2nd Quarter Edition

2011Your newsletter for

quality workers’ compensation

information

Hiring Teens for the Summer?Know the Rules!

This is the time of year we always get calls asking us “what are the rules for hiring teens in the construction industry”. Here is the answer directly from the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division.

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYER’S QUICK GUIDE TO TEEN WORKER RULES

Minors under 16 years of age may only perform office or sales work in the construction industry. They may not be employed on a construction site. The federal rules also limit the number of hours and times of day that such youth may be employed.

Minors age 16 and 17 may work in the construction industry and on construction sites, but there are several tasks or jobs that are deemed to be too hazardous for them to perform, such as: • Workinginoccupationsinvolvingthemixing,handlingortransportingofexplosive

compounds;• Drivingamotorvehicleorworkingasanoutsidehelper(17yearoldsmaydrive

automobilesandtrucksonanincidentalandoccasionalbasisifcertaincriteriaaremet);• Ridingonmostconstructionelevatorsandoperatingorassistingintheoperationofcranes,

hoists,forklifts,Bobcatloaders,front-endloaders,backhoes,andskidsteerloaders;• Loading,operating,andunloadingmosttrashcompactorsandbalers;• Operatingpower-drivenwoodworkingmachinesandmetalforming,punching,and

shearingmachines—includingportablemachines;• Operatingpower-drivencircularsaws,bandsaws,chainsaws,reciprocatingsaws,

guillotineshears,woodchippers,andabrasivecuttingdiscs—includingportablemachines;• Workinginwrecking,demolition,andshipbreaking;• Workinginroofingandonoraboutaroof;• Workinginexcavation.

Note: This is not the complete list of hazardous occupations and there are some exceptions provided for 16- and 17- year olds who are apprentices and bona-fide student-learners.

Minors age 18 and older may perform any work in construction. State laws may have stricter rules regarding the employment of youth. This information is provided as a public service. Please visit the U.S. Department of Labor on the Internet at www.youthrules.dol.gov or contact them at their Toll-Free Help Line 1-866-4US-WAGE (TTY: 1-877-889-5627) for more detailed information. rev.July2010

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Prepared? p2Manual p2New Hires p3 Safety Services Back

Inside this issue

Board of Trustees

Chairman Bob Dolgener

Ruidoso

Rick Davis Secretary/Treasurer

Albuquerque

John Jourdan Trustee Hobbs

Wayne Rutherford Trustee

Taos

Lee Rawson Trustee

Las Cruces

Mark Carpenter Trustee Clovis

Kevin McGinley Trustee Mesilla

Michael Drunzer Trustee

Alamogordo

Randy Crowder Trustee Clovis

Builders Trust of New Mexico affiliated with New Mexico Home Builders Association

When it comes to work place safety, the best practice is to have a strong safety policy in place and regular safety meetings in order to prevent accidents from occurring. It is everyone’s responsibility to practice safe work methods and promote a safe work environment. However, when accidents do occur, it is important to have procedures in place and to have trained your employees in order to mitigate the severity of the injury. As a rule of thumb a written safety program should incorporate the items below. 1. Have OSHA compliant approved emergency medical supplies on hand – This would include a basic first aid kit along with items that would take care of basic strains and sprains. Employers are encouraged to offer training for employees in the area of administering first aid and CPR.2. Respond quickly – Immediately following a workplace accident, things can be a bit confusing. It is important to be able to respond to accidents in an effective manner so as to limit injury and death. The injury should be assessed immediately to determine if medical attention is required. If the injury is severe and warrants it, someone should call 9-1-1 and get emergency personnel dispatched to the workplace. If possible first aid should be provided to the injured worker and he/she should typically not be moved until medical help has arrived. When applying first aid for electrical burns it is important to remember to not apply ice, ointment, or other adhesive bandages to the burn of an injured worker. For chemical burns be sure to remove any clothing or jewelry the chemical may have come in contact with and wash away the chemical. Once emergency medical personnel arrive be ready to assist in answering questions regarding the conditions and type of injury. 3. Report the Injury – Employees need to be reminded on a regular basis to immediately report all injuries suffered in the workplace to a supervisor. All injuries requiring medical treatment beyond on-site first aid must be reported to Builders Trust. Even non-life threatening workplace injuries need to be reported. First Report of Injury (FROI) forms can be obtained at our web site at www.builderstrust.com or by calling our office at 1-800-640-3369 or 505-345-3477. 4. Collect the facts – Be sure to take a moment and document all events that lead up to and including the accident. If appropriate take pictures of the scene. Have a camera readily available - most cell phones have one at your ready disposal. Obtain names and contact information for anyone working in the area who may have witnessed, or who may have information, about the accident and get written statements when possible.Again to reiterate, although safety programs should be dedicated to the prevention of accidents, every written safety program should also have procedures in place on how to respond to a workplace accident when one does take place. . . . . . . . Think Safety First!

