It is understandable if you bade an enthusiastic farewell to 2015. International markets whipped up and down, ISIS’ terrorism campaign extended well beyond the Levant, South China Sea tensions escalated, and, of course, a historic refugee crisis consumed Europe (and the attention of much of the West). Oh, and 2015 was by far the warmest year on record.

The political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, headed by noted scholar and author Ian Bremmer, has weighed in on the risk outlook for 2016 and it isn’t pretty. In a nutshell, all of the problems of the past couple of years “will get worse.” The strategically critical countries of Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are all on a path of decreasing stability or increased international belligerence (or both), and this development is exacerbated by a U.S.- Western Europe alliance that is shrinking away from messy international situations.

As if this wasn’t enough for risk professionals, the Zika virus has added a potentially serious new dimension to operations risk in 2016 (and beyond). Heretofore isolated in sub-Saharan Africa with limited impact on human populations, the mosquito-borne Zika has broken out in a big way after showing up in South America last year. The infection causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache. It has now been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America and has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains. More information on Zika is available from the World Health Organization.

No treatment or vaccine is available.

For a long time a Zika infection wasn’t considered that serious—unlike Ebola, it is rarely fatal and symptoms usually clear up in a week or so. But as you’ve probably heard, the real scare is the effect it can have on unborn fetuses. There is mounting evidence that babies whose mothers are infected have a much greater risk of having severely underdeveloped brains (microcephaly). Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica have advised women to delay pregnancy until the virus is more understood.

Combined with the WHO’s Jan. 25 declaration that Zika will almost certainly spread to all of the Americas, we have a significant public health situation on our hands.

The U.S. government has classified Zika as a “level 2” threat, which means it is recommended that travelers practice enhanced precautions when going to Zika-infected areas. If the link between Zika and microcephaly is confirmed, the threat level could escalate.

Zika poses an interesting quandary for organizations with large numbers of internationally traveling staff. What cautions should be taken when sending employees to Central and South America and other areas threatened by Zika? Should travel there be avoided, or should organizations simply put more effort into educating people? And as there is a potentially elevated risk for pregnant or potentially pregnant female staff, how should that disparity be handled?

An Ebola outbreak is simpler to deal with, owing to the grave danger that disease poses—it’s clear that an organization should prevent travel to places where Ebola is a threat. Zika, however, has the tricky quality of probably being not that serious to most people, but incredibly serious for some. RIMS will be monitoring the situation closely; stay tuned for more explorations of the topic in the coming weeks and months.

Each year during the holiday season, hospital emergency rooms in the United States treat about 10,800 people for injuries such as falls, cuts and shocks related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees. There are also 11,000 candle-related fires each year resulting in 150 deaths and 1,200 injuries. Christmas trees are involved in about 600 fires annually, resulting in 50 deaths, 180 injuries and more than $15 million in property loss and damage, according to the Denver Fire Department.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFP) noted that overall, the leading causes of fires in office properties are the result of:

The Denver Fire Department urges businesses and citizens to keep the holiday safe from fires. “Decorative lights, combustible decorations, candles, special cooking, home decorating, parties where people drink and smoke and, most of all, the onset of the heating appliance season, all increase the likelihood of a fire,” the department said.

It also urged extra caution when using portable space heaters. According to the NFP, there have been more than 60,000 fires caused by space heaters since 1998. Here are some safety recommendations:

Space heater safety

• Keep kerosene and electric heaters away from curtains and wall coverings.
• Keep children away from all heaters.
• Never use gasoline in a kerosene heater.
• Make sure your heater is clean and that it carries an F.M. or U.L. listing.
• Always consult the owner’s manual before using any portable heaters.
• Never leave heaters unattended.

When decorating

• Use only U.L.-approved lights.
• Never use more than three strands linked together.
• Inspect electric lights for broken or cracked sockets and frayed wires and replace if necessary. Do not use indoor lights outdoors or vice versa.
• Do not overload extension cords, and do not connect more than three sets of lights to one cord. Outlets should be readily accessible for quick disconnection if necessary.
• Never use lighted candles near a tree or other decorations.
• All lights should be securely fastened to the tree.
• No bulbs should come into contact with needles or branches.
• Turn off all holiday lights when you leave.
• Avoid use of extension cords.
• Never run an electrical cord under carpeting.
• Use miniature lights, which have cool-burning bulbs.
• Never use candles, even on artificial trees.
• Avoid placing small or breakable ornaments on lower branches where children or pets can knock them off. Every year many children are treated for cuts from broken ornaments, or from swallowing broken pieces and small parts.

