Corporate America has long understood the value of Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance, which provides liability coverage for a "wrongful act," such as an actual or alleged error or breach of duty.

Loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss and contribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult for workers to hear warning signals.

DID YOU KNOW?

More than one-third of fall deaths in residential construction are caused by falls from roofs.

To help control the rising cost of occupational accidents and injuries, the Disability Management Employers Coalition (DMEC) released a white paper identifying best practices for helping employees successfully return to work following disability leave.

On Feb. 9, 2012, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury (Departments) released much-anticipated final guidance on the requirement for health plans and health insurance issuers to provide a summary of benefits and coverageto applicants and enrollees.

Portable generators play a crucial role on the construction site, but, if used improperly, generators can cause serious illness or death. On average, about 170 people in the United States die every year from carbon monoxide (CO) produced by generators and other consumer products.

Since 1995, more catastrophic dust explosions have occurred in February than in any other month.

Accumulations of dust as small as 1/32 of an inch—about the thickness of a dime—can give rise to a catastrophic dust explosion, so it is imperative that manufacturers take steps to prevent even small amounts of combustible dust from accumulating in their facilities.

Unprotected trenches are among the most dangerous hazards a construction worker can face; between 2003 and 2011, more than 200 workers have been killed in trench cave-ins. Hundreds more have been seriously injured. To help combat this problem, OSHA has produced a number of guidance documents aimed at keeping construction firms in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1926.651 and 1926.652 (as well as their counterparts from state-approved plans).

Severe winter weather can jeopardize the health and safety of your employees and cost your company time and money if you do not take the proper precautions.

Cold, wet and windy conditions put outdoor workers at risk for cold stress, which can lead to dangerous and debilitating occupational afflictions such as frostbite, hypothermia, chilblains and trench foot.

As an employer, it is imperative that you take the proper steps to protect your employees from this wintertime threat.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries. Overall, these injuries cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year.

The good news is that by evaluating your existing administrative and engineering controls and making necessary changes, you can reduce the risk of back injuries due to lifting—the cause of three out of every four occupational back injuries.

An arc flash is an electrical breakdown where electric current jumps through an air gap between conductors. With a flash of bright light, intense radiant heat and loud noise, an arc flash explosion can produce a temperature of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Both the heat and the energy can cause substantial damage to equipment, fire or severe injury or death.

Careful facility planning and design can be helpful as the first line of defense to prevent hazardous material leaks or spills, or to mitigate the effects if a leak or spill does happen.

When using ammonia refrigeration equipment, facilities should be designed so the system's machinery is in a detached building, or at least a separate room, from the rest of the facility. As well, vapor tight separations and mechanical gasket-sealed doors should be used in as many areas of the facility as possible to reduce the risk of an ammonia leak spreading inside the facility.

Considering these and other building design plans can significantly reduce the negative effects of a leak or spill before they occur.

Though you can't see, smell or taste radon, it may be present at dangerous levels in your home. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer, and causes over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

Is your home safe from the dangers of radon?

A recent study published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management examined construction projects designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

CFR was chosen after satisfying a number of eligibility requirements, which included:demonstrating a commitment to community service; meeting a high-level of business and ethicsstandards; and completing a training program designed to highlight the needs of the 50+population.

When your operations involve any kind of hazardous materials, you know that there is the risk and potential for those materials to be exposed to workers and the surrounding public in the event of a fire, leak or explosion. To account and prepare for these hazards, your risk management planning should include thorough consideration of potential scenarios and decisions that you may have to make.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released the Workplace Injury and Illness Summary for 2010. According to the BLS, there were 3.1 million nonfatal workplace injuries reported by private industry in 2010. The incidence rate of 3.5 per 100 equivalent full-time workers is down from a rate of 3.6 in 2009. Total recordable cases among private industry employees have declined significantly since 2002, the first time the report was published.

There is no one set definition of an independent contractor in the United States. State and federal regulations that determine whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee are different, and each state tends to have their own unique criteria. Misclassifying a worker can bring strict penalties and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has increased their audits on companies suspected of misusing the contractor title.

Nail guns are one of the most commonly used tools on the jobsite. Unfortunately, they are also commonly the cause of injuries, most of which are easily preventable.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released new guidance for nail gun safety, including best practices for safe use and gun type recommendations.

Many contractors try to expand the scope of their business to stay busy during slow periods. This attempt to make a little extra money can turn out to be a bad idea if the situation isn't entered into carefully and with thorough consideration of all risks.