Lockout/Tagout This one takes us outside the specific standards to prevent falls, but still results in serious injuries and its 2,606 violations in the last reporting period makes it number 4 on the OSHA top ten list.. The standard applies to the control of energy during servicing and/or maintenance of machines and equipment. The quickest citation is one for the failure to even establish an energy control procedure under 29 CFR 1910.147. An energy Control program is defined as: The employer shall establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a ... Continue Reading
Partner Joe Chancey Provides Do’s and Don’ts of Talking Politics in AJC Editorial
On Sunday October 13th, the AJC published an article by our managing partner, Joe Chancey, discussing appropriate ways to engage in political conversations at work. Due to the current political environment, the ongoing debate on presidential impeachment, and the upcoming 2020 presidential election, the topic of politics can be difficult to avoid. In the editorial article, Joe proposes several “do’s and don’ts” on how to manage political discussions or disagreements at work. Read the Article Joseph has been practicing for over 30 years and focuses in the areas of commercial and employment law. He has effectively defended cases that run the gamut of employment laws, ... Continue Reading
Partner Mike Bagley received the Workers’ Compensation Law Section Distinguished Service Award
On Thursday, October 3, 2019 at the annual Workers’ Compensation Law Institute, the Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia presented H. Michael Bagley with the Workers’ Compensation Law Section Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to members of the bench and bar in Georgia who have made outstanding contributions to the practice and development of workers’ compensation law. Prior recipients of the Award from the firm include John A. Ferguson (2016) and Charles L. Drew (2000, the inaugural award). A 1980 graduate of UGA Law School, Mike has practiced law for 40 years (first working ... Continue Reading
Meredith Riggs Guerrero presented on Employment Law at the Georgia Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
On October 8th, Attorney Meredith Guerrero gave a presentation on Employment Law at the GHCC. She introduced the best practices for dealing with employees and went in depth about immigration authorization issues, payroll best practices, and legally compliant policies and procedures. Meredith serves on the Board of Directors for the GHCC and graduated in the 2018 class of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Cultivating Hispanic Leadership Institute. ... Continue Reading
OSHA Top Ten Violations: Number Three
The third most cited standard by OSHA is the General Requirements for Scaffolding in construction. 29 CFR 1926.451 and can lead to falls. Note that fall issues represent a large portion of the top citations. Remember this is not the standard for aerial lifts. That standard is 1926.453. Scaffolding requires design by a qualified person and must follow the design. Always check you load requirements regarding scaffold weight, loads, counterweights, and suspension ropes. Check for tipping moments and forces that can cause scaffolds to tip. Common problems cited include improper decking, lack of guardrails and inadequate supports including footings and base ... Continue Reading
Director of Marketing and BD Christy Walsh Wins LMASE Your Honor Award
Christy Walsh, Director of Marketing & BD, won a "Your Honor Award" at the Legal Marketing Association Southeastern Conference on September 25th, 2019. This award recognizes the Firm's Path2Partnership (P2P) program and the collaborative effort made by the our management team and various committees in order to design and implement the program.Christy Walsh, Director of Marketing & BD, won a “Your Honor Award” at the Legal Marketing Association Southeastern Conference on September 25th, 2019. This award recognizes the Firm’s Path2Partnership (P2P) program and the collaborative effort made by the our management team and various committees in order to design and implement ... Continue Reading
Attorneys Jennifer Parrott, Melody Kiella, and Whitney Greene Present at Women in Trucking Accelerate! Conference
Drew Eckl & Farnham was very well represented as an Emerald sponsor at the More. There were over 1,100 attendees, making it Women in Trucking's largest conference to date. Three of our attorneys Jennifer Parrott, Melody Kiella, and Whitney Greene had the opportunity to present on a panel with Lisa Johnson, who serves as the Legal and Regulatory Compliance Specialist at Southeastern Freight Lines. Their presentation centered around tips, advice, and success stories pertaining to females in a male-dominated industry. ... Continue Reading
Attorney Juliana Neelbauer Mentors at The Farm’s Mentor Night
Attorney Juliana Neelbauer participated as a mentor at September’s Mentor Night at The Farm. At this event, Juliana helped introduce the companies in The Farm’s Fall 2019 cohort to their network. ... Continue Reading
Partner Jeff Ward Announced as President-Elect for the GDLA
The Georgia Defense Lawyer’s Association held their 52nd Annual Meeting at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Florida. DEF partners Karen Karabinos, Hall McKinley, and Jeff Ward were all in attendance. At the meeting, Jeff Ward was named the president-elect for the 2019-2020 term. See More For nearly 17 years, Jeff Ward has practiced as a trial lawyer in Georgia. He has successfully tried cases to jury verdict in both state and federal court and regularly provides guidance and counsel to a variety of clients. His civil litigation experience encompasses pre-lawsuit consultation, trial practice and the appeals process. With this experience, he is able to advise his clients on the best ... Continue Reading
Karen Karabinos named DRI Women in the Law Committee’s September 2019 “WITL Champion”
The DRI Women in the Law Committee featured Karen Karabinos as the September 2019 "WITL Champion". Karen, who is heavily involved in a number of committees both within DEF and outside of the firm, holds several leadership positions and utilizes these positions to help others. In this interview, Karen explains why she takes time from her legal career to contribute in various programs to support woman attorneys advancing in their careers and accomplishing their goals. "These roles have made me very visible in the firm and provide me with the unique opportunity to champion women by mentoring, marketing, advancing and planning the future for women attorneys in our firm. I am also vocal ... Continue Reading