Did you know that falls are the leading cause of worker death in the construction industry? Falls from elevation accounted for 384 of the 991 fatalities in construction in 2016. Fall prevention is an easy an important way to keep your workers safe and save lives.

One of the reasons falls are so common is due to lack of proper equipment and training. In 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) included fall protection general requirements, scaffolding requirements and fall protection training requirements on their list of the top most cited violations for the year.

May 7 – 11, 2018 is National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction week. This is a voluntary event where employers are encouraged to engage their employees on the importance of fall prevention. Companies can take a break from work and allow supervisors and employees to have an open discussion about safety.

Fall prevention

Proper fall protection is key to prevention. According to OSHA, fall protection is any equipment, device or system that prevents a worker from falling or that diminishes the effects of a fall. Safety standards for construction require that workers use fall protection whenever they are more than six feet off the ground. In general industry, the requirement is four feet.

Hazards that may cause a fall include leading edge work such as roofs or bridges, roof holes and manholes, ramps and runways, steel erection, articulating lifts, bore pits, shafts and work over open tanks. Fall protection is required in hoist areas, runways, areas above dangerous equipment, wall openings, repair pits, stairways and scaffolds.

There are many options for fall protection:

• Covers
• Guardrail systems
• Personal fall arrest systems
• Positioning devices
• Warning lines
• Controlled access zones (CAZs)
• Safety net systems
• Travel restraint systems
• Ladder safety systems

Before beginning a task, workers should utilize pre-task planning to reduce the chances of falling. Workers should also assess the task to choose compatible fall arrest equipment. Ensure sturdy construction and anchor points prior to starting the job.

Personal fall arrest systems must be properly selected, maintained, inspected and utilized. Do not mix components from different models. All open sides of the work area should be marked with warning lines at least 6 feet back from the edge. Clearly mark the lines with high visibility flags.

Training also plays an important role. A qualified person must train workers on how to correctly identify and minimize hazards, use personal fall protection and maintain, inspect and store equipment or systems used for fall prevention. If your company doesn’t have someone trained in fall protection, bring in an expert to help.

Additional resources

• Fall protection – Construction Supervisor Initiated Training
• OSHA updates walking-working surfaces and fall protection standards
• Fall protection 5-Minute Solution
• Fall protection 5-Minute Solution – Spanish

You probably don’t think too long about grabbing an extension cord or plugging something in to an outlet. It’s easy to forget that these everyday activities can pose a risk for fires, shock and even electrocution if done improperly.

Extension cord safety

Extension cords are often used incorrectly.

Here’s what you need to know to use one safely:

• Choose a round, three-wire grounded extension cord versus a two-wire or flat-wire cord.
• Choose an extension cord that’s rated for the electrical load needed and type of use, such as residential versus commercial.
• Check cords regularly for cracks, tears, exposed wires and missing ground plugs. If you find anything wrong, take the cord out of service and tag it for repair or throw it away.
• Don’t place cords under carpets or furniture and never string them through doorways, walls, windows, ceilings or floors.
• Do not fasten an extension cord to a wall.
• Buy an extension cord that is long enough for the job; don’t chain multiple cords together.
• To disconnect a cord, pull on the plug, not the cord.
• Follow the information on the cord’s warning label.
• Don’t use an extension cord for more than one appliance.
• Don’t use a multi-plug extension cord, as these don’t have a fuse built in to protect you from overloading the cord.
• Only use extension cords for temporary needs, lasting 90 days or less. For anything more, use permanent wiring, conduit and outlets to prevent fires and electric shock.
• When in doubt, ask a qualified electrician or maintenance employee to review your electrical setup.

Extension cords are often used for power tools on construction sites. For more on this, read our blog post on hand and power tool safety.

To give a quick talk to your employees on extension cord safety, see our Electrical extension cord safety 5-Minute Solution.

Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet safety

You’ve probably seen a GFCI outlet in your bathroom or kitchen. Many contractors use them whenever they need temporary power.

