The Institute of Business Publications, P. O. BOX 1340, Havertown, PA (2025)

04/03/2025

Contact with overhead power lines is the top cause of electrical fatalities in the U.S. This chart was featured in the latest issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. Visit https://lnkd.in/eq5SFfEN to sample the next four copies of our newsletter at no cost & no obligation to cancel.

04/02/2025

Do the right thing and teach your frontline managers how to do things right when it comes to weeding out workplace discrimination. The legal world moves quickly, which is why you need a resource to keep the team informed. Our HR newsletter provides a fast and convenient way to stay in the loop with everything you need to know. Start your trial subscription today via https://lnkd.in/e_7AKbgE.

03/26/2025

Survey identifies poor setup as top cause of ladder injury incidents. Consider periodic reminders to your staffers about the importance of setting up ladders properly. That’s your takeaway from a recent survey that identified incorrect ladder setup as the No. 1 reason for ladder injury incidents. The survey by the American Ladder Institute revealed that 33% of 350 managers responsible for ladder safety training identified incorrect ladder setup as the most common cause of ladder-related mishaps.

In addition, 30% of those ladder safety professionals cited selection of the wrong ladder for the job as a top reason for injury incidents. And 23% reported that using a ladder for an unintended purpose was a significant cause of ladder mishaps. (Note: Respondents could identify more than one reason for ladder incidents.)

When asked how injury mishaps related to ladders could’ve been avoided, 54% of respondents cited better ladder safety training, with 92% stating that ladder safety training is either important or very important for staff member safety.

(^ From the March 24, 2025, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click https://lnkd.in/dHGGzBn.)

03/18/2025

Here’s a statistic that might surprise you: Every year in the U.S., approximately 9,000 workers are injured and 40 are killed in incidents involving conveyor belts. That’s why staffers should always deenergize conveyors before reaching into them whenever they need to clear jams or make repairs.

^ From the From the March 10, 2025, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription.

Our readers rely on Safety Alert for Supervisors because:

• It’s quick read. There’s no need to invest a lot of time to gain useful ideas.
• It’s easy to understand. There’s no theory; only concrete ideas to help supervisors encourage safe behavior.
• It’s practical. Topics include quick tips, safety news, mistakes that hurt, legal developments, tragic stories to learn from, and more!
• It’s cost-effective. If the newsletter helps a supervisor prevent even one incident, it immediately pays for itself.

03/14/2025

Enjoy St. Patrick's Day! This holiday is close to my heart, and I have so much to celebrate. As you might guess from my full name (Fiona Margaret McCanney), I'm proudly Irish. My mother was born and raised in Ireland, and my father’s grandfather was from there too. I’m recently married and have taken a new last name, but here on LinkedIn, I stick with my birth name. After all, we’re a family business, so I want to keep our online presence in line with the McCanney legacy. So, with all that said, I’m excited to honor my roots and celebrate this holiday in, let’s be real, a very Americanized way 😂!

If you are feeling extra festive and want to support an Irish family, try out our product! We offer four complimentary copies of our safety newsletter at no cost via www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription.

Have a wonderful weekend.

03/12/2025

Would your team put on their safety gear if no one reminded them? A recent survey of 495 individuals who witnessed workplace falls highlights an important lesson: clear communication around safety equipment use can significantly reduce the risk of injury. According to the study by the Center for Construction Research and Training, workers who were aware that fall protection was required by their employer were 8 times more likely to wear the necessary safety gear compared to those who weren’t informed.

The survey also revealed that the #1 cause of falls was poor job planning, cited by 27.4% of respondents. Additionally, 21.7% noted that falls occurred because workers didn’t use the safety gear provided to them.

Taking the time to ensure that your team knows when and why they should use safety equipment isn’t just a best practice – it can save lives. Stay proactive, stay safe!

How does your team reinforce the importance of safety gear on the job?

^ For more safety-related education and resources, check out www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription.

03/11/2025

** DISCRETION ADVISED ** MAN KILLED WHEN DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY SLAMS SHUT, CRUSHES HIS HEAD. If you doubt the importance of making sure broken safety components are repaired in a timely manner, consider the plight now faced by Fabcon Precast, Grove City, OH.

