March 16, 2010

Don't let spring
temps slip you up

Spring is in the air, but ice is still under foot. And slip and fall injuries are prevalent.

Over the past few years, SFM has seen an uptick in slip and fall claims in March and April due to ice and snowmelt. Keep your focus on preventing outdoor slips and falls even as the weather gets warmer.

Parking lots, sidewalks, loading docks, areas around dumpsters, roof drain discharges, water flow paths, and surfaces where water accumulates can become slippery this time of year with melting and refreezing.

Now is NOT the time to relax on slip and fall prevention.

• Evaluate entrances, sidewalks and water run-off areas prone to ice formation. Keep an adequate supply of sand and salt at all entrances and apply when needed.
• Revisit wet areas later in the day to apply sand and salt where ice forms.
• Use barricades to divert faculty and student traffic from icy areas.
• Look for heaved sidewalks where trapped moisture froze and lifted the surface, causing a tripping hazard. Use barricades to warn people.
• Use SFM's slip and fall audit form to guide you through monthly inspections. Fix the hazards as soon possible. Note where additional action is needed in spring or summer to avoid snow- and ice-related issues next winter.
• Continue to use SFM's "penguin" series. Hang posters, place table tents in break rooms, and use paycheck stuffers to heighten employee awareness.
• Remind employees of the risks of spring melting. Conduct another safety talk on wintertime slips and falls.

Don't let spring fever sneak up on your faculty. Do what you can to make employees aware of the hazards and prevent slip and fall injuries this spring.

Talk to...

A workers' compensation attorney

An occupational medicine physician

Your claims representative is your primary contact at SFM. SFM's in-house attorneys and doctors are also available to you as a policyholder. Feel free to ask them your work comp-related questions.

SFM's in-house attorneys and physicians

Advice from SFM's

10 for '10
Punch up your wellness program with these activities

Your leaders are committed to encouraging healthier lifestyles for employees. So the foundation is laid for your organization's wellness program. Now it's time to get your employees participating in activities and education that will help them lead healthier lives and spend less on healthcare.

No matter if you're just beginning a wellness program or you've had one in place for a few years, you can be effective with low-cost activities and education like regular stretching breaks and brown-bag seminars over the lunch hour.

Read more...