The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has overhauled its Site-Specific Targeting (SST) inspection program, marking a major shift in how the agency identifies and prioritizes workplaces for inspection. Effective May 20, 2025, the new guidance applies to non-construction employers with 20 or more employees and significantly increases OSHA’s reliance on employer-reported injury and illness data […]
Rapidly rising commercial building construction costs could result in your facility being underinsured if you suffer a major loss and haven’t increased your insurance policy replacement cost limits lately. Your policy has a maximum amount it will pay to rebuild your building, and that limit should reflect current construction costs. Otherwise, the policy may […]
During wildfire season, utilities with equipment in at-risk areas will often cut power during high-wind events to reduce the risk of ignition from downed power lines. While the practice can prevent a fire from starting, it can put businesses in a bind by hampering operations and even putting perishable items at risk of spoiling if […]
As the Trump administration returns to aggressive tariff strategies, business owners across the country are once again bracing for impact. On-again, off-again tariffs aimed at key trade partners like China, Mexico and Canada are creating a volatile environment where forecasting costs, securing materials and delivering products on time are increasingly difficult. The unpredictability of these […]
Growing companies often overlook the importance of properly managing their risk. Increased activity can result in additional losses. For example, more trucks driving more miles may result in more accidents. However, other kinds of risk can increase more than the jump in business activity. We look at three such areas here. Workplace safety Typically, […]
As commercial property insurance rates have climbed steadily in the last five years, insurers have been increasing deductibles, sometimes for all risks, but sometimes for specific perils, such as hail. Often, business owners fail to notice these increased deductibles until they file a claim. Sometimes, their dollar-amount deductible has been replaced by a deductible that […]
The Department of Labor on May 1, 2025, announced it would no longer enforce a Biden-era rule on independent contractors, setting the stage for a drastic overhaul that will likely result in a more employer-friendly regulation. While the DOL reviews the rule, which has been in effect since March 2024, it announced in a field […]
Cal/OSHA has released draft language that would require employers of outside workers to take additional steps to ensure their safety when working in high heat conditions. The proposed rules were written to implement legislation — AB 2243 — signed into law in 2022 to address heat and wildfire smoke protections for workers. The draft rules, […]
President Trump’s far-reaching tariffs are starting to bleed into building costs as many of the main materials used in construction are now subject to import taxes. And as construction costs increase due to tariffs, so does the cost of repairing or replacing materials if damage occurs during construction. Rising repair and replacement costs make claims […]
When OSHA shows up, it’s not the time to figure things out on the fly. Whether you’re in construction, manufacturing or any other field with safety exposure, knowing the ground rules can make all the difference between a successful visit or one where you leave yourself exposed to penalties and a drawn-out appeals process. If […]