As summer winds down, school safety should be top of mind.

Schools face unique safety challenges relative to other types of organizations, which is why SFM has a wealth of resources available. View our School safety resources page for more, plus links to even more information for keeping schools safe.

Below are a few highlights for you to peruse.

Safety training talks for schools

SFM’s Supervisor Initiated Training (SIT) series helps managers talk with their staff about preventing common sources of injuries.

• Behavior interventions
• Equipment use safety for custodians
• Buildings & Grounds combo pack

See all school-related SITs

5-Minute Solutions

Check out SFM’s 5-Minute Solutions for brief training talks on safety-related topics.

• Alternative intervention and de-escalation tactics
• Facilitate, don’t participate
• Heat stress

See all school-related 5-Minute Solutions

​More than 40,000 Americans died in car crashes died in car crashes in 2023. Although that figure was down from 2022, it’s still a grim reminder that adopting safe driving practices can be lifesaving.

Safe driving habits

Defensive driving and other safe driving techniques are learned habits. Here are some tips to help equip employees and yourself with the knowledge you need to be safer on the roads.

Identify the following common hazards and actively avoid them:

• Changing road or traffic conditions. Adjust your driving to match the traffic around you, and the weather and road conditions.
• Impaired driving. Never drive with alcohol or drugs in your system and keep an eye out for other drivers that may be impaired.
• Distractions, such as food, maps, and cell phones. Avoid distractions that take your attention away from driving or your hands off the wheel. Pull over and stop if you need to text or make a call.
• Driving while sleepy or drowsy. Pull over and rest if you are tired.

Adopt the safe driving procedures:

• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Drive at a speed safe for the weather conditions. Snow and rain may warrant slowing down below the posted limits.
• Maintain space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. A safe margin is 2-4 seconds when weather and traffic conditions are ideal, and longer if conditions are slippery or traffic is congested. Commercial vehicles should always maintain a 4-plus second space in front of their vehicle.
• Regularly glance two to three vehicles ahead of you, behind you and to your sides, and use your mirrors to check blind spots.
• Look left, right and left again before entering an intersection.
• Ensure the path is clear, even if you have the right of way at an intersection.
• Maintain an escape route in case of an unexpected event.

Company cellphone policy

Cellphone use is a major contributor to distracted driving and therefore driving-related injuries and deaths. The National Safety Council reports that nearly 12 percent of fatal crashes in in 2021 involved cellphone use.

Meanwhile, 34 states bar people from using hand-held cellphones while driving, and only one state does not prohibit people from texting and driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association .

Company policy should address cellphone use if you have employees whose job includes driving. Not only does it help keep employees safe, but it could help your organization’s bottom line. The National Safety Council reports that employers have been held liable for crashes caused by employee cell phone use, including the use of hands-free devices.

SFM provides a sample cellphone policy CompTalk in our Resource Catalog. This example policy prohibits any use of phones while driving for work, regardless of an employee’s use of hands-free devices. It requires employees pull over and stop before calling, answering, or texting using a cellphone.

Employee training

After establishing company-supported safe driving practices and a cell phone policy, be sure to train employees on them and follow up regularly to ensure employees are following the guidelines.

Lastly, SFM also offers training tools on defensive driving and cellphone use in our Resource Catalog.

By Mike Fetting, CIEE, Loss Prevention Specialist

While injuries often occur when lifting or moving is involved, implementing a program that focuses on proper ergonomics can greatly reduce incidents.

Challenges with larger muscle groups (primarily the back and shoulders) are often easier to identify and control than those associated with repetitive motion risk factors.

Injuries can be caused by moving something that is too heavy or repeatedly handling something that is slightly heavy but in an awkward position (overhead, near ground level, or while twisting).

Establish a program to prevent injuries

A safe lifting/back injury prevention program includes the following elements:

• A designated coordinator
• Workforce training
• Identification of high-risk tasks
• Implementation of controls
• Early intervention

Consider creating an ergonomics safety committee to maintain focus on ergonomic challenges and improvements, if you don’t have one already. SFM’s Safety Committee webpage is an excellent resource for creating a committee. This team is ideally comprised of members with basic ergonomic awareness training (possibly some with advanced training in ergonomic evaluations).

