Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Workplace Safety
  • Drive Safely Work Week: Take the High Road
    10/06/2008
    Sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Drive Safely Work Week is a nationally observed campaign designed to help employers emphasize the importance of driving safely both on and off the job to reduce preventable crashes. This year's campaign theme--Take the High Road; Share the Road. It Belongs to Everyone--addresses the special needs and considerations of vulnerable roadway users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, truck drivers, and senior and teen drivers.
  • Celebrating Workplace Health and Safety Professionals
    05/02/2008
    Health and safety professionals are raising awareness about the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace by observing National American Occupational Safety and Health Week, held May 4-10.
  • May Is Bike to Work Month
    05/01/2008
    Spring is in the air, and the League of American Bicyclists, the national organization of cyclists, is encouraging everyone to bike to work or try cycling for fun, fitness or transportation.
  • New OSHA Rule Takes Effect
    04/18/2008
    Under a new OSHA rule that will take effect May 15, businesses will be responsible for providing most required personal protective equipment at no cost to their employees. At NFIB's urging, OSHA has excluded several common items from this requirement, however.
  • Workplace Safety: Taking Care of Your Employees and Your Bottom Line
    03/14/2008
    Although businesses differ in the kinds of physical hazards they pose to employees, no business is entirely injury-proof. Consequently, small business owners must adopt a vigilant concern for maintaining a safe work environment not only for the sake of his or her staff, but for the sake of their company's financial health as well. Workplace injuries can cost you your entire company.
  • Preventing Violence with Workplace Weapons Policies
    01/18/2008
    Most employers are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for their employees. In keeping with the spirit and intent of this goal, many employers prohibit anyone—employees, contractors, vendors and visitors—from bringing firearms or other weapons onto company premises. The reason for these bans? Workplace safety and liability. If an employee is threatened or assaulted on the job, liability for injuries could fall on the employer. In fact, some insurance companies require workplace weapons policies before issuing coverage for employment claims.
  • Promoting Healthy Habits Among Employees
    01/17/2008
    The unhealthy habits of many workers cost employers significant amounts of money. Many of the costs related to employee behavior are hidden so they don't often receive a great deal of attention. However, studies have shown that the cost to organizations of poor employee health habits and excessive work pressure amounts to at least $3,000 per employee per year.
  • Healthy Eating Through the Holidays
    11/15/2007
    The next two months will be a busy time in your small business. Year-end purchases and benefits reviews, budget revisions for the coming year, employee vacations and holiday festivities will keep you busy and on your toes. You need to stay on top of your game— and that means you need to stay healthy.
  • Ten Ghastly Ghouls That Can Spook Any Small-Business Owner at Halloween (or Any Time of Year)
    10/31/2007
    Things that go clunk in the night. The sound of fingernails being scraped down a blackboard. Walking alone at midnight on an empty street and suddenly hearing footsteps behind you.
  • Promoting a Drug-Free Workplace
    10/19/2007
    National Drug-Free Work Week 2007 was held Oct. 14-20, and employers and workers across the nation were encouraged to participate. The purpose of Drug-Free Work Week is to highlight the fact that being drug free is key to protecting workplace safety and encouraging workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help.
  • Methamphetamine in the Workplace: What You Should Know
    10/15/2007
    Methamphetamine is a dangerous, highly addictive drug that has emerged as a serious problem across the nation. A derivative of amphetamine, it is a powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system.
  • Avoiding the 10 Most Common Safety Standard Violations
    09/07/2007
    Safety in the workplace is serious business. So is keeping up with all of the rules and regulations put in place to protect workers and the environment. Avoiding violations of those rules and standards takes time and effort, but it can pay dividends in the form of a safer work environment, avoided penalties and good publicity. Here are the top 10 most commonly violated workplace safety standards for companies with 99 or fewer employees, based on the latest OSHA statistics (October 2005 through September 2006).
  • Five Steps to a Germ-Free Office
    04/05/2007
    Take a look at the desk you're sitting at. Maybe there's a coffee stain here or there, but other than that, it looks clean enough to eat off, right? Not hardly.
  • When Safety Is Your Business
    02/06/2007
    An Arizona-based fire safety company has discovered the benefits of being drug-free and is taking steps to encourage other small businesses to follow suit.
