Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
NIRVA: WELCOME TO THE LARA NEWS LINK, BROUGHT TO YOU
BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING & REGULATORY
AFFAIRS. WHERE WE ARE ALWAYS CUSTOMER DRIVEN AND
BUSINESS MINDED. I'M NIRVA CIVILUS, YOUR HOST FOR
THIS EDITION.ON MARCH 20TH, THE MICHIGAN
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION -
MIOSHA, ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER INDUSTRY EXPERTS,
TEAMED UP TO SPONSOR THIS YEAR'S MICHIGAN
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TRAINING DAY.
MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION SAFETY DAY IS A ONE DAY
TRAINING EVENT THAT OFFERS ITS PARTICIPANTS
A GENERAL SAFETY PROGRAM, A PROFESSIONAL SAFETY TRACK,
AN EXECUTIVE SAFETY FORUM AND AN EXHIBITOR TRADE
SHOW. THE SEMINAR WAS DESIGNED FOR ALL WHO WORK
IN THE FIELD OF CONSTRUCTION.TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE EVENT AND THE BENEFITS OF WORKPLACE
SAFETY, THE NEWS LINK VISITED THE JAMES B. HENRY
CENTER FOR EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN EAST
LANSING WHERE THE 2013 EVENT TOOK PLACE.
MARTHA: MIOSHA'S SPONSORSHIP OF THE EVENT INCLUDES HELPING
PLAN AND THEN CONDUCTING SOME OF THE TRAINING
SESSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE TODAY. THERE'S AN
EXECUTIVE FORUM THAT OUR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY AND
HEALTH DIRECTOR PATTY MYERS IS MCING. I WAS ABLE
TO GIVE A SHORT MIOSHA UPDATE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
WHAT WE FOUND LAST YEAR IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,
WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO BE FOR THE COMING
YEAR. WE HAVE STAFF FROM OUR CONSULTATION,
EDUCATION AND TRAINING DIVISON THAT ARE HERE
TODAY DOING TRAINING ON SOME OF THE STANDARD
CHANGES. WE'VE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT
CHANGES IN THINGS LIKE THE HAZARD COMMUNICATIONS
STANDARD, REQUIREMENTS FOR CRANES AND CRANE
OPERATORS. SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE TO
CONDUCT THAT TRAINING ON THE MOST UP TO DATE
CHANGES AND INFORMATION. JACK: OUR ROLE IN THE
WHOLE SAFETY ISSUE IS BASICALLLY TO HANDLE THE
CLAIMS WHERE THE SAFETY STANDARDS DIDN'T DO THE
TRICK. AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE GO TO WORK AND HAVE
A BAD DAY, AND INJURIES OCCUR EVEN WITH THE BEST
SAFETY STANDARDS IN PLACE. WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT
DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INJURIES, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE
BEEN SOME FATALITIES THIS YEAR. MUCH OF THAT IS
INVOLVED WITH IMPROVED SAFETY STANDARDS. SO WE
LEARN ABOUT THE SAFETY STANDARDS AND WHAT HAPPENS
IN THE EVENT THAT IT DOESN'T WORK. I'M PLEASED
WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE
PEOPLE REALIZE THAT SAFETY IS EVERYWHERE. THERE'S A
NEED FOR IT EVERYWHERE. BUT IN THE ODD EVENT IT
DOESN'T WORK, THERE IS A REMEDY AVAILABLE.
