December 1, 2018
Far too often, the process of making bad and/or unethical choices begins with a simple, almost thoughtless decision. How do I know this? Well, I’ve seen it happen far too often. Harassment is not a sexy subject, and ethics are more than words. “The times they are a changing,” and that’s more than just song …
The Center for Construction Research and Training, an OSHA Alliance Program participant, has launched a number of new safety resources, including free game apps to help educate employees on how to prevent injuries that result from manually lifting and moving heavy materials. Lifting heavy items is one of the leading causes of injury in the …
Use fringe benefits to attract and keep workers while lowering your company’s tax bill. How can small businesses compete for qualified workers? Thanks to U.S. tax laws, every business can afford to offer fringe benefits, and may even be able to benefit themselves in the process. Fringe benefits are often defined as property and/or services …
October 1, 2018
Citing examples of both weather tragedies and proactive weather planning, the council of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) has adopted a statement regarding weather safety at venues and public gatherings. The statement expounds on the need for successful proactive weather decision practices within the broader weather and venue industries. It lists several recent weather tragedies …
How to keep from being sued by making yourself the least appealing target in the group. A client recently asked me what seemed like a simple question: “How can I keep from getting sued? Aside from the obvious answer (which necessarily involves either a fortune or a gravestone), my answer, with some explanation, was: “Make …
Fire marshals are code experts, but they look to the tent industry for information. The Tent Rental Division (TRD) of IFAI is an active participant in the code development process, submitting code proposals during the code revision cycle, attending and testifying at public hearings and serving as a resource to fire and code officials. But …
Beginning or reestablishing a company health and safety program can seem daunting, especially given everything else tent rental business owners and managers have on their plate. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) breaks down the task into nine doable steps: Always set safety and health as the top priority. Tell your workers that making …
August 1, 2018
What do business owners need to know about changing state marijuana laws and opioid use? With the U.S. unemployment rate at its lowest in years, employers are struggling to fully staff their companies. If that wasn’t difficult enough, employers who operate in states that have legalized marijuana face additional challenges in finding workers who can …
One of the most frequent questions I get is “Is now a good time to sell?” There are two things to consider when trying to answer this question. One is a “macro” question of how are the overall market conditions and two is a “micro” question of how your business is performing. I’ve been involved …
TRD’s code consultant discusses the code revision process and developing a relationship with code officials. Paul Armstrong, P.E., C.B.O., has worked as an independent consultant, technical trainer and expert witness, providing expertise on both California and international building codes for more than a decade. Previously, he served 14 years on the code development staff of …