Together, the team can explore ergonomic interventions such as job rotation, stretching, and wellness activities. Ergonomic experts and guests can also be helpful when a professional evaluation is needed.

Use the following approaches to reduce the chance of injuries:

Engineering

Engineering is the most effective intervention. Manipulators and robots are more expensive solutions, but can quickly pay for themselves if even a few severe injuries are avoided. Additionally, there could be added productivity benefits. There are also other simpler, less-expensive controls that can be implemented:

• Raising items off the floor — Some items just need a stand to be stored on and accessed more easily
• Adding a hoist — There are devices to grab almost any shape (hooks, straps, clamps, magnets, or vacuum heads)

Job rotation

The tasks should alternate between light and heavy work.

Safe lifting training

Two key messages to remember are “keep your head up” (this forces you to use your knees and keep your back straight) and “shuffle your feet to turn – don’t twist.”

Stretching and flexing

While not considered as effective as engineering or job rotation, stretching and flexing can warm up the muscles and get them ready for work.

Intervene early and be proactive

Early intervention can keep nagging soreness from becoming a more serious injury. Encourage early reporting and respond positively. Reduce exposure time through task improvements or job rotation, and employ targeted stretching to aid in simple recovery.

Technology can also be used to create a solid ergonomic program. These are best used to improve ergonomics in areas with consistently poor lifting techniques and include:

• Exoskeletons — Frames that are worn by the employee to assist in lifting and/or control posture to avoid awkward positions.
• Wearable sensors — These work by sensing rather than controlling body position.
• Video analysis — These new systems only need a video taken with your phone and a few data entry points to create an ergonomic evaluation. Areas with the most issues can be targeted for improvement.

The best solutions preserve employee health, increase production, and can even enlarge your job candidate pool. In the long term, fewer injuries often mean savings in insurance too.

Additional resources:

• Prevent strains and sprains through proper ergonomics
• Avoid lifting injuries
• Stretching and movement – Get up and move at work
• Use SFM’s Lift Safety 5-Minute Solution for additional tips; our safety video lending library also has many back safety videos
• Visit our resource catalog for additional ergonomic resources you can order or download

​

Originally posted September 2023; updated May 2024.

We use ladders so often, sometimes we forget the risk we’re taking each time we climb one.

There are several ways in which small mistakes in usage can add up to major injury risks. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health lists a few:

1. Insufficient ladder inspection
   Ensure your equipment is in working order before any project (see more tips below).
2. Incorrect extension ladder setup angle
   In about 40 percent of cases, the primary cause of injuries is a ladder sliding out at the base due to an incorrect angle for setup.
3. Inappropriate ladder selection
   Notably, selecting a ladder made of nonconductive material can avoid electrocution and related falls.
4. Improper ladder use
   Overreaching? Carrying items while on a ladder? Applying excessive force? There are several ways a person can injure themselves while using a ladder.
5. Lack of access to ladder safety tools and information
   Small employers account for nearly 80 percent of all construction companies, and they may not have access to ladder safety resources.

For perspective, about half a million people are treated for ladder-related injuries each year. This is why you should inspect ladders before every use.

Below, find more tips on what to look for when doing a ladder inspection.

When should you inspect ladders?

• Inspect new ladders promptly upon receipt
• Inspect ladders before each use
• Check the condition of ladders that have been dropped or have fallen before using them again

What should you look for when inspecting any ladder?

• Missing or loose steps or rungs (they are loose if you can move them by hand)
• Damaged or worn non-slip cleats
• Loose nails, screws, bolts or nuts
• Loose or faulty spreaders, locks and other metal parts in poor repair
• Rot, decay or warped rails in wooden ladders
• Cracks and exposed fiberglass in fiberglass ladders
• Cracked, split, worn or broken rails, braces, steps or rungs
• Sharp edges on rails and rungs
• Dents and dings in aluminum ladders
• Rough or splintered surfaces
• Corrosion, rust, oxidization and excessive wear, especially on treads
• Paint or other material that could obstruct your ability to see defects
• Oil, grease, mud or other debris on rungs or other parts of the ladder
• Twisted or distorted rails — check ladders for distortion by sighting along the rails
• Missing identification labels

Real-world example

A near-tragedy at a roofing company a few years ago underscores the importance of ladder inspections.