MARTHA: SAFETY DEFINITELY CONTINUES TO PAY. WHAT WE
SEE IS THAT COMPANIES THAT INVEST IN WORKPLACE SAFETY
AND HEALTH CONTINUE TO SEE JUST AN INCREDIBLE
BUSINESS BOTTOM LINE BENEFIT, IN ADDITION TO
KEEPING WORKERS SAFE AND SENDING THEM HOME AT THE
END OF THEIR JOB SHIFT, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY THE
TOP PRIORITY. BUT THOSE BUSINESS BOTTOM LINE
BENEFITS TRANSLATE INTO FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR SPENT
ON WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH A FOUR TO SIX
DOLLAR RETURN. AND WE ALSO SEE COMPANIES REPORTING
THAT THE QUALITY OF THE WORK IS HIGHER,
PRODUCTIVITY OF EMPLOYEES IS HIGHER, ABSENTEEISM IS
LOWER, TURNOVER IS LOWER. IT IS DEFINITELY A
BUSINEESS WIN WIN.
NIRVA: FOR MORE ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORK
PLACE SAFETY PROGRAMS HERE IN MICHIGAN, VISIT THE
MIOSHA WEBSITE AT MICHIGAN.GOV/MIOSHA.
IN 2012, THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, OR
MPSC, CONTINUED ITS EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE
REINVENTION OF MICHIGAN. THE COMMISSION RENEWED ITS
EFFORTS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, COMPLAINT
ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL SUPORT TO THOSE MOST IN
NEED. DETAILS OF THE MPSC'S WORK IN 2012 CAN BE
FOUND IN THE COMMISSION'S ANNUAL REPORT TO GOVERNOR
SNYDER AND THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE. HERE ARE A
FEW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IN THE REPORT: THE MPSC
AWARDED $27 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS FOR
LOW-INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE TO VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS. THE GRANTS PROVIDE IMMEDIATE
ASSISTANCE FOR HEATING NEEDS AS WELL AS
LONGER-TERM ASSISTANCE IN REDUCING FUTURE HEATING
COSTS FOR LOW-INCOME AND SENIOR CITIZENS.
THE COMMISSION EXTENDED ITS CONSUMER OUTREACH EFFORTS
BY ATTENDING 40 EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
RANGING FROM UTILITY SPONSORED CUSTOMER
ASSISTANCE DAYS TO FAIRS. THE COMMISSION CONTINUES
TO MAKE ITS COMMISSION MEETINGS AVAILABLE VIA
PODCAST.AMONG THE ORDERS ISSUED BY THE COMMISSION
DURING 2012 WERE APPROVALS OF APPLICATIONS TO
REPLACE, CONSTRUCT, AND OPERATE NINE NATURAL GAS
AND LIQUID PIPELINES. FOR A COPY OF THE MPSC'S 2012
ANNUAL REPORT, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT
MICHIGAN.GOV/MPSC.AS A DIRECT RESULT OF ACROSS
THE BOARD BUDGET CUTS BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
KNOWN AS SEQUESTRATION, EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION, OR EUC BENEFITS, WILL BE REDUCED
BY 10.7 PERCENT. THE FEDERALLY FUNDED EUC
PROGRAM PROVIDES EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR REGULAR STATE BENEFITS.
FOR WEEKS THAT BEGIN ON OR AFTER MARCH 31, 2013,
CLAIMANTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY COLLECTING OR
WILL BE COLLECTING EUC WILL HAVE THEIR WEEKLY
BENEFIT AMOUNT REDUCED BY 10.7 PERCENT. AFFECTED
CLAIMANTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CERTIFY WITH MICHIGAN'S
AUTOMATED RESPONSE VOICE INTERACTIVE NETWORK
(MARVIN) ON THEIR SCHEDULED DAY AND TIME.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE EUC PROGRAM,
CALL THE UIA EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
HOTLINE, 1-800-638-3995 FOR PRE-RECORDED UPDATES
TO EUC PROGRAM INFORMATION OR VISIT THE UIA WEBSITE
AT MICHIGAN.GOV/UIA. AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS
EDITION OF THE LARA NEWS LINK. TO STAY CONNECTED
WITH ALL THE LATEST INFORMATION, BE SURE TO
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.
AND AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO THE LARA
YOUTUBE PAGE. SO UNTIL NEXT TIME, THANKS FOR
WATCHING AND TAKE CARE.