The WorkSAFE Podcast | Workplace Safety Strategies

Missourians have a new option for pain management: medical marijuana. Kevin Glennon of One Call Care Management explains how it can treat pain and reduce opioid use. We also cover the future of regulation for medical use.

Missourians voted to legalize medical marijuana use in 2018. Now, employers are expecting changes in their workplaces - and potentially in their safety policies. A legal expert discusses.

Many employers think their job is done after a claim closes - but to prevent similar injuries in the future, you need to conduct an incident investigation. SRS Specialist Rhonda Kauffman explains how.

As a business owner, you're responsible for ensuring your workplace is prepared to respond to a fire. Luckily, you don't have to figure it out alone. Assistant Fire Chief Fraizer discusses in this bonus clip.

Fires cause 3% of workplace injuries, and they can leave businesses devastated. Brad Frazier, Assistant Fire Chief for the Columbia Fire Department, shares best practices to protect your people and your business from the dangers of a workplace fire.

Refresh your employees' commitment to workplace safety by holding Safety Week - a week of activities dedicated to safety. Tisha Greco and Caitlin Way share what they've learned planning MEM's WorkSAFE Week event over the years.

An effective return to work program creates flexible work options for an employee while they are recovering and helps you save on your claims costs.

A severe workplace injury affects a patient's work, personal and family lives. Shawn Wills shares Madonna Rehabilitation's approach to traumatic injury rehabilitation and restoring patients back to their best.

In this bonus clip, Mark Woodward gives life-saving tips for responding to downed power lines, and cautions against using heavy-duty agricultural equipment without proper training and safety measures.

Injuries happen to people who don't expect them. EMT Mark Woodward shares his safety stories and offers advice to prevent serious incidents in your workplace.

In this bonus clip, Scott Costello of Tri-County Agency shares what small business owners need to know about work comp claims, from prompt reporting to medical treatment and recovery. Be sure to listen to the full episode, Workers Compensation for Small Business Owners.

Workers compensation provides your small business with essential protection and support if a workplace injury occurs. Scott Costello, president of Tri-County Agency, shares what small business owners need to know about their work comp policy.

Overexertion is the source of 35% of all work-related injuries. Workplace ergonomics can help prevent these injuries in your workplace with a plan that fits your business's unique needs.

Workplace violence affects more than 2 million workers every year. Vaugh Baker, president at Strategos International, discusses how to prepare your employees to spot the red flags and react properly if violence occurs.

Driving a vehicle is one of the most dangerous activities you can do on the job. Employees behind the wheel are a safety risk for companies of all sizes. Col. Mark Trostel of Encana Corporation shares what he's learned in decades of experience helping thousands of drivers stay safe on the road.

About 70% of freight in the U.S. is moved by truck. For trucking companies, building a safety culture is crucial to keeping everyone safe on the road. But when drivers are on the road for weeks at a time, it can be hard to maintain a cohesive safety program. We talk with Potterfield Trucking about the industry's unique safety challenges and how to address them.

When it comes to safety, businesses usually don't document enough. From training to policies to equipment maintenance, documenting your safety-related activities is crucial to their effectiveness. Documentation can add structure to your programs, as well as protect your business from OSHA citations and litigation.

The best way to minimize work comp claims' impact on your business is to prevent injuries in the first place. If an injury does occur, here are some work comp claims management strategies that safety leaders can use to reduce costs and help the employee return to work safely and quickly. Case study with Meek's Lumber.

Fatigue leads to 1.2 million lost work days and costs businesses billions of dollars every year. Pamala Bobbitt of Cority is back on the podcast to discuss how a lack of sleep impacts workers' professional lives, and how technology can both worsen the problem and provide some solutions.

Drug Testing and Managing Claims: One in four adults binge drinks, and one in ten adults uses illicit drugs. They're not out on the street, though: research shows that most of these adults are working at jobs. In this discussion, we explore the risks that safety professionals need to know about, and best practices for mitigating them. This episode is part two of a two-part series on drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

The State of the Problem: One in four adults binge drinks, and one in ten adults uses illicit drugs. They're not out on the street, though: research shows that most of these adults are working at jobs. In this discussion, we explore the risks that safety professionals need to know about, and best practices for mitigating them. This episode is part one of a two-part series on drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

Vehicle crashes are the number one way to die on the job nationwide. Some business owners are turning to GPS tracking - known as telematics - to help them identify problems and prevent crashes. Col. Mark Trostel of Encana Corporation and Dan O'Neil of StriveSafe by Cartasite discuss their experience with telematics programs and what the future holds for driving safety.

In this bonus episode of the podcast, Mark Woodward, Senior Safety Trainer and frequent WorkSAFE Podcast guest, talks to Justin Scace of EHS on Tap about return on safety - the true benefits of prioritizing safety in the workplace. If you like this episode, subscribe to EHS on Tap, the Podcast for EHS Professionals.

Taking time off to reset benefits employees, but how does encouraging employees to take time off boost a company's bottom line? The European Union has had it figured out for a while, but American corporate culture is shifting too. Pamala Bobbitt, Director of Product Marketing and Channels at Cority and former EHS manager, explains how work-life balance and holistic, behavior-based safety improve productivity and lead to long-term organizational sustainability.

One in three work comp claims involves a new hire. How can business owners ensure their new employees have the training they need to stay safe on the job? Josh Reynolds of Meek's Lumber shares his experience and tips for keeping new hires safe.

Investing in safety technology is a smart move for large companies with budgets to match. But is it realistic for small, family-owned businesses? In this interview, Simon Rabjohns explains that investing in safety technology is not only an option for small businesses – for some, it's absolutely essential. Garrett Benskin and Alan Combs (Missouri Employers Mutual) discuss the company and then share the interview.

Do workplace injuries happen because people just aren't paying attention? Is safety common sense? According to Senior Safety Trainer Mark Woodward, paying attention is only half the battle. He discusses this and other safety myths standing in the way of safer workplaces.

Finck Supported Living Services is dedicated to helping clients with special needs live fulfilling lives. Safety manager Michelle Karhoff shares how the organization also stays dedicated to keeping its employees safe on the job.

How do you create a true safety culture in the workplace? Senior Safety Trainer Mark Woodward explains how business owners and managers can lead their employees to see safety as more than a check in an OSHA box, and truly believe in safety.

We sat down with Chris Engelbrecht, Emergency Management Liaison for MoDOT, and Mark Woodward, Senior Safety Trainer at MEM, to learn about driving in extreme winter weather and how business owners can reduce their employees' risk.

Derek Leffert of Missouri One Call (better known as Dig Rite) talks trench safety, underground facility safety trainings, the Damage Prevention and Excavation Safety Summit, and - of course - how calling before you dig protects you and the people around you.

We traveled to the Saint Louis Zoo to talk to Safety Coordinator Domini Montgomery about balancing animal and zookeeper needs in workplace safety. Listen to learn how the Zoo prevents slips, trips and falls in the Sumatran Orangutan habitat, while tackling the unique challenge of finding human safety features that work well for the animals' lives too.