  • Avoiding Back Injuries
    11/08/2006
    When moving or lifting heavy objects, the key is to lift with your head, not with your back. In other words, before moving or lifting any object of weight, evaluate the situation; think. Determine if there are other options, such as sharing the load with others or even dismantling a package to carry the contents piece by piece. Don't automatically bend over and lift something without using your head first.
  • Checklist for Disaster Preparedness
    10/05/2006
    Disasters come in many forms––hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, severe rain or hail, windstorms, fires, earthquakes and others. They may be mild or severe, causing damage to property and danger to health and life. But they all have one thing in common: The risks they pose can be prepared for only in advance. From the moment that a disaster strikes, one can only hope that comprehensive steps for preparedness were taken.
  • Preparing a First-Aid Kit for Your Small Business
    10/04/2006
    A small business does not have the space or money to be as well-equipped as a hospital if a small accident, headache or illness arises. Some types of injuries like burns or a simple paper cut are just more liable to occur in certain types of workplaces. Keeping a basic first-aid kit on hand can be a relief when a small accident happens at your business.
  • Involving Employees in Emergency Preparedness
    10/03/2006
    As a small-business owner, you probably always consider your employees when making plans for your business. You think about questions, such as what to pay, what to charge for services, which health-care plan is best and should we grow? But if a disaster should occur––whether in the form of fire, tornado, chemical accident or dozens of other emergencies––how would you get in touch with your employees, and would they know what to do?
  • Keeping Your Eyes Healthy in Front of the PC Screen
    08/24/2006
    Do your eyes get fatigued, blurry, itchy or sensitive to light when computing? If so, you're not alone. Several studies over the years have shown that one or more of these visual symptoms occurs in 75 to 90 percent of people working at a computer.
  • The (Not So) Great Outdoors: Avoiding Snakes, Insects and Rodents While Working Outside
    08/04/2006
    The scorching heat has been a nuisance––and a danger––this summer but, unfortunately, it's not the only risk faced by those who work outside. Snakes, rodents and insects pose a threat to those in industries whose work puts employees outdoors the majority of the time, including those in construction, landscaping, farming, utility and wildlife industries. It's important for you to educate your employees of these potential hazards, and what they can do to avoid and treat injuries should they occur.
  • Formal Policies to Cover Your Business
    07/10/2006
    Policies are guidelines established to shape and influence behavior to ensure consistency and legality in conducting business and pursuing the goals of your organization. Policies become "formal" when they are committed to writing and published, usually in a manual form. Policies are essentially useless unless formalized. Certainly, "unwritten policies" exist, many of which might be fair and consistently observed; however, unwritten policies have no legal standing, so they are often useless and frequently hazardous. If a particular policy or practice doesn't exist in writing, it can be legally regarded as never existing at all.
  • OSHA's Standard Interpretation Letters
    06/01/2006
    If you have visited the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Web site at www.osha.gov, you know that it includes a number of resources to help small businesses comply with workplace safety and health regulations. These resources range from pocket-sized Quick Cards to comprehensive eTools that provide detailed information on specific industries or workplace safety and health issues.
  • Fighting the Flu: How to Keep Your Office Running in Sickness and in Health
    01/10/2006
    A sick staff infects a small business' bottom line, perhaps disproportionately to large businesses. Most small-business employees handle multiple responsibilities and work in close environments.
  • The Best Way to Save on Business Insurance: Take Measures to Reduce Risks Before Applying
    10/28/2004
    One of the best ways to combat this is to focus on risk management, which reduces potential losses by putting certain procedures into place within a company's operations, or by adding safety factors to a company's premises.
  • Ergonomics Today Promotes Productivity Tomorrow
    09/22/2004
    For some people, the word "ergonomics" brings to mind funny looking handles on cooking utensils or chairs that look more like abstract art in a museum than something you'd actually sit in. But say "ergonomics" to a small-business owner, and he or she just might visualize money flying right out of the cash register.
  • Watch Your Step
    06/08/2004
    It is important to make sure your workplace is a safe one. Remember, accidents can be prevented, but you need to take the necessary precautions to do so. If you haven't inspected your workplace for safety within the last six months, now is the time to do so.
  • Safety Is Smart Business
    06/02/2004
    Safety Is Smart Business! NFIB.com has many resources to help your business be safe. Learn more!
  • Guard Your Ears Against Hearing Loss
    05/25/2004
    Noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace can hinder communication, isolate workers, impact productivity and cause safety issues.
