Industry Insights for Public Sector
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How to Make Public Parks Safer (Updated August 2021)
A parks and rec department has an important role in planning, designing and maintaining safer parks.
Pool chemical safety starts with knowing how to mix and store chemicals, and what to do in the event of a pool chemical accident. » More
Protect first responders during emergency traffic control operations with free training and these planning tips. » More
Find safety committee ideas, including meeting topics and activities, that can help your team prevent accidents. » More
Keep your snowplow drivers on the road with pre-trip inspections, adequate rest and safe backing techniques. » More
Ice inside your water tower can damage interior and exterior tank components. » More
EMS workers can help prevent neck and back injuries with changes to lifting and posture. » More
Heat and humidity put workers at risk of heat illness. Factors like water and breaks can make a difference. » More
Law enforcement are likely to come into contact with individuals who have COVID-19, so they must take special precautions to protect themselves while on duty or returning to duty after a possible exposure. » More
Sewer backups stink for everyone involved. Protect your wastewater collection system, as well as your relationship with residents, with our tips for creating an effective sewer management program. » More
Ice melt can be a valuable tool in the winter if used correctly. Follow these seven tips to use it effectively. » More
Are your supervisors prepared to evaluate workplace injuries and direct injured employees to the care they need? If not, consider enrolling in EMC OnCall Nurse, a 24/7 nurse help line. » More
Municipal operations have complex fleets. Manage vehicle-related claims by targeting the right risks, understanding contributing factors and applying these best practices. » More
Lightning is a major cause of storm-related deaths and property damage in the U.S. Municipal organizations are especially at-risk, but effective planning can help protect workers, outdoor events and property. » More
Young workers are more likely than their older counterparts to be injured on the job. If you’re hiring teens or young adults this summer, you can help them stay safe on the job by knowing what kind of work they’re allowed to do, standardizing safety training and limiting the amount of time they spend behind the wheel. » More
Public safety research in 2018 produced actionable recommendations on everything from basement firefighting to preventing unintentional fentanyl exposure. To make sure you don’t miss anything, we’ve rounded up the best articles of the last year. » More
Maintaining safe sidewalks is especially challenging during the winter. Help prevent slips and falls with our strategies for walkway assessments, pretreatment before the storm and snow removal strategy. » More
Advance planning can help ensure your municipality has a successful snow removal season. We cover six areas to prep, including evaluation of your fleet, training for operators and determining the supplies to order. » More
The diverse nature of public sector operations makes it challenging to control employee injuries due to slips and trips. Public organizations can help prevent falls by implementing these best practices, which cover general slip and fall hazards as well as tips tailored for emergency response activities, maintenance shops and indoor administrative areas. » More
You can't control the weather, but there are ways to prevent heat illness in outdoor workers. Learn more about heat management strategies including heat acclimatization, adequate hydration, break schedules, protective gear, scheduling for the weather and recognizing the signs of heat illness. » More
Jobs like pothole patching, vegetation control, traffic signal repair and snow removal all put you in close contact with drivers who may be unsure how to respond to your presence. Follow these seven rules of temporary traffic control to help make sure you stay safe while working roadside. » More
Safety committees are a great way to increase employee involvement in safety while also making your programs more effective. Depending on your state, there may be financial incentives for establishing a safety committee, or there may be regulations requiring you to do so. But once you get your safety committee started, what should they be doing? We’ve got some ideas to help make your committee as effective as possible. » More
Slips and falls are the leading cause of accidental injury in the workplace. And we’re entering prime time for these injuries to affect your employees (and the public!), because nearly half of slip and fall injuries occur between December and March. Don’t let winter weather get the best of you. Make your walkways safer with these tips. » More
We count on emergency medical services (EMS) providers to be ready and able to respond in the event of an accident or disaster. They spend so much of their time treating the injuries of others that it’s easy to forget that EMS workers are themselves vulnerable to on-the-job injuries. » More
Municipal employees spend a lot of time working in an elevated position. Unfortunately, all that time working at heights means these workers are especially vulnerable to injuries from falls. Many of the claims we see stem from the use of ladders and bucket trucks, so we've put together some tips to pass along to your employees. » More
Your employees do a wide variety of work, so they’re exposed to a wide variety of ergonomic hazards. Taking the time to make improvements to some of these jobs can help prevent injuries while also making the tasks faster and easier. Here are some ideas based on great examples we’ve seen. » More
While protecting people and property in your community, your first responders are sometimes put at risk of injury themselves. This is especially true during roadside activities like towing and recovery operations, directing traffic or everyday traffic stops. » More
Are you putting the right people in the driver’s seat of your municipal vehicles? A driver’s past driving behavior is a good indicator of future accident risk, so make sure you do your homework before you hand over the keys. » More
When it comes to winter maintenance of the sidewalks and parking lots for your community facilities, ice melt can be a valuable tool. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your ice melt with these tips. » More
Winter is a rough time for the roofs of your municipal facilities. Harsh winds, the stress of freeze-thaw cycles and the weight of snow and ice can all contribute to a possible roof failure that could range from an inconvenient leak to a catastrophic collapse. » More
If you have a parks and recreation department, it likely provides a variety of recreational services to people of all ages in your community. This frequent contact with the public creates an opportunity to help keep residents safer in their everyday lives. » More
When employees are injured on the job, it's usually best if you can get them back to work as soon as they are medically able to return. This may seem challenging if their injury presents lingering restrictions that keep them from doing their normal job, however you can easily manage the process with these tips. » More
Every year, thousands of people visit emergency rooms because of accidents involving pool chemicals. While these chemicals are necessary to keep the water safe for swimming, it's important to protect your employees and pool patrons by understanding how to safely use and store them. » More
Did you know that nearly one in four vehicle accidents involves backing? That's pretty high, especially if you consider how little distance is covered each day by backing vehicles as compared to those moving forward. Help prevent pricey backing accidents by passing along these tips to your drivers. » More
During winter weather events, your snow plow operators help make the roads safer for your residents. Help return the favor, and make sure your drivers are ready to tackle the next snow, with these tips. » More
October is Fire Preparedness Month. We count on fire extinguishers to help us put out small fires, but would yours be ready if you needed them today? Would you know how to use an extinguisher effectively? » More
Ransomware is a type of malicious program, similar to a virus, that invades a user's computer system. Once in place, the ransomware encrypts all files and locks the user out of the computer while displaying a message demanding a ransom (usually ranging from $200 to $10,000) for the release of the files. » More
Are you interested in providing supplemental training for your first responders, but you aren't sure if there's enough money in your budget? Take a look at the following organizations which offer free or low-cost training materials, such as informational articles, videos and standard operating procedures. » More
Many municipalities hire short-term employees to help with summer parks and rec programs, act as lifeguards at public pools or assist with maintenance work. Due to their youth and inexperience, these employees can be especially vulnerable to workplace injuries. » More
Sewer backups, which are most frequent from April to June, can damage your wastewater collection system and your relationship with residents. Implementing an effective sewer management program can help prevent sewer backups while also protecting your capital investment in the system. » More
An effective sidewalk maintenance program can help you spot and repair problem areas on your walking surfaces before one of your employees or a member of the public experiences a slip and fall injury. » More
Your municipal workforce faces a wide variety of ergonomic hazards because of the wide variety of work they do. Taking some time to make ergonomic improvements can help prevent injuries and increase productivity. Here are some ideas and great examples we've seen. » More
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