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Keep test scores up
and teachers on their feet
If teachers aren't teaching, students aren't learning. Keeping teachers on their feet and off the parking lot is critical this winter. Slip-and-fall injuries impact the entire district.
Ensure your facility and grounds are maintained and your employees are in the know. Take precautions.
Plan ahead.
- 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.
Do it right.
- 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 walk-off mats in walking areas subject to water or snow accumulation.
- Change mats regularly to ensure those in place are dry.
Inform employees.
- 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.
Defensive driving tips for bus drivers
Defensive driving, especially in the winter months, is critical in keeping students, your drivers and others on the road safe.
Drive defensively in winter:
- Remain calm and focused on the road.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full.
- Slow down and increase following distance.
- Avoid sudden stops and starts.
- Beware of black ice—roads that look wet, but are actually frozen.
- Use extra caution on bridges and ramps.
- Carry a cell phone. BUT, no talking or texting while driving.
- Do not use cruise control while driving on snow-covered roads.
- State law requires you to turn on your headlights when your wipers are on.
- Use your low beams in bad weather, especially in heavy or blowing snow.
- Remove ice and snow from windows, mirrors and all vehicle lights.
- Do not pass or get between trucks plowing in a plow line.
- If you do become stranded, stay with your bus until help arrives. Run the engine every hour, but make sure the tailpipe is clear and keep a window cracked open.
- Always wear your seat belt.
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Hazard Alert
Protect your employees with PPE
Recently, bleach splashed into a janitor's eye while he was pouring it into a cleaning bucket. This luckily did not cause permanent damage to his eye, but the employee experienced severe discomfort for several days.
This incident could have been avoided had the employee been wearing protective safety glasses.
The school has a personal protective equipment policy, but often the policy is disregarded because the equipment is not readily accessible and is not comfortable to wear.
Find PPE that is comfortable. Ask employees to try out the equipment before buying it. Reinforce the importance of PPE with safety training talks and posters to prevent incidents like this from happening at your school.
Advice from SFM's
Ease the load
How does obesity weigh on your business?
Two-thirds of the workforce is obese, a condition that impacts injuries and illnesses and contributes to the loss of nearly 40 million workdays annually, according to the American Journal of Health Promotion.
It impacts group healthcare costs. It also drives up the frequency and complexity of workers' compensation claims. Weight issues may challenge these workers to meet the physical requirements of their jobs.
In addition, poor nutrition and inactivity raise their risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers, and high blood pressure—all resulting in higher costs.
Read more about how wellness programs can help alleviate some of the load.
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