These outlets can help protect you from electrocution by quickly shutting off electricity when there’s a ground fault.

GFCI protection can come in the form of an outlet, portable outlet, cord or a circuit breaker panel with a test and reset button.

It’s important to test and reset GFCI outlets periodically to make sure they’re working properly. To do this:

1. Plug a light into the outlet.
2. Push the test button.
3. If the light goes off, push the reset button and the light should go on again. That means it’s working. If the light does not go off, have a qualified electrician repair the GFCI before using the outlet.

On a construction site, test and reset GFCIs daily before use.

Other electrical safety risks

There are a number of other electrical safety hazards you should be aware of at home and work, such as:

• Stay away from overhead electrical service lines when climbing ladders.
• Don’t use metal ladders when doing electrical work. Also, don’t use them when doing work near power lines.
• Use proper lockout/tagout procedures for machinery that needs maintenance or repair.

Electricity can pose a serious hazard in any workplace. Remember to use it safely to protect yourself and your coworkers. 

SFM’s team of loss prevention representatives, comprised of occupational health and safety professionals, understand workplace safety and how to prevent injuries.

To get to know a company’s unique safety risks and provide strategies to address the risks, our loss prevention team spends most of their time visiting and working one-on-one with employers. The frequency of in-person visits depends on company size and nature of the business.

What to expect during a loss prevention visit

For the initial visit, the loss prevention representative will meet with the business owner, a safety manager or perhaps someone from human resources or the head of operations. The visit typically takes about 45 minutes and can include a walk-around of the facility.

A visit with a loss prevention representative serves two purposes:

1. Educating you about SFM’s loss prevention services and answering any questions
2. Learning about your organization, operations and unique safety risks

The second purpose of the visit helps the loss prevention representative develop a thorough understanding of your business’s needs, its safety program and current processes.

Knowing how your business operates and cares for employees will help us work together and provide you with the right resources to reduce safety risks unique to your business. To do that, we ask about several areas, including:

• Operations
• Hiring practices
• Safety program
• Common exposures, such as driving or outdoor work
• Return-to-work program

“Part of learning about the operation is seeing the work in action,” says Loss Prevention Technical Leader Lee Wendel. “We want to understand their current processes and current risks. Then we can begin finding a solution for the risks. Whenever we can, we want to be part of the solution.”

The loss prevention representative will ask questions about workers’ core functions to identify risks for work injuries. They then come up with strategies or resources to reduce or eliminate those risks.

For example, if any of your employees drive as part of their day-to-day work, they’ll ask about your seat belt and cell phone use policies. When visiting a healthcare facility, safe patient handling training and equipment will be discussed.

By the end of the visit, you will know more about the resources SFM can offer you, and our team will be able to provide customized recommendations to help meet our shared goal of keeping workers safe.

Construction projects at schools can create a variety of new hazards for employees, students and visitors.

For example:

• Construction materials can create trip hazards
• Increased parking lot traffic can pose danger to pedestrians
• Work can create noise and air quality issues

That’s why SFM’s loss prevention staff created a new resource to help schools keep employees safe throughout construction projects. The checklist includes advice to consider while planning and preparing for the project, as well as tips to maintain safety as the project is ongoing.

You can download the school construction safety checklist in the resource catalog.

The number of patient injuries in Minnesota hospitals due to falls continues to rise, according to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Patient falls were the second most common event in the 2017 adverse health events report . Minnesota state law requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to report adverse health events in 29 categories.

While pressure ulcers were the most common event, falls resulted in the most injuries and patient deaths. From October 2016 to October 2017, Minnesota hospitals reported 82 falls, with 77 resulting in serious injury and 5 in patient death.

In health care, patient and caregiver safety go hand-in-hand. When a patient falls, the natural reaction for a caregiver is to try to catch or hold them up. This can result in further injury to both the patient and the caregiver. Lifting and transferring patients, or trying to catch them as they fall, are common sources of strain and sprain injuries.