According to an account provided by the Wisconsin Occupational Safety & Health Administration:

Two roofing technicians were using ladders to get to a roof for inspection and repair.

The first technician set up a 30-foot extension ladder rated for a 300-pound load capacity. (The technician weighed 160 pounds.)

The ladder was less than 2 months old and had recently been inspected. But as the technician climbed the ladder, he felt it begin to give way.

Fortunately, he was able to hold onto the edge of the roof as the ladder collapsed under him. He stayed there until the second technician set up another ladder for him to climb down to safety.

The company immediately inspected all of its fiberglass extension ladders and found that about 20 percent of them had small cracks in the fiberglass on the side rails — some right next to the rungs.

What other things should you look for when inspecting stepladders?

• Wobble
• Loose or bent hinges and hinge spreaders
• Broken stop on a hinge spreader

What should you look for when inspecting extension ladders?

• Loose, broken or missing extension locks
• Defective locks that do not seat properly when ladder is extended
• Sufficient lubrication of working parts
• Defective cords, ropes or chains
• Missing or defective foot pads or sleeves

What should you do after inspecting any ladder?

• Clean the ladder if needed and again thereafter as needed
• Replace worn or frayed ropes on extension ladders
• Lubricate pulleys on extension ladders regularly
• Tag any defective ladders and take them out of service

What are some things you should not do after inspecting ladders?

• Do not make temporary or makeshift repairs
• Do not try to straighten or use bent or bowed ladders

A fall from a ladder can be devastating, so please take the extra time to make sure your ladder is in good shape before you use it.

Lastly, check out our additional resources on ladder safety.

Originally posted May 2017; updated April 2024.

By Dana Mickelson, CSP, ARM

While some slips and falls result in only minor injuries, they can be much more serious, causing fractures, sprains, strains, abrasions and even death. They have the potential to be disabling, with claim costs in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), work-related fatalities due to falls slips, and trips have increased in recent years:

• 805 fatalities in 2020
• 850 fatalities in 2021
• 865 fatalities in 2022

These are all reasons to take slip-and-fall prevention seriously at your workplace, starting with the floors.

Choose slip-resistant flooring

When you’re choosing flooring, don’t choose just based on cost and aesthetics. Consider the floor’s slip resistance and the space and environment in which it will be used, too. There are several floor materials available on the market — quarry, ceramic, porcelain, vinyl composition tile, terrazzo, rubber tiles, concrete, marble, granite, etc.

Most types of flooring have good slip resistance when dry, but when wet, they have fair to poor slip resistance unless they are treated or textured. Most flooring materials become extremely slippery once water plus a contaminant, like grease, is present.

Use slip-resistant treatments for existing flooring

If you’re not in a position to replace your flooring with a more slip-resistant material, you can treat your floors to decrease the risk of slips and falls. The caveat with all of these options is that they typically lose their effectiveness over time and must be reapplied.

Options to treat flooring include:

• Abrasive floor coatings: These coatings include gritty substances such as aluminum oxide or walnut shells to improve traction of otherwise smooth flooring
• Chemical etching: This is an acid wash that’s typically applied to natural stone floors, concrete and porcelain that makes the floor surface rougher
• Carpeting: Covering your floor with carpet is another option to prevent slips and falls

Clean floors properly

When cleaning your floors, even small details like the temperature of water used for mopping can significantly affect their slip resistance (or lack thereof).

That’s why it’s important to have a floor-cleaning protocol that includes:

• Identifying the appropriate cleaning tools (deck brushes, squeegees, etc.) and solvent (for example, some solvents remove rust and scale, others consume oil)
• Determining how often the floors must be cleaned
• Thoroughly training all employees who clean floors

When training, be sure to include the proper water temperature and whether the floors must be rinsed after cleaning with the solvent. For example, an alkaline solvent used in a greasy kitchen could actually make the floor more slippery if not rinsed off after cleaning, so proper training is really important.

