Author: dev

Global Employee Health & Fitness Month

Written by dev on May 1, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Each year, the National Association for Health and Fitness hosts “Global Employee Health & Fitness Month” (GEHFM) Internationally and nationally recognized, GEHFM promotes benefits of a healthy lifestyle to employers and their employees through workforce health promotion activities and environments.

Because of On Demand’s continued commitment to employer/ employee health and safety, this month and always, we are sharing our favorite tips and tricks for improving and maintaining our personal health while working at On Demand.

In Free Time/ At Home:

Walking in the evening – Justin
Meditation/ Listening to meditative music – Alicia
Fishing – Scott
Working Out – Alyssa

While in the office:

Standing Desks – Julie
Taking walks on breaks – Sydney

On Demand has plenty of programs/ ways you can offer to your employees to encourage healthy lifestyles. We’re happy to help you build comprehensive health and safety programs that wrap around your staff, cutting down on accidents, illnesses and more.

Some examples of this include:

Our Immediate Care in Austintown, OH offers Annual Well Visits (even available with no appointment)
We offer training, both in-person and virtually, that provides helpful information surrounding the creation and maintenance of healthy workplaces.
We provide physicals of every type, for almost any industry as well as student athlete physicals.
We help employers build employee wellness programs.
Telehealth On Demand brings a confidential health kiosk to YOU! Cutting down on employee time spent visiting medical appointments while at work.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) also has great resources for employers focused on employee health and wellness. The Better You, Better Ohio program is designed to provide health and wellness resources and services to workers who work for small employers (250 or fewer workers) in high-risk industries. Learn more about this program at www.bwc.ohio.gov/employer/services/SandH/BtrYouBtrOhioOverview.asp

Get in touch with industry experts at On Demand; Call 330-270-3660.

Top 10 Most Frequently Sited OSHA Standards

Written by dev on April 23, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Top 10 Most Frequently Sited OSHA Standards

The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 report states that there were 5,190 fatal work injuries recoded in the United States in 2021, an 8.9-percent increase from 4,764 in 2020. The fatal work injury rate was 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. While it might be hard to put these numbers in perspective, we believe that even one injury is too many when accidents can be prevented through increased attention to safety, proper training and education.

OSHA’s most frequently sites standards from 2021 include the following violations, reported from findings of inspections of worksites. It’s never too late to take steps to correct these hazards and move forward safely.

Fall Protection, construction
Respiratory Protection, general industry
Ladders, construction
Hazard Communication, general industry
Scaffolding, construction
Fall Protection Training, construction
Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry
Eye and Face Protection, construction
Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry
Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry

If you are curious about the most frequently cited Federal or State OSHA standards for your specific 6-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, search for it here: Frequently Cited OSHA Standards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration osha.gov

Need help staying safe? It’s okay – we all do! On Demand provides experienced, certified industry experts that can help you manage your company’s safety programs from policy development and training through other compliance services, like drug testing and physicals.

Get in contact with us about customized industry-specific safety training. Call 330-270-3660, or [email protected]

OSHA Penalty Amounts Soar Due to Inflation, New Fines Effective in the New Year

Written by dev on February 1, 2023. Posted in Blog.

OSHA Penalty Amounts Soar Due to Inflation, New Fines Effective in the New Year

Violations of safety rules on jobsites are now more expensive as the Labor Department announced its annual cost-of-living adjustments to OSHA civil penalties for 2023. The new penalty amounts are effective Tuesday, Jan. 17.

OSHA’s maximum penalties for violations will increase from $14,502 per violation to $15,625 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $145,027 per violation to $156,259 per violation.

Visit the OSHA Penalties page and read the final rule for more information.

The safety of workers is a top priority of On Demand and should be the top priority of every industry leader. The most common types of construction site injuries are fall injuries. This aligns with OSHA’s most-cited violations on jobsites.

Top OSHA violations for fiscal year 2022:

Fall Protection – General Requirements: 5,260 violations

Hazard Communication (Chemicals): 2,424

Respiratory Protection: 2,185

Ladders: 2,143

Scaffolding: 2,058

Lockout/Tagout: 1,977

Powered Industrial Trucks: 1,749

Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,556

Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: 1,401

Machine Guarding: 1,370

Contact On Demand for more information about OSHA-related services, 330-270-3660.

Reduce Stress for a Healthier Heart

Written by dev on January 30, 2023. Posted in COVID, Education.

February is American Heart Month, Reduce Stress for a Healthier Heart

Whether it’s from everyday deadlines, financial struggles, or the COVID-19 pandemic, stress shows up often in life. And your body reacts to it: your heart rate increases, your blood vessels narrow—and over time, these little blows can add up and do damage to your health, particularly your heart. With chronic stress, you’re more likely to have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and poor sleep. Even other parts of your body – from your lungs to your gut – can take a hit.

But while you can’t always limit the amount of stress in your life, you can work on changing how you respond to it. Just like the automatic “fight or flight” response that kicks in when you’re scared – your muscles tense, heart rate increases, and brain becomes more alert – your body also has a built-in, healthy relaxation response. When that’s triggered, the opposite happens: your breathing and heart rate slow down, and your blood pressure decreases.

Luckily, with practice, you can learn to trigger that response. Try these techniques on your own or find a teacher or class to help you get started. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the hang of it quickly. And if one approach doesn’t work for you, try something new. You can learn to de-stress in lots of other ways.

Meditation. One of the most studied approaches for managing stress, this involves developing your ability to stay focused on the present, instead of worrying about the past or future. Find a quiet location with as few distractions as possible. Get comfortable by either sitting, lying, or walking. Focus your attention on a specific word or set of words, an object or your breathing. And let distractions, including thoughts, come and go without judgment.