Based on independent research and SFM’s claims data, moving patients manually puts health care workers at risk for severe injuries.

Participate in Patient Safety Awareness Week

Plan ahead for the annual Patient Safety Awareness Week . 

During the week, health care professionals and consumers can take a pledge to help reduce harm in health care and join the initiative to help raise awareness.

Stay informed on health care worker safety and how health care professionals can impact patient and worker safety on the Institute for Health care Improvement’s website .

Use safety products to promote health care worker safety

Having the right lifting aids and transfer devices available for health care workers to use and making sure they are properly trained in using them can go a long way in preventing injuries in health care settings. Sometimes it can be hard to know what options are available and which ones have the best track record.

For that reason, we put together a list of vendors and safety products we recommend for proper safe patient handling.

SFM’s health care safety resources

To support injury prevention for both health care workers and their patients, SFM offers specialized safe patient handling resources. Topics covered include repositioning patients, assisting with bathing, patient falls and lifting injuries in health care. Here are some of our most popular resources for health care:

• Fact sheet: Occupational injuries in health care
• Patient starts to fall Supervisor Initiated Training
• Health care Supervisor Initiated Training combo pack (packet of 16 different topics)

See the full list of SFM’s resources for health care in the “Safety” section of our website.

Working with hand and power tools may not seem like a dangerous job, but without proper care, tools can cause serious injury. Most injuries result from misuse and improper maintenance. To prevent injuries, follow these tips for hand and power tool safety:

• Make sure you’re using the right tool for the job
  Only use tools for the job for which they’re intended. Using the incorrect tool could result in injury for yourself or other employees or damage the tool, making it unsafe for future use. When using power tools, familiarize yourself with the manufacturer recommended use, maintenance and storage information. Only use tools you’re trained and qualified to use.
• Inspect all tools prior to use
  Inspect your tools routinely and keep them in good repair. For hand tools, inspect for signs of damage, such as splinters, cracks, mushroomed heads or missing or ill-fitting handles. For power tools, check for proper guarding and look for defects such as missing ground pins, frayed cords or broken pieces. Make sure all controls and functions are working properly. Defective tools should be immediately removed from service, repaired or discarded.
• Eliminate potential hazards
  Secure the work piece prior to beginning your work. Make sure your work surface matches with the tool you’re using. Keep body parts out of the line of work and direction of force. Before using electrical motor driven power tools, check your surrounding area for flammable or combustible vapors. Turn off and unplug or remove batteries before adjusting, oiling, cleaning, repairing, attaching or changing an accessory or during tool changes. Make sure cords and hoses are out of the way prior to use.
• Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment
  Match your PPE with the job, taking note of potential for flying particles, dust or noise created by a power tool. Wear close-fitting clothes, tie back any loose hair and remove jewelry.
• Properly clean and store tools after use
  Clean the tool after use if oily or soiled, using proper cleaning methods. Put it back where it belongs when you finish, being sure to store and transport in a manner to keep clean and free from damage from impact, moisture and other risks. Storing tools in the correct place helps prevent other workers from using improper tools.

Related resources

• Hand tools Supervisor Initiated Training
• Hand tool use 5-Minute Solution
• Power tools Supervisor Initiated Training
• Electrical power tools 5-Minute Solution

When working in a warehouse, there are many potential hazards that could cause injury. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the rate of fatal injuries in the warehousing industry is higher than the national average for all other industries.

Best practices for warehouse workers

Following safety guidelines is essential to cutting down on risks to warehouse workers. Here are some recommended best practices for your employees:

• Training and certification is required to use material handling equipment
• Be aware of your surroundings. Watch out for hazards such as moving vehicles or unstable materials.
• Pedestrians should only walk in designated areas and walkways
• Make eye contact with equipment operators. Don’t assume they can see you.
• Don’t climb on pallet racks
• Use the proper method for lifting, pushing and pulling. Lift from a “Position of Power” by focusing your eyes straight ahead, staggering your feet and keeping your chest, knees and toes aligned. Hold the load close and remember “Nose Follows Toes” to avoid twisting.
• Maintain good housekeeping. Keep aisles and exits clear.
• Don’t carry items up and down ladders to place in shelving

Make sure your employees are aware of safety standards and expectations. Use job hazard recognition to identify potential risks before they become an issue. By taking a proactive approach to safety, you can eliminate hazards and teach your employees how to stay out of danger.

