Schools face unique challenges when it comes to keeping employees safe. See below for resources to help you prevent the most common types of school employee injuries, followed by a full list of our safety resources for schools.
Safety training talks for schools
Our Supervisor Initiated Training (SIT) series is a great tool to help your managers talk with their staff about preventing common sources of injuries. Download our combo packs for buildings and grounds , food service , teachers , special education and transportation .
Resources to prevent slips and falls in parking lots and buildings
Slips and falls are common sources of injuries among school employees.
Visit our winter slips and falls page for resources to prevent injuries in your parking lots during slippery and icy conditions.
Water spilled around drinking fountains and in school kitchens can be another common injury source. Visit our everyday slips and falls page for resources to prevent these types of injuries. (Be sure to check out our Skip video on preventing slips and falls in kitchen environments ).
Injuries involving students
An SFM study found that about a quarter of school employee injuries involve students. Most of these are due to staff responding to students who are acting out, but many are due to playing with students, or assisting and transferring students. Special education and general education assistants are the most at risk.
Encourage staff to demonstrate physical activities and "Facilitate, don't participate" instead of actively participating in game play. Download our Facilitate, don't participate Supervisor Initiated Training talk guide for details.
Check out these additional school resources:
- De-escalation Team Training talks for schools . Brief hazard-specific de-escalation training talks that can be presented by a supervisor.
- Alternative intervention and de-escalation tactics . Learn a hands-off approach to dealing with students who are acting out.
- De-escalation sample emails for schools. Sample emails you can cut, paste and send to employees as reminders.