand your responsibilities in order to receive this benefit.

#1 – Get immediate medical attention for any injuries.

If you experience an injury at work, your duty is to obtain immediate medical care for your physical well-being. If you are hurt badly, call for help and get transported to a medical facility nearby. If you are not sure what to go or if your injury is not serious enough, call your HR department or your temp staffing representative and find out. Failure to get medical treatment for a work related injury can reduce your ability to be productive and to obtain workers’ compensation benefits and medical care.

#2 – Fill out an accident report and be as detailed as possible.

Once you have sought medical treatment for your injury, it then becomes your responsibility to report this to your employer right away. This normally means you must fill out an injury report and talk with the HR department or a member of your staffing agency. Try to be as detailed as possible, explaining what led up to the injury, what the cause was, the time and date it happened, and any medical treatment you received. Give a copy of any medical reports you received at the ER or doctor’s office.

#3 – Follow all directions given to you by your employer.

At this point, you will likely be advised by your employer on next steps. Whether this means seeing a physician for follow-up care or taking time off to follow doctor’s orders to recover – take care and do what your employer advises in order to maintain workers’ compensation coverage. Your job now is to get better so you can return to work. If you are off for more than 7 days, then workers’ compensation short-term disability wages will kick in to cover your living expenses while you get better. If you are required to come back to work on limited duty capacity, follow this order carefully.

#4 – Get healed following the medical treatment plan.

During the time that you are off from your normal work duties, the treating physician will be in charge of your progress. Report to all scheduled appointments, make your recovery better by following all orders, and get the rest and therapy you need. Turn in all medical documents to your employer HR office or the person at your temp service that is handling your workers’ compensation claim. When you are doing this, you will be eligible to continue receiving the care and benefits of workers’ comp and getting better so you can return to work soon.

#5 – Advise your employer of all updates and time off changes.

If your physician advises that you are ready to go back to work sooner or if you need additional time to recover from your work related injury, this information must be reported to your employer as soon as possible. Ask the treating physician to fax over documentation to the HR department. Call your employer and make sure you talk to the workers’ compensation claims the person to update them on changes like this. Failure to report a change can result in loss of benefits or your job.

Remember, that while you are out of work, your employer, including Advance Staffing Solutions an employment agency in MI, has the right to assign your tasks to another employee. When you return, you will be assigned a similar job at the same pay scale but not necessarily the same one. You may have to return to light duty for a period of time, and you may have to take a different job if you are unable to perform the duties of your previous job.

Creating a Workplace Safety Culture

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

To create a safety culture within your business, do not focus solely on the safety programing. Rather, take it to the managers. Without managerial support, no type of safety program is going to be effective. Creating a safety culture, though, can yield positive results and reduce losses. To do this, the employer must prioritize the workplace health and safety in a meaningful way.

Creating a Safety Climate

In a study conducted at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, researchers found a significant link between those businesses with a positive safety climate and workplace injuries. The study also found that situations that interfered with family life or the demands in the family put a greater risk on employees and their ability to do their job. But, what makes a safety culture?

Key Components Required for an Effective Safety Climate

Creating a safety culture within the workplace is a key step every employer needs to take if that employer hopes to see significant changes in losses and employee safety. Rather than sticking up posters and a list of guidelines, it is best to create a safety culture that happens throughout all levels of the business.

  • Does the commitment to safety start with the business owner and top level management? Does the president of the company communicate the priority of safety within the business? Is it a focus of the company’s mission statement?
  • Are policies and procedures written down? Communication about safety must be effective and for that to happen, a set of procedures is necessary. Write them down and share them. The physical demands and functions of each job needs documentation.
  • Are sufficient resources provided to ensure a safety culture exists? This includes dedicating enough time, budget, staff and resources to achieve safety goals. It includes ensuring the team has the proper training and equipment for safety.
  • Is there a level of accountability present? When safety violations occur, what really happens? Does the employer take these actions serious enough to take action? This sets the precedent for every other layer in the business model.
  • What steps are taken and written down, to track safety procedures and policies? Is there a managerial task set up to ensure that safety tasks are managed? Do senior managers participate in this?

