Our PCOC Leg Day is fast approaching: March 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacramento. If you haven't already registered, please do so as soon as possible. Go to the "Events" section of PCOC.org. Once you've registered, you need to set up an appointment with you legislator. I wrote about some tips for doing this last month. I would now like to address some things you may not have thought about during your legislative meeting:

Be thoughtful. Commend the right things your legislator does. Start on the right note!

Be reasonable. Recognize that there are legitimate differences of opinion when discussing our pest control legislative agenda.

Be accurate and factual. Make sure you have the necessary information from our talking points. These will be electronically sent to all registered attendees.

Don't demand anything. There is always the future. Your legislator may be against us on one issue but support us on another.

Don't be a busybody. Legislators don't like to be pestered, scolded or preached to.

Invite your legislator. Invite your legislator to visit your business. Invite them to speak to your district. Tell them you will keep in touch with them throughout the year.

Use talking points. We are preparing talking points on PCOC's Legislative Agenda. You will receive them electronically IF you are a registered attendee. This is invaluable information. We are also preparing a packet for each legislator for you or your group, to leave behind.

That's about it. Most importantly, ENJOY yourself! Know that you are performing one of the most basic right in our democratic society. I look forward to seeing you in Sacramento!

The 2015-2016 Session of the California Legislature has just begun. Bills are currently being introduced. PCOC's Legislative Agenda is being formulated.

Welcome to a new section of Newsbriefs! Here, we will give news from our members: new hires, retirements, etc. If you have some news you would like to share, please send a short sentence or two to breann@pcoc.org.

Click here for more details.

After an accident occurs, your first priority should be to get appropriate treatment for the injured worker. After that, you will want to take steps to prevent additional accidents from occurring. However, like at a crime scene, you'll want to make sure you don't disturb any evidence of what could have led to the accident before you have time to investigate.

What does a successful investigation uncover?

• direct cause of injury or accident

• peripheral and interrelated causes or results of the incident

• ways to promote safety and safe work methods

• ways to prevent similar incidents

• indirect and direct costs of the incident on wages, retraining, time lost, reduced production, etc.

To discover these facts requires a prompt and thorough investigation. Interview witnesses, other workers performing similar jobs or using the same equipment — what were the direct causes of the accident? What were the indirect causes? What is the history of mishaps or near-misses in that area or among users of similar equipment? Let witnesses use their own words and repeat their stories back to them to ensure understanding.

What Details Will You Need?

The information you'll need includes: was the employee performing his or her regular job when the injury occurred? Was he or she involved in maintenance, repair or an infrequent task? Was he or she helping another worker (or vice versa) when the accident happened? Was the employee properly trained to perform the job and operate the equipment? Was he or she doing the job correctly? What were other workers doing at the time? Were "human" factors involved in the incident, such as fatigue, overtime, stress? What do the injured worker and his or her co-workers think about the "safety culture" in the workplace and management's commitment to it?

What Makes a Successful Investigator?

Successful interviewing requires a calm, sympathetic, systematic approach. Injured workers and their co-workers may be very emotional about the event or unclear about what actually happened. Showing a caring attitude and permitting traumatized or other affected workers to "clear the air" can also help the information-gathering process. Investigators can build trust and obtain more accurate information when they're straightforward about their role and their expectations.

NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP

LOGIN: 313501

PASSWORD: PCOC

Department of Fish & Game
www.dfg.ca.gov

For an additional charge, you may access a 24-hour hotline providing consultation by qualified medical doctors on pesticide-related medical emergencies. This service is provided free of charge to Peacock Group insureds.