As claims rise and legal restrictions become more complex, it has become increasingly important for safety professionals to recognize that effective safety management includes a deeper understanding of HR issues and a broad knowledge of risk management, labor, employment and legal principles. On April 24, 2013, ASSE hosted a Risk Management webinar. “Risk Management Is More Than Safety: Employment Law for Safety Managers,” presented by Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., co-chair of Fisher & Phillips LLP’s Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management Practice Group in Atlanta, GA, explored the link between effective safety risk management and HR issues.
Safety is only part of Risk Management, Foulke said, but it has a big impact. In this 90-minute presentation he discusses why safety professionals should align their goals with HR managers. By recognizing the different roles of a safety professional, HR, and other management, identifying the legal requirements associated with each role and how to recognize, evaluate and manage legal risks, safety professionals can impact many labor and employment areas, and contribute to a more successful business. If safety professionals look for shared responsibilities and coordinate with one another they can better prepare themselves and stay on top of legal claims, Foulke says, especially those with safety implications
He concluded by saying, all safety professionals really need to understand not only the safety statutes, but also have to have a working knowledge of other labor laws, and know how their responsibilities as a safety professional coincide with in overall risk management
To get a deeper understanding of how safety risk management is part of the overall business strategy, and the interrelationship between safety and the ADA, EEOC, worker's comp and other unfair labor practices, keep a look out for this webinar, which will be available On Demand.