The company just pleaded guilty to a Class B misdemeanor criminal charge brought by the U.S. Department of Justice in response to the June 2020 death of a crew member.

According to officials, Zachary Ledbetter, 20, was killed while operating a concrete mixer. The machine featured an exhaust valve that controlled pneumatic power to a discharge door. When the handle for the valve broke, supervisors failed to have it repaired.

Ledbetter was running the equipment one day when the door didn’t shut properly. Because he couldn’t use the valve to control the door, he tried to close the door manually. While he was doing so, the door unexpectedly slammed shut and crushed his head.

Under the plea deal, Fabcon acknowledged that it was aware that the valve was broken but failed to have it fixed. The company also admitted that it knew workers were operating an unsafe piece of equipment.

^ From the March 10, 2025, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription.

* THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS UNRELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT.

03/10/2025

Keep in mind that transportation incidents are the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the U.S. In 2023, for instance, transportation incidents accounted for 36% of job deaths. This chart was featured in the March 10th issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. Visit www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription to get four complimentary copies of our newsletter over the next two months.

04/26/2024

Continue to have the courage to promote a safer workplace, even if it means tackling a tough wrestling match with the budget. Your employees need you. Plus, preventing dangerous incidents in the first place will save your employer tons and tons of money in the long run. Litigation and/or handling workers comp claims is just much too costly down the road. That's just the simple truth.

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If you want to keep costs down, spread education, news, knowledge, and information to your frontline supervisors via our bi-weekly newsletters, give us a shot. Keep in mind that you don't have to make a safety budget decision just yet either! Via https://lnkd.in/dHGGzBn, you can sample the next four copies of our newsletter over the course of two months for free. If you still find it isn't a valuable resource, you don't have to pay any money or cancel, your issues will just stop coming after the two month period is over. If you do decide to continue with us, we only cost $265 per YEAR. So let's continue to fuel the safety needs of our employees, & let's do so at a jaw-droppingly low price 😊.

02/07/2024

STAFFER NOT AUTHORIZED TO RUN DEVICE HAS HIS HAND CRUSHED➡ The following article was featured in the January 29th issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors (read on below):
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SAFETY INSIGHT: Here’s a heads-up to your equipment operators: They should never let an unauthorized, untrained coworker help them run a hazardous piece of equipment.

WHAT HAPPENED: After he’d completed his assigned duties for the day, a crew member asked a machine operator whether he could assist him because he wanted to learn how to run that particular device. The operator said it would be OK.

WHAT PEOPLE DID: The operator told the staffer to feed materials into the machine while the operator worked the control panel. The two men completed several machine cycles without incident. However, things took a turn for the worse when the crew member fed additional materials into the device and the operator, thinking that his coworker was out of harm’s way, activated the unit. The device cycled and the worker’s hand was crushed. The injured staff member was approved for workers’ comp benefits.

LEGAL CHALLENGE: The worker sought additional comp benefits, claiming that his injury happened because his employer was guilty of a violation of a specific safety requirement (VSSR).

RESULT: The company won. The court turned down the injured staff member’s request for additional benefits due to a VSSR. The judge decided that the victim hadn’t been authorized or assigned to help with the running of the machine when he got hurt, so he wasn’t considered a machine operator. The VSSR bump is available only to operators, noted the court.

THE SKINNY: Employees seeking an increase in comp payments usually face an uphill battle if they were hurt performing job duties that they weren’t trained or authorized to engage in.

CITATION: Strawser v. The Industrial Commission of Ohio, Court of Appeals of Ohio, No. 22AP-330, 11/30/23.

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^ To start your no-obligation trial subscription to this publication right now, please click https://lnkd.in/dHGGzBn. --> You'll receive our PDF publication via email bi-weekly for the next two months at no cost. Don't worry, we won't send you any marketing materials, just the newsletter.

If you want to continue the subscription for a full year, you can sign up full-time via https://lnkd.in/eruhU5-V, or pay the continuation notice that we send out once your free trial period comes to an end.
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* THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS UNRELATED TO THIS INCIDENT; IT IS FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY

02/05/2024

SAFETY MEETING BLUEPRINT: MEDICATION SAFETY (see below). The following safety meeting blueprint was featured on page 5 of the latest January 29th issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors:
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Imagine you’re operating a hazardous machine and you start to feel drowsy and nod off. Now imagine waking up and finding to your horror, that your right hand is within inches of a moving machine part. Thankfully, you’re able to pull your hand away quickly enough to avoid a debilitating injury.