Creating an effective safety culture is critical to managing a business. Employers must make this a focus of their every day function as well as their mission. In doing so, it will not only help employers to achieve the goal of less liability and loss but it also enables employees to feel safe on the job.

For access to a wide range of candidates who are monitored by a supportive staff of recruiters, consider the advantages of hiring pre-screened and oriented employees through Advance Staffing Solutions in Michigan and Ohio.

Team-Building Activities to Bring Your Workforce Closer Around the Holidays

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

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With all the cheerful spirits and excitement, the holiday season is the perfect time to bring your team together for some bonding. It can also be an opportune time to plan some team-building activities that bring the workplace closer around the holiday months. Just before you send them off for a few days with their friends and family, here are some activity ideas to try around the most wonderful season of all.

Secret Santa

One of the most popular team activities to do during the holiday months is a “Secret Santa” gift exchange. Have a team luncheon and then draw names out of a hat. Each person must buy or make three small gifts for their person and deliver them secretly to their desk or office by the last day of work before the holiday break. This is a meaningful way for people to connect with each other and get to know each other throughout the season.

Indoor Winter Olympics

It may be cold outside, but baby it’s fun in the office! Transform your cubicles and hallways and break rooms to full game areas for indoor bowling, shuffleboard, hide and seek, and more. If you are in an area that allows outside play, turn the parking lot into an obstacle course, have some basketball or volleyball games, tug of war, and relay races.

Decorate-o-rama

The holidays are a great time to celebrate diversity of cultures and holiday festivities. Encourage employees to decorate their offices in a departmental theme, and then have a contest to judge the best decorations, the funniest decorations, the weirdest and the most original ideas. Have a potluck dinner to hand out prizes to the winning teams.

Survivor Office

This is a fun role-playing game that can bring out the best in people. Make up a scenario about your office being in the middle of a disaster and no one can leave the building for the day. Give each department a list of “survival” items they need to find around the office, and activities at stations they must do for food, shelter and water. Encourage employees to problem solve and work together to survive the next eight hours.

Stay safe and have fun with the above holiday team building activities for your employees this year.

 

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New Year, Same Old Hiring Mistakes!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

January_2016_mistakes

As the saying goes, “Old habits die hard”. This is very true when it comes to many aspects of business, including recruitment practices. Oftentimes the HR team or the recruitment team goes into a New Year wanting to do things better, but keeps falling into the same old ways of doing things. The problem is at this takes away from the effectiveness of the recruitment team and can actually put your company at risk. In order to improve processes this year, here are some recruiting and interviewing behaviors to leave behind.

Not conducting a thorough background check

One of the biggest hiring mistakes that companies can make is not conducting a thorough background check for every single applicant. You cannot take a candidate at face value no matter how professional they look or act during the interview — they could be hiding things in their history. Take the time to call all career references and verify work history and character. Criminal background checks are a must. Failure to do so can put your company at risk and it also caused harm to other employees.

Forgetting to follow up with candidates

Another bad habit to shake in the New Year is forgetting to follow up with candidates. Whether they have applied for a job online or they have been screened by phone for a particular job, please take the time to follow up with candidates at least with a courtesy email. It’s not fair to leave people hanging and it is a measure of goodwill when you respect candidates enough to follow up with them and give them a status update. This goes for sending out rejection letters too.

Selecting candidates based on skills only

It can be tempting to just hire people based on the skills that they list on their resume and those that are proven through assessment tests, but this leaves out a large chunk of candidates who may be otherwise qualified and perfect for a position because of their personalities. Work with a staffing agency to assess the personality and culture event of every candidate before you toss them into the rejection pile.

Hiring under pressure instead of planning staffing needs

Human resources is not meant to put out the fires in our organizations. But often times we find ourselves in the position of having to scramble around to replace a lost employee or to find a large number of workers to cover busy seasons. To make better use of our time and energy it’s important that we develop the habit of planning out our staffing needs by staying in touch with our point of contact managers. By planning ahead it’s possible to augment current staff with temporary workers and create a true succession strategy.

 

 

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Are Your Workplace Policies Ready for new Legalized Marijuana Legislature?