Check the resource catalog for more safety materials.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 30,000 people in the United States die every year from motor vehicle accidents. The National Safety Council reported that crashes were responsible for 200,000 on-the-job injuries in 2015. Defensive driving helps avoid and prevent accidents, even in unsafe conditions. Here are eight tips to keep safer on the roads:

• Drive at a safe speed for conditions
  Go slower than posted limits in snow or rain. Some tips for driving in winter weather include allowing yourself more time to travel and watching for black ice.
• Maintain enough space between the vehicle in front of you
  It’s recommended to keep 2-4 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. If the conditions are slippery or if you are driving a commercial vehicle, increase the amount of space.
• Be aware of your surroundings
  Get the big picture – occasionally glance 2-3 vehicles ahead of you, to your sides and behind you. Use your mirrors and check blind spots. Maintain an escape route in case of an unexpected event.
• Be careful at intersections
  Look left, right and left again before entering an intersection. Ensure the path is clear even if you have the right of way.
• Do not drive with even a small amount of alcohol or drugs in your system
  Even if you are below the legal limit, small amounts of alcohol can still cause poor concentration, slowed reflexes and impaired judgment. Nearly 40 percent of all vehicle crashes involved alcohol, and prescription and over-the-counter medications can have the same effects.
• Avoid distractions, especially cell phones
  Pull over and stop if you need to make a call or text. For those with iPhones, the iOS 11 update includes a Do Not Disturb feature that detects when you are driving and blocks calls and texts. Creating a cell phone policy for your company can also help prevent distracted driving.
• Pull over and rest if you are excessively drowsy
  Driving while drowsy is considered approximately as dangerous as driving drunk. Fatigue is thought to be responsible for 100,000 crashes each year.
• Always wear your seatbelt
  According to the CDC, wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of serious injury from a crash by about half.

There are many things you can’t control on the road – especially conditions and other drivers’ behaviors. By driving defensively, you can avoid accidents even when hazards are present.

Related resources

• Defensive driving 5-Minute Solution
• Driving isn’t what it used to be CompTalk

By Lee Wendel, CIA, CSP, CSPHA
SFM loss prevention technical leader

Would it surprise you to learn that the smartphone you use every day has the potential to help keep you and your employees safer?

Recent studies show that more than 75 percent of U.S. adults carry smartphones, and that number is getting higher every day. Today’s mobile devices are as powerful as they are ubiquitous, and mobile app developers are now harnessing that capacity to help users work and live more safely.

The idea of using a phone to make your life easier has already gained wide acceptance, but the idea of extending that to safety is still new for most people. The reality is that some commonly used apps are already helping users avoid danger, whether they realize it or not. One example comes from one of the phone’s most common tools, the weather information app. Properly configured, these apps can give you warnings in advance of dangerous conditions without even asking (via push notifications).

In addition to the more mainstream apps, we’ve begun to see a new breed of specialized releases that are designed to encourage safer practices. In the interest of making the world a safer place, the following apps are available free of charge to both Android and iPhone users.

Identifying heat-related risks

This summer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention teamed up to release a new app called the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool .

This app uses your location to determine the risk of working outside both at the current time and hourly for the remainder of the day. The app also offers advice about how to avoid and treat heat stroke/heat exhaustion. Supervisors have found this to be a great tool to help keep workers out of harm’s way in hot conditions.

Demystifying ladder safety

Another helpful app from the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health focuses on a frequently mis­under­stood source of danger — ladders.