But you’re surprised by the near miss because you had plenty of sleep last night. So what’s going on?

You might have become drowsy because of the medication you recently started using to battle cold and flu symptoms. In fact, drowsiness is the most significant side effect of seasonal medications. Also keep in mind that both prescription and over-the counter (OTC) cold and flu medications can cause severe fatigue.

However, drowsiness isn’t the only unwanted side effect of a seasonal medication. You could also experience dizziness, impaired balance, slowed reaction times, distorted thinking, or irritability.

Needless to say, any of these symptoms would be worrisome while you’re performing hazardous job duties. That’s why you should pay attention to possible side effects when you’re taking cold and flu medications.

Before ingesting a drug to help battle a cold or the flu, look at the label. At the top, you’ll see a section titled Drug Facts. There, you’ll find the substance’s active ingredients. Confirm that you haven’t previously had a negative reaction to any of those ingredients. Also, keep in mind that single ingredient products are preferable to combination substances because there’s less chance of a dangerous drug interaction.

The label will also alert you to important safety considerations. For instance, if the label reads “May cause drowsiness” or “Be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery,” you should let your supervisor know that you’re using the drug so he or she can assign you to a less hazardous task.

Don’t forget to check the expiration date on the bottle. Never use expired medication, because it’ll be ineffective and your symptoms could worsen, which could further jeopardize your safety.

Be sure to follow the dosage directions on the label. Don’t exceed the recommended dosage, because doing so could worsen the negative side effects of the substance.

If you need help remembering to consume the medication at the correct time, consider using a chart, a calendar, or a weekly pill box. You could also write down reminders, activate a timer, or set an alarm on your watch or cellphone to let you know when it’s time to take the drug.

Thanks for your attention. And remember, let’s stay safe out there!
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For more content to pass on to your supervisors and employees, visit www.iobp.com/safety-alert-for-supervisors-trial-subscription. You'll get the next four issues of our newsletter over the course of two months at no cost & no requirement to cancel.

10/17/2023

CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR COMPANY THAT LIED TO STAFFERS ABOUT SAFETY. READ ON BELOW* ⬇ Fill out our form via https://lnkd.in/eU9AF3t to receive the next four copies of our newsletter at no cost to your employer & no obligation to cancel. ✨ The following article was featured in the latest October 16th issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors:
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For new proof that safety regulators don’t like it when employers deceive their workers about safety measures, consider the recent deferred prosecution agreement between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Skinner Tank Co., Yale, OK.

Skinner has agreed to pay $370,680 in criminal and civil penalties as a result of the October 2019 death of its employee at a job site in St. Joseph, MO. The worker, who wasn’t wearing fall protection, fell 50 feet to his death.

During its investigation, OSHA learned that Skinner had falsely told employees that fall-arrest systems actually decrease job site safety, so staffers weren’t allowed to use the gear. Instead, workers were supposed to monitor each other and provide verbal warnings of potential risks.

Based on U.S.A. v. Skinner Tank Co.
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(^ From the Oct. 16, 2023, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click https://lnkd.in/eU9AF3t.)
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* If you want to continue your subscription for a full year, you can fill out our form on this page: https://lnkd.in/eruhU5-V
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Still not sure!?
➡ Keep in mind that our readers rely on Safety Alert for Supervisors because:

• It's a quick read. There’s no need to invest a lot of time to gain useful ideas.
• It’s easy to understand. There’s no theory; only concrete ideas to help encourage safe behavior.
• It’s practical. Topics include quick tips, safety news, mistakes that hurt, legal developments, tragic stories to learn from, and more.
• It’s cost-effective. If the newsletter helps prevent even just one incident, it immediately pays for itself.

↪ Unfortunately, some managers learn the hard way how important following safety protocol really is. We can put a stop to those tough lessons. Our publication is written in an fast & easy-to-read format so that supervisors who may not necessarily know much about (or care about) safety can change their ways. By formatting the content in the context of their world, we can teach them to truly value and integrate the safety-related information that's presented to them.

The Institute of Business Publications

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