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As a longtime top official in the N.C. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division, Thomas “Tom” Hayes frequently conducted random inspections to help ensure workplace safety among the state’s employers.
Now that Hayes has joined TriSure as Safety and Health Consultant, he will conduct similar work to achieve a similar objective: To help TriSure clients identify and, ultimately, reduce their workers’ compensation and property and casualty insurance liability costs.
TriSure is one of the largest independently owned insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the region.
“Tom is among the best known and most highly regarded OSHA experts in North Carolina, so we feel incredibly fortunate that we can offer our clients direct access to someone with his skills, expertise and reputation,” said John Cramer, CEO. “Not only will Tom offer valuable consultative services to our clients, but his presence on the TriSure team represents a true differentiator for our firm since competitors outsource similar services.”
Some of the workplace safety consultative services TriSure now offers clients include:
• Needs assessments and program development. In a formal report, Hayes will identify workplace regulations applying to specific employers, and then develop and help implement safety and training programs that allow them to comply with or excel those standards.
• OSHA inspections and audits. Hayes will conduct realistic and comprehensive OSHA audits and inspections to critically evaluate all areas of concern – from housekeeping to record keeping to program development and training.
• Accident and near-accident investigations. Hayes will conduct cause-based analyses of reported accidents and near accidents. Because OSHA also will investigate such events, Cramer said, it is crucial that a company has an expert-drawn conclusion of fault and cause that is comprehensive and well organized since it may serve as a counter defense.
• Site-specific situation evaluation and advice. Hayes will offer expert situational analyses of conditions for which companies have no internal guidance. “Our clients want direction on anticipating and eliminating problems before they arise,” Cramer said. “They want to know ‘what works’ and other best practices, and with Tom’s expertise, we can help them do that.”
• Support during OSHA compliance inspections, informal conferences and contested cases. Hayes will serve as a company’s agent during the conduct of OSHA compliance inspections and investigations. He also will serve as agent during the critical legal environment of informal conferences and contested cases.
In addition to the above services, Hayes will provide TriSure clients with layman explanations of OSHA standards.
“Tom will take a great deal of the ‘mystery’ out of OSHA interaction or accountability for our clients,” Cramer said. “We feel confident that having him on our TriSure team will help our clients reduce their risks of safety or health accidents, which, in turn, will lower their workers’ compensation and property and casualty insurance costs. We are delighted that he’s joined us and can’t wait to get him out in the field.”
Prior to joining TriSure, Hayes served for 10 years as bureau chief of compliance within the N.C. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division’s Eastern region, and in other capacities within the division since 1986. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Hayes earned his bachelor’s degree from N.C. State University.
TriSure consults with the area’s leading businesses to help them successfully manage property and casualty insurance risks and provide comprehensive benefits to their employees. TriSure offers a premium level of service and experience to clients who deserve the highest quality insurance products delivered with impeccable professionalism.
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