October 14, 2010

Don't let the mild temps slip you up;
be prepared for winter slips and falls

"Slipped on ice. Fell to ground. Bruised knee." Or "Fell on ice. Sprained right shoulder." Or even worse, "Fell on ice. Hit head. Suffered concussion." Unless you take the necessary steps, you may see incident reports like these over the coming weeks as the weather changes.

Winter slip and fall injuries are surprisingly common. Some of these injuries may have been prevented simply by clearing and salting the sidewalk. Others by making these staffers aware of the hazards involved with the changing weather conditions such as: the importance of proper footwear, and safe technique and pace for walking on snow and ice.

Many slip and fall injuries carry financial costs for the employer and physical costs for the employee. It serves as a warning of how important it is to ensure your facility and grounds are maintained and your employees are in the know.

Take precautions. Don't get caught by surprise.

• Have your maintenance staff do an audit of your facility and grounds to identify problem areas.
• Monitor the weather and changing conditions. Act accordingly.
• Keep adequate supplies of snow and ice removal tools in accessible areas.
• Shovel and apply sand and salt as necessary to keep walking areas clean and dry.
• Provide good lighting and clear path markings in parking lots and walkways.
• Clearly identify steps, ramps and other elevation changes that might not be visible in snowy conditions.
• Place high quality, beveled edge mats in walking areas subject to water or snow accumulation.
• Change mats regularly to ensure those in place are dry.
• Raise awareness of the hazards with employees. Use SFM's Penguin Series of materials to help generate awareness and promote safe behaviors.

Contact your SFM loss prevention representative with questions or for assistance with audits and training.

Advice from SFM's

Medical costs
Work injuries present special issues.
How SFM addresses them. What you can do.

With workplace injuries, you as an employer have special opportunities to help control medical costs.

So does SFM, your workers' compensation insurer.

SFM addresses them with expert cost-control systems and superlative results.

How about you, the employer: Are you taking advantage of your opportunities, these critical points where your action makes a difference?

Learn more about how you can make a difference in controlling medical costs.

Hazard Alert

Wrong position + long time = ERGONOMIC INJURY

Jobs that require extensive computer use and other repetitive tasks can result in injury if not proactively managed.

Contact your SFM loss prevention representative for assistance.

Register today
for SFM's School Seminar, Nov. 2

In these slow economic times, schools are faced with sobering changes. Budget deficits are forcing many districts to rethink how they conduct day-to-day business. Among these considerations should be how to best manage workers' compensation costs.

SFM's experts will show you the best practices for avoiding the most costly claims and litigation. Learn to recognize trigger points in the claims medical process that can drive up costs and the red flags to watch for. Discover tips for preventing injuries while creating a positive culture among your staff and more.

Who should attend?
Anyone dealing with workers' compensation issues within your district.

Date and time
Tuesday, Nov. 2
9 a.m.-Noon

Location
SFM headquarters
6th floor Training Room
3500 American Blvd. W, Bloomington, MN 55431