Interstate Restoration recommendations:

Maintain a safe Christmas tree

• Assign someone to water live Christmas trees daily and monitor them for signs of drying.
• Place trees at least several feet from heat sources that could contribute to drying or potentially ignite them.
• Consider low-voltage lights and decorations.
• When needles start dropping, remove and recycle the tree.

Remember the off switch
If any portable space heaters are in use, plug them directly into a wall outlet and ask people to always turn off space heaters when they leave a room unattended and especially when they leave for the night or weekend.

When you think of safety culture, what comes to mind? Perhaps it is visions of hallway walls plastered with safety advisories, or the common “Safety First” banner that is hung high over the manufacturing or production floor. While these visual aids might make an organization appear safety-oriented, they are often not enough to build a true culture of safety.

Safety culture is defined by the shared beliefs, attitudes and practices that determine the performance of an organization’s safety and health management. As it turns out, every organization has a safety culture—whether it is good or bad, healthy or weak.

Even employers with the best intentions may say they value safety in the workplace, but are unable to provide the proper resources, training and communication needed to fully engage their employees to become involved.

In turn, when employers do not engage workers in the process of building a safe culture, employees may not be able to recognize an unsafe work environment or feel comfortable speaking to their managers about existing safety risks.

It’s no question that workplace safety should be a top priority, but organizations need to keep in mind that they will see the greatest success when everyone in the workforce is driving the commitment.

Here are four steps organizations can take to ensure a strong safety culture:

Lead by example
When managers show a visible commitment to safety, the workforce will follow suit. Managers should educate themselves on all organizational safety policies and ensure employees do the same. Holding everyone, including management, accountable for following all safety policies and procedures is essential to promoting a safe work environment, in addition to ensuring that backup plans are in place if safety concerns arise.

Establish trust between employees and management
If trust between employees and management does not exist, a successful safety culture cannot exist either. Managers can strengthen communication lines by establishing an open door policy that encourages employees to voice their opinions about safety concerns.

In turn, employees can hold their managers accountable for safety protocols. By making safety communication a two-way dialogue, managers and employees can foster a respectful working environment with improved morale and increased productivity.

Hire employees with an eye for safety
A safety-minded workforce with a keen understanding for safety protocols helps curb potential hazards before they occur, allowing employees to take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Hiring managers should ensure new hires become familiar with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. Developing interactive and engaging training sessions to guide new hire learning is also helpful.

Encourage company-wide participation
Managers should not be the only ones leading the workforce toward a strong safety culture. They can involve employees by listening to their input and including them in order to determine safety solutions. Also consider establishing a safety committee that gives employees the opportunity to showcase their leadership and knowledge of safety procedures, and provide rewards and recognition for employees to go above and beyond. It is far easier to envision a healthy safety culture when the entire workforce is committed to success.

Here are a few recent articles that highlight issues impacting the world of risk and insurance. Topics include a large merger, a DOJ and SEC settlement for Analogic, cost-cutting at AIG, insurance fraud and an FBI sting leading to bribery charges and arrest.

Towers Watson and Willis Shareholders Approve $8.9 Billion Merger Deal

Insurance Journal: Towers Watson & Co. won approval from its shareholders for an $8.9 billion merger with insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Plc, overcoming opposition from proxy advisers. Willis shareholders also supported the combination.

Analogic: DOJ and SEC Want $15 million for FCPA Settlement

FCPA Blog: Analogic Corporation said in a securities filing Wednesday the SEC and DOJ made separate settlement proposals to end an ongoing FCPA investigation that would include total payments of about $15 million.

Commercial Insurance Boss and CFO to Leave AIG in Exec Shake-up

Commercial Risk Europe: Four of AIG’s executive team, including its head of commercial insurance and chief financial officer (CFO), will leave the company as part of a shake-up to cut costs, boost profits and simplify operations.

Businessman Gets 37 Years for $100 million Insurance Premium Fraud

Associated Press: A businessman who prosecutors say stole more than $100 million in insurance premiums to live a life of luxury has been sentenced to 37 years in prison.

FBI Sting Leads to Arrest on Charges of Bribery in Military Contracting

Sacramento Bee: A Romanian national has been charged in Sacramento federal court with bribing an Air Force officer to obtain a $10.35 million military contract.