Maintain good housekeeping

Excellent housekeeping results in clean and clutter-free floors, preventing slips, trips and falls.

Here are three simple tips to improve housekeeping:

• Clean up spills promptly and use wet floor signs
• Keep cords out of the way of walkways or work areas as much as possible. You can tie cords together, use cord covers, or hang cords from the ceiling
• Designate walking aisles in warehouses, manufacturing environments, etc.

Also, develop a housekeeping program. For example, dedicate the last five minutes of each shift as clean-up time.

Don’t wax and strip — scrub!

SFM has seen extremely serious injuries result from employees falling while waxing and stripping the floors.

To prevent these types of injuries, consider investing in a floor scrubber. Floor scrubbers are great because most only require water, and they negate the need to wax and strip the floors. Not only will a scrubber help keep your employees safe, it might pay for itself over time.

If employees must strip and wax the floors, ensure they wear stripping overshoes to increase traction and reduce their risk of slipping.

Maximize the benefit of floor mats

Floor mats at entrances allow people to walk off the rain, snow and other contaminants they’ve gathered on their shoes to help keep the rest of the floor dry.

Here are a few tips for using floor mats to maximize effectiveness and prevent them from becoming a source of trips and falls:

Provide mats that are long enough for people to adequately wipe contaminants off their shoes. Mats should be the longest in snowy weather (about 10-12 walking steps) and can be the shortest (6-8 steps) in dry weather.

• Select mats with beveled edges and non-slip backing
• Do not overlap mats
• Don’t leave gaps between mats
• Avoid rolled up edges
• Inspect mats for wear and replace them when needed

Slips and falls can cause anything from simple embarrassment to serious head injuries, and they can happen to anyone. Doing what you can to make your floors more slip resistant is one way you can prevent slips and falls. Requiring your employees to wear slip-resistant shoes can also help.

For more resources to prevent slips and falls, visit our safety page.

Originally published June 2017; updated March 2024.

Climate control. Soft chairs and armrests. Standing desks and safety features… Office environments don’t conjure up thoughts of workplace hazards like, say, construction sites.

It’s true, office workers are at a lower risk for workplace injuries than many other types of jobs. However, it’s still important to talk about safety with office employees.

Below are seven safety tips for office workers to prevent workplace injuries.

1. Make sure your desk setup is ergonomic

To maintain a neutral posture, your head should be centered over your neck and shoulders, wrists flat and elbows resting comfortably at your side. If your feet won’t touch the ground unless you lean forward, use a footrest.

See our post on workplace ergonomics and neutral posture for more information on setting up an ergonomic workstation.

2. Take regular breaks to get up and move around

Sitting all day puts office workers at risk for numerous health problems. For examples of moving and stretching actions you can do in the office, check out our Get Up and Move illustrations, and you can find more resources on our Stretching and movement page.

3. When it’s slippery due to ice and snow, walk like a penguin when entering and leaving your office

Winter slips and falls in parking lots are extremely common (and costly). To avoid them, walk like a penguin — flatfooted and taking short, slow steps.

It’s also important to wear sensible footwear and carry only what you can handle. For more information and downloadable resources, visit our winter slip-and-fall prevention page.

4. Use a headset for prolonged or frequent phone use

Cradling the phone between your shoulder and ear can cause neck and back pain.

5. Keep your workplace tidy

Clean up spills immediately, keep aisles free of clutter, and tie up or secure cords so they don’t pose a trip hazard.

6. Don’t let electrical cords create a fire risk

Avoid running electrical cords under carpet or through windows and doorways. Also, don’t fasten them through non-standard means, such as staples.

7. Know your office emergency procedures

Make sure you know what to do in the event of a fire, storm, violent intruder, medical problem or other emergency.