The NIOSH ladder safety app gives users a way to understand and address some of the main root causes of ladder injuries/fatalities. Key features include:

• Level and angle meter — extension ladders need to be positioned at an angle of approximately 75 degrees, or one foot out for every 4 feet of rise. The app lets users measure this angle by holding the phone up to the ladder.
• Ladder selection guide — the type and height of work drives the type of ladder. The proper ladder can help prevent electrocution, for example.
• Ladder inspection guide — proper inspections differ by ladder type,
  and must address specific elements essential to safe use.

Encouraging better ergonomics

One more tool that recently came to our attention is the “Office Ergonomics” app from EWI Works International.

This interactive guide facilitates a step-by-step ergonomic review of an office workstation. The app walks users through a decision tree that encourages them to address issues that can result in injuries over time.

While a self-service approach like this may not replace a professional workstation review, it’s a good way to highlight challenges before they become problematic.

As the number of mobile safety apps continues to grow, we encourage you to embrace your mobile device as a tool to make work a safer place.

Learn more

You can find out more about these safety topics in other Simply Work Comp posts:

• Protect your workers from the threats of extreme heat
• Ladder safety resources
• Workplace ergonomics: Tips to create a neutral posture

What are you doing right now — besides reading this, of course? Are you also scanning your email? Is the radio or TV on in the background? Are you in a meeting?

Multitasking has infiltrated our work and home lives. It’s so common to check our mobile phones (about 80 times a day on average) that we don’t even realize we’re multitasking anymore.

Juggling multiple projects at once used to be something to strive for at work — a sign of a high achiever. But the research is clear — multitasking doesn’t save time.

Multitasking’s negative side-effects

In study after study, researchers have found that a multitasking worker is more likely to:

• Make mistakes
• Experience higher stress
• Remember fewer details
• Experience a drop in IQ
• React more slowly

As Cal Newport, author of the book Deep Work, put it, “Human brains weren’t built to multitask.”

The reason why is that multitasking is a misnomer — a more accurate description is task-switching.

People trying to do two things at once are actually switching back and forth. And each time they switch, there’s a cost in time and cognitive load. It’s akin to constant interruption. The result: projects take longer to complete and they’re not done as well.

Safety risks of multitasking

Do you still think task-switching is more productive? What if you knew that it was also more hazardous?

Distracted driving

Distracted driving is simply another form of multitasking poorly, but while behind the wheel and with potentially dangerous consequences.

In a National Safety Council survey, 54 percent of respondents said work would motivate them to do a distracting activity while driving such as making a phone call, searching for a location using a GPS system or reviewing and sending emails.

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. The risk of a crash or near crash is 17 percent higher when the driver is interacting with a cell phone, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The National Safety Council has reported that drivers using a cell phone had slower reaction times than drivers with a .08 blood alcohol content.

That’s why SFM’s sample cell phone policy includes a zero tolerance position regarding using a cell phone or hands-free device while driving.

Distracted walking

Distracted walking poses another danger.

Pedestrian deaths have increased in recent years, reaching a 25-year high in Minnesota last year with 60 fatalities, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. In a study where people texted while crossing a busy street, the texters were less likely to stay inside the crosswalk or look before they crossed. They spent on average two seconds longer in the street than non-texters.

Distracted walking can take place anywhere, not just on sidewalks and streets. Consider employees preoccupied by phones while walking around the manufacturing floor, down the stairs or in parking lots. What kind of situations might they find themselves in — or falling into — while they’re unaware of their surroundings?

How to reduce distractions

Some straightforward solutions can reduce distraction and the resulting injuries in any work environment: Focus on one thing at a time. Practice being present in the moment. Put down the phone.

To cut back on email and mobile phone distractions, start by turning off notifications. Try keeping your phone in your bag or another room. Some mobile apps exist solely to block other apps from interrupting.

The sign of a successful person is no longer multitasking — it’s single-tasking, focusing on one thing at a time. Eliminating distractions will help you get more done with less stress and more awareness of your surroundings and safety risks.