Have you been turned down for a checking account or credit card? Do you prefer hard checks because you don't want to pay a checking account fee? If your answer is yes, consider signing up for the RMI Genpass PayCard to save yourself some time, money, and hassle.

The RMI Genpass PayCard is a MasterCard debit card that safely stores your money until you are ready to use it. You can withdraw your money from any ATM or use your PayCard to make purchases wherever MasterCard is accepted. Your PayCard allows you to:

• Shop over the Internet;
• Use your card to get cash at virtually any ATM in the U.S. and around the world;
• Enjoy the added benefit of surcharge-free withdrawals at any MoneyPass ATM. To see where a MoneyPass ATM is located near you, go to http://www.moneypass.com/moneypass/search.cfm and search by zip code or address.

There is no charge to get a PayCard. Using your PayCard to make a purchase or to get cash back from the merchant is free. Using the Internet to check balances or statements is free. RMI sends your pay directly to your PayCard every payday, so there is no need to make a special trip to pick up your paycheck or to wait in a long check cashing line.

If you currently receive hard checks, you run the risk of carrying around cash and losing it. If your PayCard is lost, it can easily be replaced and it's value restored. Your PayCard is issued by US Bank, an FDIC insured financial institution. If you've been turned down for a checking account, use a PayCard instead, as your money is just as safe.

To learn more about the RMI Genpass PayCard or to fill out an enrollment form, go to www.rminc.com. Click on the Employee Resource Center and enter the following:

• Username: EEresource
• Password: RMI2002
• Click on "RMI Payroll Cards"

The enrollment packet will instruct you to send your completed enrollment form to the RMI Payroll Department. Your PayCard usually arrives 7 to 10 business days after you've submitted your enrollment form. RMI will not start depositing your payroll checks onto your card until you call the RMI Payroll Department and confirm you've received and activated your card. For more information, contact your RMI Payroll Manager.

You only have until March 31, 2010 to submit all receipts for the 2009 Flexible Spending Account Plan year. All expenses must have been incurred during 2009. You can obtain a claim form from our website at www.rminc.com. Claim forms should be faxed, mailed or e-mailed directly to National Benefit Services. Their contact information is located at the bottom of the claim form.

Employees can now log on to their 125(c) account on National Benefit’s website (www.nbsbenefits.com) and submit their 2009 and 2010 claims electronically. Please be sure to have a PDF copy of your IRS–approved receipt that you can attach. There is no need to submit any paper copies to NBS, as everything can be done on-line.

If you need assistance in submitting your 2009 receipts, please contact RMI’s Benefits Department at (801) 355-0200 or (888) 764-0200.

Good tires are an important part of vehicle safety. Tires that are defective, mismatched or incorrectly inflated can all contribute to poor vehicle handling and traffic accidents. Whether you are driving the company’s big cube van or your own passenger car, be aware of the state of the tires.

Correct size and type are important. Use the tires recommended by the manufacturer for your vehicle. Do not mix different tire sizes on the same axle.

Inspect your tires regularly (at least monthly for a personal vehicle) and also before a long drive. Look for signs of cuts, damage, bulges, uneven or excessive wear. Remove foreign objects embedded in the tread such as glass, metal, stones or wood fragments. Make sure all tire valves have valve caps, and all wheel lugs are secure.

Tires lose air over time even if they are not damaged, so check the tire pressure at least monthly and before a long haul. Include the spare in this check. You’ll find the manufacturer’s recommendations about tire pressure in the owner’s manual of your vehicle and on a placard attached somewhere around the door or glove box. Use a good tire gauge and test the tires when they have been unused for several hours. If the pressure is too high, slowly release it until the desired pressure is reached, or fill the tire and test again. Test more frequently in cold weather when pressure is reduced.

Do not over-inflate or under-inflate. Both cause damage to the tires and difficulty handling the vehicle. One study found one in four passenger cars and one in three trucks were being driven with at least one tire significantly under-inflated.

Driving with wheels out of alignment makes the vehicle difficult to handle and causes uneven wear on tires. Have the alignment checked at regular intervals. Driving over potholes and hitting curbs can throw wheels out of alignment. Don’t overload the vehicle; keep within the manufacturer’s recommended maximum load. Be aware that towing a trailer will add to the load on the vehicle and the tires.

Rotate tires on the schedule recommended by the manufacturer, usually at about 6,000 miles (9,000 kilometers). This will help keep the tread wear distributed evenly.

Flat tires are relatively rare, particularly if drivers avoid running over roadway debris. You still need to be prepared to handle a flat tire or a blowout (a quick loss of tire pressure caused by a large hole).

If you think a tire has gone flat while you are driving, don’t overreact. Do not slam on the brakes or turn sharply. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator and slow down gradually. Keep a firm grip on the wheel. When you see a safe place to stop, pull over gradually and park away from traffic. With good planning, you will have a cellular phone to call an auto club or co-worker for help. If you have to get out to change the tire, be wary of security and traffic hazards. Use the tire jack according to manufacturer’s instructions, and secure the vehicle from rolling before tackling the flattened tire.

For more information or training on Safe Driving, please contact your RMI HR Representative.

Because portable ladders are so commonly used, both at work and at home, many assume that everyone is familiar with them and know how to use them properly. That's a bad assumption. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), improper use of portable ladders is a major source of injury both on and off the job. Adding insult to injury, improper use of portable ladders can also lead to OSHA citations under the Portable Wood Ladders and Portable Metal Ladders Standards.

Here are five safety tips to help you protect yourself against injuries and your site against OSHA citations:

Tip 1: Block, Lock or Guard Ladders Used in Doorways or Passageways

Make sure that portable ladders used in doorways and hallways where passers-by pass by are secured or barricaded to prevent accidental movement or jostling. Even the slightest ladder movement can cause an employee on a ladder to lose balance. In high-traffic areas, set up cones or some other visible barricade when a portable ladder is in use.

Tip 2: Keep Reaching Distance Short

Overreaching is a common cause of portable ladder accidents. In addition to loss of balance, overreaching can cause muscle strains. To avoid injuries, employees should minimize the distance between themselves and the area they're trying to reach while standing on a ladder to no more than an arm's length. It is important to select a ladder that's the appropriate height for the job. If work is to be performed above a drop ceiling, consider the height of the work, not the ceiling. The top of a ladder used to gain access to a roof should extend at least three feet above the point of support.

Tip 3: Keep at Least One Hand Free to Hold On

Keep at least one hand free when climbing a ladder so you can grasp the ladder to maintain balance or keep yourself from tipping backward.

Tip 4: Put Ladder on Dry and Even Surfaces

Make sure that the portable ladder rests on a surface that's both dry and flat before work begins. Wet surfaces may cause the ladder to slip, particularly when a load is added to it. An uneven surface can cause sudden and unexpected shifts in weight. Use a wide platform that's securely in place to level the surface. This will prevent the ladder from shifting off the leveling material, or the material from falling over.

Tip 5: Remove Broken Ladders from Service Immediately

Immediately throw out or remove broken ladders and don't use them unless and until they've been repaired. Common defects to look out for include problems with the locking device and cracks in the rungs. When a ladder needs repairs, clearly mark it as being out of service so no one can unwittingly use it.

By following these tips, you can avoid the most common ladder accidents. For additional ladder safety information, please contact your RMI HR Representative.