  • Reduce Break-Ins by Increasing On-Site Safety
    11/24/2003
    There are many practical steps to take that can greatly reduce the opportunities for break-ins and other types of theft, thereby making your premises safer for employees and customers.
  • Guarding Against Violence in the Workplace
    11/11/2003
    In recent years the problem of violence in the day-to-day work environment has been a growing concern.
  • Encourage Employees to Be Attentive Drivers
    10/10/2003
    There are many distracted or inattentive drivers on the road. Not only are they a danger to themselves -- they are a danger to you and your employees.
  • Banish Excess Noise in the Office
    09/25/2003
    Office workers whose responsibilities require them to concentrate and focus for extended periods of time may be vulnerable to noise-related stress.
  • Early Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Could Pay Off for Your Business
    08/13/2003
    Anyone who spends a lot of time using a keyboard or performing repetitive actions with their hands is at risk of suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS), a debilitating ailment characterized by pain, numbness and a tingling in the fingers.
  • Best Practices for Promoting Workplace Safety
    06/23/2003
    Establish safety habits from the moment of hiring and take steps to regularly reinforce the importance of staying safe on the job.
  • NFIB Creates Safety CD to Help Small-Business Owners Create Safety Plan
    05/29/2003
    NFIB, the nation's largest small-business advocacy group, has unveiled a software product that will aid business owners in creating safety manuals and training programs customized to their needs.
  • OSHA Programs Can Aid Small Business Workplace Safety
    03/14/2003
    Workplace safety is no laughing matter for small business owners, as injuries on the job can lead not only to lost productivity, but to costly litigation and heavy government fines.
  • Reduce Excess Sound in the Workplace
    11/13/2002
    A survey by the American Society of Interior Designers indicated that nearly 75 percent of all workers believe that their productivity has been compromised by excess noise.
  • Drive Focused, Stay Safe
    10/07/2002
    With hectic schedules and long delays in jam-packed traffic and at blocked intersections, it seems people do everything in their cars except drive.
  • Reducing Your Exposure: Background Checks More Important Than Ever
    05/01/2002
    So how far do you have to go in checking out new employees? How far do you have to go to protect yourself from a lawsuit?
  • Shed Some Light on Your Work
    04/23/2002
    The problems caused by improper lighting include eyestrain, headache, muscle strain, fatigue, stress and poor morale.
  • Protect Your Business by Guarding Valuable Information
    04/09/2002
    Many unsuspecting business owners can find themselves the target of callers who extract valuable information by disguising themselves as curious customers or business associates.
  • Surviving an OSHA Inspection
    03/28/2002
    While inspections by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, can be unnerving, small business owners can take many steps to help themselves before an OSHA inspector ever shows up at their front door.
  • Safety Newsletters Can Prevent Accidents and Save You Money
    03/28/2002
    Today's Workshop explains how to produce newsletters that focus on safety issues directly related to your operation.
  • Avoiding the 10 Most Common Safety Standard Violations
    03/28/2002
    Today's Workshop discusses the top ten most commonly violated workplace safety standards.
  • Employee Safety Checklist
    03/28/2002
    Today's Workshop describes some safety measures to make your business and employees more secure.

  • Preventing Workplace Violence
    03/28/2002
    "It couldn't happen in this company," is a naive statement when the topic is workplace violence.
  • Feng Shui at Work
    03/12/2002
    It may not be your job that causes you to dread going to work each day. The problem may be bad Feng Shui!
  • Eliminate Neck and Back Pain
    03/12/2002
    If you work at a computer, or have extensive deskwork of any kind, the chances are pretty good that at the end of the day you have some stiffness or pain in your neck and/or back.
  • Ergonomics in the Workplace
    03/12/2002
    Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between people and their work with the goal of designing job tasks, work stations, tools and equipment to fit the physical capabilities of people.
  • Take a Seat!
    03/12/2002
    For the thousands of office workers who spend 80 percent of the day sitting down, few things are more important for their health and well being than the quality of their office chair.
  • Is There Too Much Noise in Your Office?
    03/12/2002
    A study by the American Society of Interior Designers showed that office productivity would increase if work spaces were less noisy.
  • Secure Your Business by Securing Your Networks
    03/12/2002
    Imagine what a coordinated cyberattack could do to a business community utterly dependent on the Internet and computer networks.