HERE’S HOW TO PREVENT POTENTIAL HOLIDAY HAZARDS . . .

ELECTRICAL SAFETY2 Fa la la la lights! It’s not the holidays without bright, twinkling lights. Here are a few tips for your employees about electrical safety.

· Make sure cords are free of splices, exposed wires or cracked or frayed ends.

· Use a cord cover or tape the cord down when running electrical cords across aisles, entrances or exits, or between desks.

· Do not use extension cords or other three-pronged power cords that have a missing prong, and never remove the ground prong from electrical cords.

Lifting4

Unless you have a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer to help with the load, make sure your employees are preventing back strain with these lifting tips.

· Plan the move before lifting; remove obstructions from your chosen pathway.

· Test the weight of the load before lifting by pushing the load along its resting surface.

· Ask for help or use mechanical means to lift heavy or awkward items.

· Bend at the knees, not at the waist.

· Stretch muscles prior to beginning tasks.

Stocking shelves5

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the store shelves, so make sure your employees are stocking them safely.

· When stocking shelves by hand, position the materials to be shelved slightly in front of you, so you do not have to twist when lifting and stacking materials.

· Remove one object at a time from shelves.

· Use a ladder to retrieve merchandise from a height.

· Make sure items aren’t hanging off shelves into walkways.

Slips, trips and falls3

When your employees are walking through a workplace winter wonderland, have them make sure the floor is clear of slip, trip and fall hazards.

· Maintain clear walkways and stairs.

· Encourage good housekeeping in work areas.

· Mop up water around drinking fountains, drink dispensing machines and ice machines.

Ladder safety1

If your employees are up decking the halls, be sure to remind them of these ladder safety tips.

· Ensure proper ladder placement on solid/stable ground.

· Inspect ladders regularly and replace any that are damaged.

· Maintain three points of contact (two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand) while using ladders, including heavy equipment ladders.

Fatigue6

No one likes a Grinch, so encourage employees to get all nestled and snug in their beds—and dream of workplace safety … or sugar plums.

· Educate yourselves on the risks and costs associated with fatigue that increases the chance of workplace injuries.

· Make adjustments in scheduling or employee workload.

· Consider a workplace wellness initiative.

Some of our employees are on the naughty list. Can you spot the safety hazards?

Safety doesn’t take a holiday, and with all the extra excitement and bustle, it’s even more important that you protect your employees from hazards that may put a damper on their celebrations. The holidays are a good time to reiterate important safety practices with your employees, especially if your business hires seasonal workers.

1OSHA, Portable Ladder Safety; https://www.osha.gov/Publications/portable_ladder_qc.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.2OSHA, Electrical; https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/electrical/hazards.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.3OSHA, Working-walking surfaces general requirements; https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.22. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.4OSHA, Materials Handling: Heavy lifting; https://osha.gov/SLTC/etools/electricalcontractors/materials/heavy.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019. 5OSHA, Materials Handling and Storage; https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2236/osha2236.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.6OSHA, Long Work Hours, Extended or Irregular Shifts, and Worker Fatigue; https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workerfatigue/prevention.html. Accessed Nov. 1, 2019.

The information presented in this publication is intended to provide guidance and is not intended as a legal interpretation of any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations applicable to your business. The loss prevention information provided is intended only to assist policyholders of Summit managed insurers in the management of potential loss producing conditions involving their premises and/or operations based on generally accepted safe practices. In providing such information, Summit Consulting LLC does not warrant that all potential hazards or conditions have been evaluated or can be controlled. It is not intended as an offer to write insurance for such conditions or exposures. The liability of Summit Consulting LLC and its managed insurers is limited to the terms, limits and conditions of the insurance policies underwritten by any of them.

11/19 ©2019 Summit Consulting LLC (DBA Summit, the people who know workers’ comp LLC) PO Box 988, Lakeland, FL 33802. All rights reserved.

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