Related office safety resources from SFM:

• Winter slip and fall prevention resources
• Indoor slip-and-fall prevention resources
• Office safety (1) 5-Minute Solution
• Office safety (2) 5-minute solutions
• Office ergonomics 5-minute solutions
• See all office worker safety resources from SFM

Originally published May 2017; updated February 2024.

Employees in a variety of occupations can find themselves in situations with the potential to be exposed to violence at work. De-escalation tactics can be used to defuse volatile situations so they don’t reach the point of violence.

What is de-escalation?

De-escalation is one technique that can be used when confronted with violent or aggressive behavior.

According to professionals, de-escalation means “transferring your sense of calm and genuine interest in what an individual wants to tell you by using respectful, clear, limit-setting boundaries.” In short, de-escalation is the process of managing someone else’s behavior with your own.

How does the concept of de-escalation intersect with workplace safety?

As workplace violence remains a continuously growing threat, many industries are beginning to utilize the benefits of de-escalation training.

These industries include:

• Education/academic settings
• Healthcare
• Policing/public service
• Social work

Are there some general de-escalation tactics that apply universally?

While specific threats vary among industries, Jason Clausen, a Loss Prevention Specialist at SFM, notes that many de-escalation tactics apply universally.

“These tactics all require a state of calm, and operate around the cornerstone of active listening,” he said.

General de-escalation tactics that apply universally include:

• Respecting personal space
• Maintaining safe body positioning
• Giving clear, concise direction
• Setting obvious boundaries
• Conveying empathy
• Establishing positive tone of voice

De-escalation resources

De-escalation training can be helpful to employees in many fields. To learn more about de-escalation, view these SFM resources:

• De-escalation Team Training – health care
• De-escalation Team Training – schools 
• Alternative intervention and de-escalation tactics, 5-Minute Solutions safety talk 

Originally published December 2020

By Nick Johnson, CSP, Loss Prevention Specialist

Imagine this scenario:

We are at the airport waiting for our departure flight. While waiting, we see our incoming plane land, taxi from the runway, and dock at the jet bridge with no issue. We watch as all the previous passengers disembark, and the plane is refueled. Soon, the gate attendant calls passengers to board. The process is running like a well-oiled machine with no delays, and it looks like it will be a smooth departure.

Once settled into our seats, we wait to depart, but minutes after the scheduled departure time, the pilot explains over the intercom that they found some “irregularities” during their pre-flight checklist. Since we just watched this plane land and taxi with no problem, it seems like it will be just a minor delay. After 10 more minutes pass, the pilot comes on the intercom again to express concern about the “irregularities,” and the maintenance team has been summoned.

Finally, the pilot comes back on and explains that the maintenance team reviewed the data and decided to fully assess the plane before clearing it for flight. Passengers are asked to disembark and go to another gate to board a different plane. There are audible groans throughout the plane, but who wants to be on a plane with a potential mechanical issue?

So how does this story relate to pre-task planning?

If the flight crew hadn’t performed a pre-flight check, we would have embarked on a flight with an increased risk for a tragic incident.

Experience doesn’t guarantee safety

Part of my role as a workplace safety professional is to speak with clients about pre-task planning. Employers often respond that their employees are well trained, or they perform this work “all the time.” I love to hear that! The problem is that even well-trained and competent employees can have incidents and be injured when placed in less-than-safe situations and environments.

Safety risks can change daily and it’s imperative that employees have opportunities to identify them so they can use their training to solve problems before they result in incidents.

Pre-task planning identifies potential hazards for a particular time frame, environment and/or work task. Taking time to ask questions before beginning work allows teams to focus on hazard recognition and put specific controls in place to prevent incidents from occurring.

A little preparation goes a long way

By prioritizing pre-task planning, employees can focus on hazard recognition so when working on a task, they can perform knowing they’ve put appropriate safety controls in place.

I encourage implementing pre-task planning at the start of the day and after lunch. It can be an excellent tool to prevent severe incidents and help reduce pesky (and potentially dangerous) one-off incidents.

Give it a try!