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

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2016 has seen the legalization of marijuana for medical use in 23 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and recreational use in four states, prompting the update of human resources policies surrounding drug use. A Society for Human Resource Management survey from earlier this year indicates that 90 percent of organizations still do not have a substance abuse policy in place that addressed legal pot use. It’s as if the HR community has been slow to recognize these changes and how they impact the workplace.

Is your workplace prepared with an updated policy on legal marijuana, whether your state is affected or not? Here are some things your company needs to do now.

1. Update your substance abuse policy for the workplace.

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to maintain a safe workplace for all employees, and this includes cracking down on employees who either use drugs during work hours or bring drugs into the work environment. Make sure to clearly state what your company’s stance is on drugs at work, and that the only exceptions are for medical marijuana use only with an approved doctor’s note. In states where recreational marijuana use is legal, it is still advisable to have a policy on screening employees who have been in accidents or injured on the job.

2. Set up a relationship with a staffing agency or pre-employment drug-testing vendor.

The drug policy should also include recruitment factors, such as the company’s effort to hire drug-free employees. Therefore, a vendor needs to be in place, ready to handle all pre-employment drug screens for new hires. A staffing agency can easily and inexpensively handle this matter as they already have a relationship with drug-testing facilities.

3. Become knowledgeable about updates to marijuana legalization.

The laws around the legalization of marijuana are continually changing and they may continue to be confusing and complex for the immediate future. A trusted HR advisor or consulting agency can support your workplace by keeping your HR team abreast of current laws. Take the time to educate managers on this topic, and use staff meetings to educate employees about the drug-use policy. Remember that you do not have to allow drug use in your workplace, whether recreational use is legal or not.

Need help to build a strong workforce policy, or hiring employees who can comply with company policies? Let the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions help!

 

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Use These Tips to Create a Brighter Springtime Workplace

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

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The cold weather is behind us and the springtime is bringing warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine to Michigan and Ohio … finally! Many workers have been cooped up in their offices, cubicles, and plants for far too long. It’s time to bring the springtime into the workplace with these creative ideas.

Dejunk the office.

Spring is the perfect time to clean up any office space, and this comes down to assigning work teams for some sprucing up. Start by clearing any clutter that’s developed, especially in common areas, hallways, and break areas. Then, wipe things down. Bring more sunshine in by cleaning windows and blinds too. The office should feel light and bright now.

Bring in the green.

Give your office more life and improve the air quality by investing in some beautiful greenery. Work with a local greenhouse to secure fresh plants for every office area. Encourage your employees to bring in their plants too. Hold an impromptu Earth Day celebration and plant some trees on the property around your offices.

Boost spirits.

Schedule some outdoor events to help get employees outside and into some fresh air. Have a picnic in a local park, or invite the families of your employees for an ice cream social at the office. Give out fun prizes and corporate swagger in bright pastel hues. Have a May-Pole dance outside and invite the children of workers to participate.

Encourage some time off.

Your springtime workforce also signals a time to encourage employees to find more work-life balance by taking some much needed time off. Partner with a staffing agency like Advance Staffing Solutions to bring in some temporary employees so your regular employees can schedule vacation time.

Improve incentives.

The spring months often need a little help to increase the morale of the workplace, especially after the brutal winter we had here in Michigan and Ohio. Review your current employee incentive programs and see if you can make them better. Create some fun competitions in the office that allow employees to shine in front of their peers, then assign incentive to performance goals.

Host a wellness event.

Many times, employees are hoping to shed some weight and get fit as they head into the summer months ahead (and bathing suit season). Support this effort by introducing a wellness program at the office. Launch it with a wellness event held on campus.

Work on a cause.

In the spring, companies can also start focusing on community causes that need support. Nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity, local pet shelters, and even nearby schools can always use a helping hand. Organize a team of employees to spend a day building a new home for a deserving family and see how this experience brings people closer.

Need help creating a workforce that shines this spring? Click here to partner with Advance Staffing Solutions today!

 

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June is National Safety Month …

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

11 tips for effective workplace housekeeping …  Click here

We are trying to work to raise awareness of what it takes to keep each other safe. Observed annually in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road and in our homes and communities.

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