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3724 540 Claims Reported for

2010 Fund Year(As of 12/31/2010)

STRAIN

LACERATION

OTHER

ABRASION / CONTUSION

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FOREIGN BODY IN EYE

FRACTURE

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Participant ManualOur Participant Manual is updated on a regular basis and can be easily accessed on our web site by logging into BT PAL and selecting the tab entitled “Manual”. One nice feature of the manual online is that it is in Adobe Reader format and has a search function that allows you to conduct a ‘key word search.’ The ‘key word search’ provides a quick way to look up a particular subject in the manual. Subject matters covered in the manual include: Personnel Policies & Hiring Guideline, Field Safety Services, Claims Management, Payroll Reporting Policies & Procedures and Premium Audits. The manual is not only packed with information but also contains forms you can use in the course of your business, such as a sample job application, safety meeting sign-off sheet, return to work agreement and much more. Don’t want to go online but still want a copy of the manual? Just call the Service Center Department at 505-345-3477 or 1-800-640-3369 and we will be happy to forward you a CD or hard copy.

www.builderstrust.com® Blueprints -2nd Quarter Edition

Builders Trust of New Mexico affiliated with New Mexico Home Builders Association

Are You Prepared to Handle an Accident?

3 www.builderstrust.com® Blueprints -2nd Quarter Edition

Nationwide and here in New Mexico, key economic indicators show that the pace of construction may finally be picking up. The climb back to better times for our industry will certainly resemble an uphill marathon rather than a downhill sprint, but we’ll take the good news, even if it develops slowly.

Contractors will be adding staff over the next few weeks, months and years and those that hire and train new workers wisely will keep their insurance rates in check by keeping their losses down. More importantly, they will also send their workers home safe and healthy each night.

Did you know that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that 40% of employees injured at work have been on the job less than one year. This is reflected in Builders Trust’s claim data, which shows that newer employees account for a disproportionately large share of reported claims. Why are so many new employees getting injured? The answer is usually communication, training and supervision issues. Here are some common reasons for new hire injuries

• Newhiresareusuallyaskediftheycandocertaintypesofwork,handlecertaintypesoftoolsoroperatecertaintypesofequipment.Needingajob,theapplicantrespondsaffirmatively,thathe/shecandoallthetasksthatwillberequired.

•Projectmanagers,foremenandsupervisorsoftenassumenewhiresknowmuchmorethattheyactuallydo.

•Newhiresarelesslikelytoaskquestions,thus,they’llproceedwithataskeveniftheyarenotsurethebestandsafestwaytocompletethetask.

the new hire.

By implementing a new hire orientation and mentoring program, it allows you as the employer to have a solid understanding of the new hires’ abilities, and/or limitations, before they are set out on their own.

Remember, nothing is more important than the safety and well being of your employees and the goal for all contractors should be to send all employees home, at the end of each day, injury free.

If you would like help creating a new hire orientation please contact us. Builders Trust has seasoned Field Safety Consultants to assist you in setting up a solid program for your new employees.

Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility

•Fellow,long-termemployeesmayassumethenewhireknowswhathe/sheisdoing,withoutevenbotheringtoask,adoptinga“iftheforemanhiredhim,hemustbeokay”attitude.

•Languagebarrierscanleadtoamisunderstandingbetweenthenewhireandthepersondoingthehiring.

To prevent new hires from becoming an injury statistic, contractors need to invest time up front to make sure the new hire is prepared for the tasks at hand. This is best handled in a new employee orientation. New employee orientation should cover much more than employment paperwork and an explanation of payday. New hires must be made aware of the employer’s emphasis on safe work methods and their overall safety culture. The orientation should focus on the type of work done by your business. Examples may be:

• PersonalProtectiveEquipment•ProperScaffoldingandLadderUse•Falls,Trips&SlipsHazards•Trenching/Excavation•WorkinginConfinedSpaces•WeatherSafety•MaterialHandling

A safety-focused, new hire orientation is critical. Hands-on training in conjunction with a mentoring program that emphasizes, not only is the new employee responsible for their own safety, but also the safety of everyone on the job site. When considering a mentoring program, be sure to partner them with other seasoned employees before releasing them on their own. Also, consider giving them a special colored safety vest for an initial period of time and instruct all other employees to keep an eye out for

Builders Trust of New Mexico affiliated with New Mexico Home Builders Association

Keep Your New Hires Safe!

Builders Trust of New MexicoP.O.Box 91330

Albuquerque, NM 87199www.builderstrust.com®

PRST STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDALBUQUERQUE, NM

PERMIT NO. 935

PLEASE ENJOY THIS COMPLIMENTARY ISSUE OF BT BLUEPRINTS

To find out how you can join Builders Trust of New Mexico AND receive the best value in workers’ compensation coverage for New Mexico Home Builders Association members, please contact our

Marketing General Agent Ronnie Letcher at Letcher, Golden & Associates, Inc. 1-800-748-2190

Field Safety Services - Just a Click AwayYou might be asking yourself, what information is just a click away? Actually at Builders Trust’s web site we have safety re-lated information and tools that are available for you and it is just a click away at www.builderstrust.com . Just click on BT Links and you are there! Items include Tool Box Talks, Safety Posters, an extensive Video Library, OSHA record keeping forms and even 2010 Lead Regulations.

Tool Box Talks - Tool Box Talks, which are available in both English and Spanish, are blueprints for safety and were designed to help you facilitate regular, five to ten minute safety meetings. Often these safety meetings are conducted at the worksite right from the tailgate of your truck. The topics covered are construction specific and cover a wide range of subjects including Slips, Trips and Falls, Scaffold Safety, Ladders, Save Your Back, Trenching and Protect Your Eyes. An Employee Attendance Record is also available in the manual so you can keep a permanent record of those in attendance. This valuable manual can be printed free of charge directly from our web site or feel free to call our Service Center Depart-ment for a hardcopy.

Safety Posters - With 50 color posters to choose from, we’re sure there are several that will be fitting for your work envi-ronment. It’s important to keep things fresh, so be sure to switch them out periodically. These posters are easy for anyone to access and print directly to their own color printer. Also tucked away in this section is the 36 page Worker Safety Series Construction OSHA Pocket Guide. Be sure to check it out!

BT Video Library Catalog - Another way to augment your safety program is to borrow videos from Builders Trust’s video library. Most videos run from 15 to 30 minutes long and can be followed up by group discussion. Titles include: How to Develop a Safety Program, Controlling Workers’ Comp. Costs, Construction Electricians Safety Hazards and so many more. You can find a complete listing of available videos on the BT Links section of our web site and several are in Spanish. While many videos are in VHS format we are actively updating to DVDs on a daily basis. You can borrow up to 4 videos, free of charge, by simply calling BT at 505-345-3477 or 1-800-640-3369. Keeping safety on the minds of everyone, helps reduce accidents. Fewer accidents translate into lower losses, which in turn translate into lower premiums. Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Safety is No Accident!