Progressive muscle relaxation. To feel the effect, first tense your muscles for a few seconds, then relax them. Start by tensing and relaxing your toes, then your calves and on up to your face. Do one muscle group at a time.

Deep breathing. Take in a slow, deep breath, let your stomach or chest expand and then exhale slowly. Repeat a few times. Many people don’t breathe deeply, but it is relaxing and something you can do anytime, anywhere.

Guided imagery. This involves a series of steps that include relaxing and visualizing the details of a calm, peaceful setting, such as a garden.

Getting your mind and body to a place of calm doesn’t always mean being still, however. Other healthy ways to manage stress include taking a yoga or tai chi class, talking to a professional counselor, joining a stress management program or an art class, or meeting up with friends for a brisk walk. Being in nature can be very soothing for some people.

Combining de-stressors like these with other healthy habits can go a long way toward strengthening your heart. Eat more veggies, fruits and whole grains, and less sodium, sugar and saturated fats, for example. Move your body more – like through dancing and walking meetings. Find exercises you actually love and do them regularly. Get enough good, quality sleep. And develop a strong social support system. Then rethink some of the familiar ways you may be coping with stress, such as drinking alcohol frequently, using drugs and other substances, smoking or overeating. They can actually worsen your stress – and your health.

Taking care of your heart health is a lifelong journey, but at a time when the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 remains higher in people with poor cardiovascular health, learning new ways to make your heart strong has become even more important.

You can learn more about heart health from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute by visiting www.nhlbi.nih.gov. If you need help finding additional resources to help you cope with stress, talk to a healthcare provider. Seek urgent care if you can’t cope at all or have suicidal thoughts. Resources are also available at nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.

Annual Wellness Exams

Written by dev on December 28, 2022. Posted in Blog.

Start the New Year Healthy

Are Annual Wellness Exams a routine part of your personal healthcare plan? If not, 2023 is the perfect time to start participating in them. Unlike physicals, that focus on a snapshot of your health at any given time, annual wellness exams are designed to provide a broader outlook of your overall health.

What does an Annual Wellness Exam include?

Annual wellness exams typically include a review of medical and family medical history, a physical examination, blood tests and discussion. All these elements contribute to the overall picture of your health and help your provider determine next possible steps for you to reach your health goals.

So, why get one?

It’s a great start in being more proactive about your health. An important tactic in prevention of health issues, annual wellness exams allow you and your provider to speak openly about any concerns related to your health, your personal health goals, and more. While showing up for this routine exam won’t solve your health concerns, it does provide meaningful information and assistance in planning for and establishing long term routines that ultimately improve your quality of life. Don’t wait until you’re feeling sick – take the time to take care of yourself today!

If you’re interested in learning more about Annual Wellness Exams or would like to schedule a time to receive one, give us a call. On Demand Healthcare’s medical providers are looking forward to helping you and your family achieve your health goals.

Call 330-270-3660 to schedule your appointment as early as today.

Psychologically Safe Workplaces

Written by dev on November 17, 2022. Posted in Blog.

When we think of workplace safety we almost always go to PPE or lock out/tag out or look to OSHA and BWC regulations. Safety measures for workplaces across the country are critical in helping people get home in one piece, but does the discussion around safety end there?

New reports indicate a shift towards mental health awareness in the workplace which has spurred the conversation revolving psychological safety, but the question remains, what is it and how can we achieve it?

Organizational behavioral scientist Amy Edmondson of Harvard presented the idea of “team psychological safety” and defined it as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.”

The truth is, companies, business and organizations need input and innovation to grow, but if you haven’t created a safe environment for them to ask questions or provide insight, you are stopping innovation and your future in its tracks.

As we move through the stress of the holidays and family get-togethers and look at the new year, it might be time for you to reevaluate your business’s safety program to incorporate psychological safety as well and start off on the right foot for a truly prosperous new year!

FMCSA Clearinghouse Changes

Written by dev on November 7, 2022. Posted in Blog.

Important Changes Coming to FMCSA Clearinghouse in 2023

Are you prepared?

Required background investigations before hiring a CDL driver are a necessary step in satisfying the requirements established by 49 CFR 391.23(e) for employers of CDL drivers.

This process determines if the driver has violated the drug and alcohol regulations of any Department of Transportation (DOT) mode within the past three years. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released an announcement stating that:

“Beginning January 6th, 2023, “when three years of violation data is stored in the clearinghouse, prospective employers must not conduct manual inquiries. In accordance with §§ 382.413(b) and 391.23(e)(4), beginning January 6, 2023, prospective employers must conduct a pre-employment query of the Clearinghouse, as set forth in § 382.701(a), to comply with the inquiry requirement in § 391.23(e) as it pertains to FMCSA-regulated employers.

NOTE: The Clearinghouse contains only information about drivers employed by FMCSA-regulated employers. If a prospective employee was employed by an employer regulated by a DOT agency other than FMCSA (such as the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, etc.) during the three-year time frame, prospective employers will still be required to directly request drug and alcohol violation information from those DOT-regulated employers in accordance with 391.23(e)(4)(ii), since this information is not reported to the Clearinghouse.

However, the FMSCA has made it clear that annual query requirements have NOT changed. Employers of CDL drivers must still conduct a query in the Clearinghouse at least once a year for each CDL driver they employ. This annual query requirement applies on a rolling 12-month basis, which means that if you conducted your last annual queries in December 2021, it is time to conduct the next round of annual queries.

Employers must obtain general consent from CDL drivers they employ before conducting limited queries in the Clearinghouse to view these drivers’ information (you can download a sample limited query consent form).

How On Demand can help:

Since the start of the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, On Demand has provided consortia/ third-party administrator services for managing Clearinghouse requirements to employers of CDL drivers. Our staff ensures compliance with FMCSA regulations for your organization, so you have one less task to worry about.