New Chrome Browser 0-day Under Active Attack

Denise GillinInsurance, Risk Management

By Ravie Lakshmanan for The Hacker News Google has patched a zero-day vulnerability in Chrome web browser for desktop that it says is being actively exploited in the wild. The company released 88.0.4324.150 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, with a fix for a heap buffer overflow flaw (CVE-2021-21148) in its V8 JavaScript rendering engine. “Google is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2021-21148 exists in the wild,” the company said in a statement. The security flaw was reported to Google by Mattias Buelens on January 24. Read more here >>>  

OSHA Recommends Employers Cover COVID-19 Vaccination Costs

Denise GillinBusiness Insurance, Risk Management

Following OSHA guidelines can often be a challenge. Compound them with a global pandemic and an  employer’s job gets that much harder. This article by By Louise Esola for Business Insurance elaborates: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued workplace safety guidance for employers that includes a recommendation that they cover COVID-19 vaccination costs. OSHA issued the new guidelines following an executive order by President Joe Biden on January 21 to do so. The new guidelines, which in general mirror existing U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, call for face coverings, social distancing and contact-tracing. They also call for employers to implement COVID-19 prevention programs, separate and send home sick workers, improve safety communication with workers, install …

Secure Your Farm

Denise GillinAgribusiness, Risk Management

By Timothy M. Murray, GSP, Risk Control Consultant All industries need security and farming is no exception. In addition to fire and safety, identifying vulnerable property and assets, and keeping online confidential information secure as outlined by Rural Security Planning (Purdue), make sure you have physical protection in place. Below are some suggested steps taken from the American Dairy Association North East for those in the agricultural industry to consider to make their property and operations more secure: Take basic steps to secure your farm and facility, making it more difficult to access by intruders. These include no trespassing signage, motion-sensor lighting, security cameras, gates, fencing, etc. Consider what is visible from the road. Consider the “curb appeal” of your …

Winterize Your Home

Denise GillinHome and Auto Insurance, Risk Management

Home Winterizing Checklist by HomeAdvisor With the passing of the holiday season, winter isn’t over. There are still cold days and even snow in our near future. Make sure your home is secure in the months ahead. Be Prepared. Make sure you have a snow shovel or snow blower if you have a large area to clear. And, it’s never a bad idea to have some extra canned goods and cases of water. Gutters & Downspouts If you didn’t clean and clear your gutters in the fall, double check them to make sure they are clear before the next snowfall. It’s a good idea to install leaf guards, if you don’t have them, to keep your gutters and spouts clear. …

Exhausted warehouse worker sleeping n packages in distribution warehouse.

Five Ways to Reduce Worker Fatigue and Improve Safety

Denise GillinRisk Management

By Toby Graham on the Succeed / KPA Risk Management Platform Give us a break! Literally, if you’re tired of inaction on this critical issue and want to ensure the members of your workforce are well-rested – and therefore safe and able to perform at their best – here are a few workplace practices to adopt today: Know the signs. Know what to look for. The NSC recommends staying mindful of cognitive issues, such as “decreased vigilance, attention, memory, and concentration.” Break up long shifts. Try to avoid having an individual work for longer than 10 hours straight, and schedule frequent breaks. Pay close attention to night shift workers. Whenever possible, avoid overtaxing your night shift workers, give them plenty …

Business Valuers: Why Purchase Professional Liability Insurance?

Denise GillinBusiness Insurance

By Jeffrey S. Gelburd, CPCU, ARM, Vice President, for American Society of Appraisers Over the years we have been asked by Business Valuers about the necessity of purchasing Professional Liability (or E&O) insurance for themselves or their business. The following reasons are the most prevalent in the purchasing decision. The Insurance Policy Will Pay Defense Costs: This is the # 1 reason for purchasing E & O insurance – the policy is written to cover attorney defense fees which can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. The Cost of Insurance is Relatively Inexpensive:  Minimum premiums for a policy offering a $1,000,000 limit can start at just $2,000. Low Deductibles: Deductibles for these policies typically start at $1,000 and can go …

Is it Carbon Monoxide Poisoning or COVID-19?

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced when fossil fuel is burned by furnaces, portable heaters, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges or fireplaces. The National Safety Council warns that winter can be a prime time for carbon monoxide poisoning as people turn on their heating systems and mistakenly warm their cars in garages. Use these flyers to warn family members, employees and others of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning: CDC Protect Your Family From CO Poisoning NSC CO FAQs Prevention …

Better Prepared. More Secure.

Denise GillinInsurance, News

Our focus is always on the commitment we made to our clients when Murray was founded over 90 years ago: to provide smart solutions to help our clients be better prepared and more secure. This is more than just a phrase to us. It represents our ability to give clients a strategic advantage to anticipate and prepare for future challenges, opportunities, and growth. Today we honor our client commitment in a new and dynamic way. After careful and deliberate evaluation, we entered into an agreement with a national partnership of leading independent property and casualty and employee benefits brokerage firms, AssuredPartners, one of the largest brokers in the nation. Being a part of a national firm further enhances our advantage …

Winter Safety – Preparation

Denise GillinRisk Management

By Ryland Overly, GSP, Risk Control Consultant While snowfall can be fun to play in and look pretty, planning ahead is crucial to preventing slip and fall and vehicle accidents as well as keeping everyone safe and healthy – particularly for business owners. Following are some winter preparation tips you can use to help prevent accidents, prepare your property and protect people during winter storms: Some common dangers in cold wet conditions include slips and falls as well as vehicle accidents. Use extra caution around stairs, ramps, parking lots and when entering and exiting your vehicle. This Winter Preparation Training Short has more information you can use to prevent accidents and injuries. Sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots covered with snow …

group of worker factory wearing mask protection face for safety stands in machine industrial factory..and checking warehouse machine. (group of worker factory wearing mask protection face for safety stands in machine industrial factory..and checking w

OSHA Quick Takes – Delivery and Warehousing Industry

Denise GillinNews, Risk Management

By Timothy W. Braun, Risk Control Specialist Did you know? OSHA has an online Quick Takes newsletter called “Did You Know?” It’s a free service to give subscribers twice monthly updates to their phone, tablet, or other device. DYK topics provide the latest information on timely topics from OSHA. This recent DYK gives ideas and tips for protecting workers in the warehousing and delivery industries from COVID-19: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/12072020#covid-warehousing-delivery There are many other topics including: COVID-19 and enforcement actions COVID-19 protection for employees in various work settings Assistance with OSHA compliance Training Resources …and much more. I encourage you to check into these.  To learn more or to subscribe, go to: https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/ Contact Tim at 717.224.1835 or another member of the Murray …