Press Release, February 21, 2013 – At banquet VML Insurance Programs provides 33 award plaques and discusses success of the campaign on reducing claims, injuries and creating safer roadways – Richmond, VA – In 2009 VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) started …
The VMLIP 2011 – 2012 Annual Report is now available online. The theme of this year’s report is partnership. Inside, in addition to financial information, readers will find information on how Virginia’s local governmental entities joined together in risk management …
Read More › “Partnership is the focus of the VMLIP 2011 – 2012 Annual Report”
Employees of the Vienna Department of Public Works were recognized in December for their role in helping the town achieve a dramatic decrease in work-related injuries. Nancy McMahon, director of administrative services for the northern Virginia town, noted a substantial …
Read More › “Vienna honors public works employees for safety achievements”
Boiler and Machinery coverage isn’t on the forefront of most people’s minds. It is the type of coverage that we only think about when something goes wrong. To lessen the chance of something going wrong, the Commonwealth of Virginia has …
An employee handbook/personnel policy manual is an important communication tool between you and your employees. A well-written handbook sets forth your expectations for your employees, and describes what they can expect from your entity. It also should describe your legal …
Read More › “The New Year is a great time to make sure your personnel policy manual is up-to-date”
This year’s flu season is expected to be one of the worst we’ve seen in 10 years. Chances are that if you don’t have the flu, you know someone who does. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, …
Several weeks ago we asked Facebook followers to submit their best winter safety tip! We received many submissions – some from VML Insurance Programs members and some from Facebook followers! The VML Insurance Programs safety team has ranked the top …
Read More › “Facebook contest: Winter safety tips winners announced!”
Press Release, Jan. 3, 2013: Each year VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) distributes Risk Management Grants to members for use in purchasing equipment or training to expand their risk management programs. This year VMLIP distributed $250,000 in grants to more than …
Read More › “VML Insurance Programs distributes $250,000 in risk management grants to members”
Late on the evening of July 20, 2012, officers for the Shenandoah County Sherriff’s Office and Woodstock police departments responded to a call regarding a man threatening people with a knife. By the end of the call, several police officers …
Read More › “Body camera footage corroborates police accounts in Woodstock shooting”
Spiritual celebrations. Holiday light tours. Black Friday. Parties. Mall parking lots. Riding over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house … At no time are we more likely to be distracted than during the hectic holiday season, which …
Nearly a year after a Thanksgiving Day fire destroyed the City of Poquoson’s public works facility, city officials, employees and representatives from VML Insurance Programs gathered on Nov. 14 to dedicate a new public works building. The fire began last …
Read More › “Poquoson opens new public works building after 2011 Thanksgiving fire”
National School Bus Safety Week is being observed Oct. 22 – 26. This year’s theme is “Stand Back from the Yellow and Black” In observance we are focusing this post on a checklist for school bus danger zones, shared from …
The backing of equipment and vehicles, also known as “reverse operations,” has caused an average of two work related fatalities per year in Virginia since 1992. In an effort to reduce reverse operation injuries and fatalities, the Virginia Department of …
Read More › “Virginia’s reverse signal operation standard for equipment and vehicles”
Several weeks ago we asked Facebook followers to submit their best safety tip – for “back to school” or for the general workplace. We received 11 submissions – some from VML Insurance Programs members and some from Facebook followers! …
Sharing the road with cyclists and pedestrians is challenging for most drivers, especially when there are so many distractions facing today’s drivers. The bevy of gadgets available are often the biggest culprits to distracted driving, but increased stress, sleep deprivation, …
As Gulf Coast states prepare for Hurricane Isaac, we are reminded that it is never too late to make sure we are prepared for hurricane season which ends Nov. 30 but peaks from mid-August until mid-October. The Weather Channel predicts …
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting the highest number of West Nile virus (WNV) disease cases reported through the third week of August since the virus was first detected in the United States in 1999. Of the 1,118 …
August is back-to-school month for most of us. Parents have their hands full preparing for a new school year, but so do faculty and staff. To make your transition back to school with students easier, you can refer to this …
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing to revise the personal protective equipment (PPE) sections of its general industry, shipyard employment, longshoring, and marine terminals standards regarding requirements for head protection. OSHA is updating the references in …
Read More › “Changes to hard hat protection requirements coming this September”
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has released a pamphlet summarizing the science behind actions law enforcement agencies can take to improve officer safety and wellness. The pamphlet, entitled “Protecting Our Protectors: Using Science to Improve Officer Safety and Wellness,” …
Most of us don’t think about sidewalks; their practical convenience is virtually invisible to us, but they can be a potential cause of both liability and workers’ compensation claims. Local governments own and maintain miles of sidewalk that are used …
In recording working time under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), infrequent and insignificant periods of time beyond the scheduled working hours, which cannot as a practical matter be precisely recorded for payroll purposes, may be disregarded. The courts have …
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken steps to align their Hazard Communication Standards, first issued in 1983, with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). OSHA’s Hazard Communications Standards (HCS) were developed to …
A community volunteer program allows a public entity to utilize the talents, skills, and knowledge of volunteers to supplement the efforts of staff. Efforts to engage the community in local government operations will help to educate the public and gain …
Read More › “Volunteers can help enhance an entity's performance”
Last year VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) made available $200,000 in Risk Management Grant funding. Funds were depleted within the first three months of the program, setting another record for grant distribution. Beginning July 1 VMLIP will again begin accepting …