This winter, Safety and Risk Management Coordinator Loren Kato with the City of Fredericksburg is hoping for snow. At least, a little bit of snow. In early November, Kato organized three days of snowplow training for the city’s snow patrol …
Read More › “City of Fredericksburg prepares for winter weather with snowplow training”
A new overhauled VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) Online University has just launched!! The VMLIP Online University is a FREE training resource for VMLIP members. Courses are available in the areas of health, safety, and human resources and are designed to …
Read More › “Just launched: Updated VMLIP Online University”
The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting a cold, snow-filled, wet winter this year. While most drivers understand the importance of keeping their vehicle in good mechanical condition all year round, it is even more important in the winter months. When winter …
According to the Pew Research Center, 56 percent of all adults have smartphones and 34 percent have a tablet. Many of these devices are employer-provided and offer an opportunity to put safety tools, quite literally, in the pocket of your …
Fall is on it’s way, and for many this means trips to the pumpkin patch, the apple orchard, and fall sports – including soccer. Unfortunately the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports of at least 35 deaths since 1979 resulting from …
Read More › “Follow these guidelines for moveable soccer goal safety”
Is 2013 – 2014 going to be the safest one yet for your school system? It’s back to school season and VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) has a plethora of resources to make sure your school’s 2013 – 2014 school year …
The VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) 2013-2014 Risk Management Grants will be available once again July 1. Again this year, $250,000 will be available for distribution and no changes to the process or application have been made. Last year VMLIP distributed …
Changes are in effect beginning July 1 for the 2013 – 2014 Risk Management Guidelines (RMG) assessment. While some aspects of the assessment will change, many will remain the same. Some items remaining unchanged include: Easy electronic access to your …
Read More › “Change is coming once again to the Risk Management Guidelines (RMG)”
Thanks to all who participated in VML Insurance Programs’ (VMLIP) first safety photo contest. We asked members to submit their best safety, program, or other safety-related photo in recognition of April as National Safety Month. The winners are: Most Innovative: Alexandria …
Congratulations to all of the winners of 2013 risk management awards! Each year VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) presents these awards to members with a proactive risk management attitude and commitment, excellent loss experience and reporting time, or a significant improvement …
Read More › “Spring workshop honors 2013 risk management award winners”
Competent person The term “competent person” is used in many Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and documents. An OSHA “competent person” is defined as “one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or …
Hazard communication, respiratory protection, machine guarding, powered industrial trucks, lockout/tagout – these are some of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) top ten violations from 2011 – 2012. Are your employees trained in these areas? Is the training up-to-date? …
Are compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) safe? Generally yes, if they are handled and stored while observing a few precautions. Mercury is not released when the CFL bulbs are used properly. However CFL bulbs do contain four to five milligrams …
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”
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”
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 …
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 …
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 …
Did you know that falls are the leading unintentional injury and account for more than 8.7 million emergency room visits each year in the United States? One in every three adults age 65 and older falls each year. This information …
Read More › “You could "fall" head over heels for our new video!”
Each year 74 deaths occur and 25,000 people receive emergency treatment as a result of riding lawn mower activities, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. Using mowers at work is quite different from using them at home. On …
From the Federal Emergency Management Agency: Hurricane Season begins June 1, 2012, FEMA is providing additional tools for federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officials to alert and warn the public about severe weather. Using the Commercial Mobile Alert System, …
Read More › “FEMA Urges Preparedness for Hurricanes and Severe Weather”
The 2012 VML Insurance Programs Annual Meeting was held Friday, May 18 at The Place at Innsbrook. This year’s meeting was one of the largest ever with nearly 140 members registering to attend. Presenter Velma Johnson with Alliant discussed cyber …
Many Virginia entities hire teenagers as temporary employees during the summer season. For many teens, summer employment will be one of their first jobs. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), approximately 70 teenagers will die …
Each year, more than 200,000 children go to emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment. Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground. The combination of regular use along with changing weather conditions creates …
The following article, shared with permission by Risk Management Services of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, provides an overview of a recent court decision ruling that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the right to subpoena safety audits …