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Fair or foul weather, driving always presents hazards. But winter months curse drivers with conditions that are far different than those they face during the summer. CNA offers these tips for safe winter driving and being prepared for emergencies on the road.

A contracted estimator fell from an extension ladder when a cracked rung broke while he was climbing the ladder. The estimator was seriously injured, sustaining a skull fracture and multiple leg fractures. The estimator had been aware of the defect in the ladder. The defect was caused when the ladder fell at an earlier job site. However, the estimator continued to use the ladder rather than seeking a replacement. These ladder safety tips from CNA will help you keep workers safe.

Take a look around your company. Chances are, your workplace has changed in the past 10 years. Your workforce has changed as well. Regardless of industry, the U.S. workforce is aging. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that 25 percent of the workforce will be age 55 or older by 2020. This aging workforce brings with it the potential for escalating workers’ compensation costs, particularly since older employees typically experience more severe workplace injuries and illnesses than younger ones.

Over the past few years, a greater focus has been placed on employee health and wellness as it relates to the issue of sitting versus standing at a computer workstation. The number of sit/stand workstations is on the rise, causing employees to ask the question, “Is a sit/stand workstation right for me?” Working in the same location for hours can affect concentration and muscles, which can in turn affect work productivity. CNA offers this guidance on how to maximize comfort while working at a computer workstation and reduce pain and injuries.

You cannot eliminate the possibility of business disruptions—but you can prepare for them. Whether the cause is a storm, a cyberattack, or another unexpected event, a sudden disruption could affect your organization at any time. To grow and thrive in an uncertain risk environment, your business needs preparation to absorb, adapt, and be resilient to disruptive events. CNA, a benefactor of MCAA23, offers a series of short podcasts (about 15 minutes each) on risk and resilience.

Cybersecurity risks rank as a top concern for companies worldwide. CNA, a supporter of MCAA24, offers Risk Control e-Talks, a series of short podcasts (about 15 minutes each) on risk and resilience. Season 3 focuses on cyber resilience. It offers insights into current cyber attack trends, cyber risk management approaches, and solutions to manage this significant threat to business resilience.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when the word “safety” is mentioned in a meeting or on a jobsite? Perhaps you imagine superintendents reminding employees to wear their personal protective equipment (PPE). You may picture a checklist of all the necessary precautions to be completed prior to starting a job. It is often perceived that safety slows an operation down, when, says CNA, safety should be associated with profitability.

There has been much confusion about who is required to have a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. Many contractors feel it’s only needed for truckers hauling for hire, which is not the case.

“Negligent entrustment” can stem from employees driving company-owned vehicles, their personal vehicles, or other vehicles on company business. Employers have a responsibility to know if an employee has something in his or her driving background that creates a risk to others. Negligent entrustment implies a company knew or should have known that it put an unsafe driver behind the wheel of a vehicle and allowed that employee to drive on behalf of the company. (CNA is an MCAA benefactor sponsor.)

Manual material handling is the largest single cause of lost workday injuries in construction. One out of every four work injuries happens because someone lifted, carried, pushed, or pulled something the wrong way or lifted beyond his or her capacity. Workers should be trained on proper and safe material handling techniques either manually or by using mechanical means. The use of correct handling techniques is one of the ways to help reduce injuries.

Global business insurer CNA, the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Georgia, and several other construction trade associations partnered with the nonprofit community revitalization group Rebuilding Together to celebrate the 123rd anniversary of Atlanta’s Carrie Steele-Pitts Home (CSPH), one of the nation’s oldest child-caring homes. On October 15, approximately 100 volunteers gathered for a day of major repairs to renovate and transform CSPH.

Distracted driving poses significant risk to every business that has employees who drive both company-owned and personal vehicles for company business. Common activities that divert attention from the road include texting, most mobile phone use, eating and drinking, reaching for an object, talking with a passenger, and reading navigation systems. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), for the second consecutive year, more than 40,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. According to a 2017 NSC public opinion poll, 74 percent rated distracted drivers as a major concern for traffic safety. Use this guide from CNA to assist in developing and supporting a program that helps in the control of driver behaviors, based on statistics about the impact of cell phone use and driver distractions, such as talking and texting.

Laptop computers are vital tools used by a wide population of contractors and are also the number-one risk they are facing due to theft. Since laptop computers and handheld devices are not typically used in a fixed, securable location such as a jobsite, additional measures are needed to protect them. Get started with these tips for laptop computer and mobile device security from CNA.

Legal actions sometimes cast a wide net, drawing an employer into a claim by alleging that the use of a vehicle in the case was for business purposes. Business use can be alleged as the result of something as simple as storing some small tools in the automobile, taking the mail to the post office, or being on a cell phone call with the office.