EH&S Insider Blog

What is Stop Work Authority (SWA)?

Stop Work Authority (SWA) is a program designed to provide employees and contract workers with the responsibility and obligation to stop work when a perceived unsafe condition or behavior may result in an unwanted event. 

An Experience Modification Rate (EMR) has a significant impact on the worker's compensation insurance premium of a business. The EMR is a metric that insurers use to calculate the premium; it takes into account the number of claims/injuries a company has had in the past, and their corresponding costs. An EMR of 1.0 is the benchmark average -- if your company's EMR number is lower than average, (e.g. less than 1.0), your worker's compensation premium will be lower than average. An EMR number greater than 1.0 will result in a higher than average premium payment.

Recently, Liberty Mutual compiled the 2017 annual report providing eye-opening facts about workplace safety that may change how you think about safety within your own company. The report's central theme this year is " Knowledge is Power." This year's study presents a warning about unsafe practices and their impact on the entire company. It also provides a reminder on how you need to remove complacency from your workplace regarding potential risks and unsafe practices. 

Each year, we follow the new salary survey from Safety+Health, the latter being the official magazine of the National Security Council Congress & Expo. In each survey, we keep finding evolving information about what's occurring with workplace salaries, experience, education, and raises.

The 2017 Safety Conferences are kicking off now that the New Year is here. We have your updated list for the first half of 2017. We included all of the appropriate links to the conference websites where you will find the contact information that you need to schedule a visit.