Northwestern Lumber Association and Mid-America Lumbermens Association are now BLD Connection. Material Matters is our monthly newsletter. Its focus is on valuable industry news and important member updates. Watch for Material Matters in your inbox the first Monday of each month. |
Young Workers' Injuries Rise After Recreational Marijuana Sales Made Legal NLBMDA |
According to a study published in JAMA Health Forum, on-the-job injuries among younger workers aged 20 to 34 increased 10% after states legalized marijuana for recreational use. Prior research showed that older workers' injury rates declined after state's legalized marijuana for recreational use, which researchers say could be because they are using it to ease pain. Researchers suggest that the rise in injuries among younger workers could be related to diminished cognitive function or because it is a "gateway to harder drugs." When the data focused on adults solely engaged in full-time work, the researchers observed an 11.9% rise in injuries among younger workers.
Source: NLBMDA's Safety First Newsletter |
Join the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction |
A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on "Fall Hazards" and reinforcing the importance of "Fall Prevention". Employers of companies not exposed to fall hazards, can also use this opportunity to have a conversation with employees about the other job hazards they face, protective methods, and the company's safety policies and goals. |
A Financial Boost for Small Businesses in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
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In November, 2023, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced grant recipients for its Small Business Support Hub program. The Lake Superior Community Partnership in the Upper Peninsula was among the grant recipients.
“The Upper Peninsula is a great place to live, raise a family, and work,” said state Senator Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township). “These funds will help to make sure opportunities to work remain available. Our small businesses remain the foundation of our economy, and the MEDC support shows a commitment to fostering those opportunities. Ensuring future generations have the chance to remain here is great for the U.P. and the state of Michigan.” |
2024 ProDealer Industry Summit October 8-11, 2024 - Savannah, Georgia |
NLBMDA and its conference media partner HBSDealer are excited to once again host the 2024 ProDealer Industry Summit. The ProDealer Industry Summit is an exclusive, live educational forum designed to promote the growth of lumber & building product dealers, distributors, wholesalers, and the manufacturers who supply them. LBM dealers will benefit from sharing insights and best practices from industry leaders. |
When All Else Fails, Default to Action! Jeff Beals, Speaker, Author, Sales Consultant |
I met with a friend this week, who told me about a saying one company uses to keep people focused on success: “Default to action.”
Do you ever find yourself paralyzed with indecision? Sometimes we get so busy that we don’t know what to do first. “Default to action” tells us to at least do something. Getting started with something right now is better than fretting about what to do first (because that just leads to procrastination and no progress). |
Protecting Your Equipment With Preventative Maintenance Federated Insurance
With inflation costs continuing to rise, preventative maintenance for your equipment and machinery is essential. Staying on top of regularly scheduled maintenance and having trained people available to make repairs is essential for many businesses to maintain daily standards of operation. |
How Hackers Can Infiltrate Your Systems Veracity Technology
While technology empowers us in many ways, it also opens up vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. When breaching your systems, hackers will typically look for the path of least resistance, which is often through these common entry points. |
Keeping Employees Motivated From Federated Insurance |
Question I’ve noticed that around this time of the year, employees start to become less motivated and productive. I think at least part of it has to do with their spending a lot of time discussing nonwork items, such as the Super Bowl and “March Madness.” Aside from disciplining employees for wasting too much time talking about nonwork matters, what are positive solutions I can use to keep employees motivated? |
Join Us as an Editorial Contributor |
We are committed to being a resource of invaluable business and industry insights for our BLD Connection community. We continue to look for content for both our printed magazine, BLD Connection Magazine, and this monthly newsletter, Material Matters.
If you've got an article or blog post that you think could bring value to our community, we'd love to feature it in our printed, bi-monthly magazine, BLD Connection Magazine or this monthly e-newsletter, Material Matters. We're interested in a wide range of topics, from practical business advice to personal anecdotes about navigating the entrepreneurial journey. Share your wisdom on anything from operational excellence to family business resources, and everything in between.
Every Editorial Contributor will be denoted in the issue they contribute to, along with your business name and contact information.
Ready to share your story? Send an email with your content to BLD Connection Magazine Editor Tim Dressen at tim@bldconnection.org and Director of Communications Melanie Hultman at melanie@bldconnection.org. |
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