What questions should employers be asking to identify hazards? There is a wide range of topics to address relating to mental, physical, and environmental states, such as:

• What is the task I am performing, and what’s the end goal?
• What could go wrong with this task?
• Is there a potential to fall, be struck by or caught between objects/equipment or to encounter energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, etc.)?
• What other work is being performed in the area that might affect me?
• How will I control my work area to ensure safety?
• Do I have the proper equipment to perform this task safely?
• What physical limitations do I feel would prevent me from performing this task safely today?
• What is the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for this task?
• How will I mitigate the physical demands to prevent strains and sprains?
• How knowledgeable am I about the task being performed?
• What questions do I have about how to perform this task safely?
• How focused am I on the task at hand?

While this is not a comprehensive list of questions, it should serve as a good starting point to customize your own approach. The idea is to give employees every opportunity to assess a situation in real time and use training received to problem-solve and prevent incidents.

With the shift to remote and hybrid work in recent years, many employers are quickly learning how to support employees in their new work environments. As with in-office workers, remote and hybrid employees are subject to cumulative injuries, which are typically a result of poor ergonomics at their workspace.

Common slips, trips and falls are also frequent claims we see from remote and hybrid workers. These types of injuries can be avoided with proper training and preventive measures.

Injury prevention

As an employer, you have the ability to help prevent injuries among your employees, regardless of where they’re working.

“Preventing an injury before it happens really starts with the employer,” said Mike Fetting, SFM Loss Prevention Specialist. “Educating employees on ergonomic best practices, and home office maintenance and safety when they’re working remotely can help reduce the likelihood of injury.”

He recommends encouraging employees to set up their home or remote office spaces with these tips in mind:

Keep your office tidy and free of hazards

• Organize cords so they’re tied up and tucked away
• Eliminate clutter, especially in walking paths
• Clean up spills immediately to avoid slips and falls

Optimize your desk setup for proper ergonomics

• Sitting desks. Maintain neutral posture at the desk by adjusting your seat so you can keep your feet resting comfortably on the floor or on a footrest. Hips should sit at a 90-to-110-degree angle and your upper arms should rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle. The backrest of your chair should meet your back as you sit up straight and should support the natural curve of your back.
• Standing desks. Situate the desk height and your body so your upper arms can rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle, and your feet align below your head and hips. Wrists should be held straight, not pressed into the edge of the desk. Wear shoes with insoles or stand on an anti-fatigue mat with beveled edges that sits flat on the floor.

Utilize ergonomic tools and proper placement of office technology

• Adjustable monitor stands. Center the monitor in front of your keyboard and keep the top of the screen at eye level, or slightly below eye level for those who use bifocals. Use adjustable monitor stands to achieve the correct height for your body. Your monitor should be about an arm’s length away, but move it closer or increase the font if you find yourself leaning forward.
• Headsets. Go handsfree and eliminate neck issues from cradling a traditional office phone by using an over-the-ear or in-ear headset. Corded or cordless headsets are both better options than a traditional office phone when taking phone calls throughout the day.
• Adjustable chairs. Make sure the height, seat, arms and back are adjustable so you can set your chair to maintain a neutral position, as described above.
• Mouse and keyboard cushions. Your wrists should be raised and level when using your mouse and keyboard, and your keyboard should be set flat. Do not rest your wrists on anything while keying. Your hands should project straight out from your forearms, and not bend back at the wrists.
• Footrests. You may need a footrest to help achieve neutral posture when working at a higher desk. Once you set your chair to the correct height to allow for neutral arm placement, set the footrest below your desk to keep your legs from dangling and take the weight off your thighs.

Individual needs vary

“This guide includes standard practices that most people will find appropriate, but you should find what works for you using these tips as a starting point,” said Fetting. “If you find you prefer to have your knees slightly above your hips, that’s OK. Everyone is different.”

He also suggests that employees change positions at their desks occasionally to reduce the chance of a cumulative injury, which can happen because of repetitive movement or positioning.

“There’s no perfect position that you should remain in 100% of the time,” said Fetting. “Occasionally adjust things, such as raising or lowering your chair or monitors by an inch, to find alternatives that work for you.”

We have more resources to help you educate employees on their role in safety and injury prevention in office settings on our website.