APRIL 2023
The Pulse Newsletter
 
 
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Everybody into the Pool? Not so fast!

 
 

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Submit a 2023 Risk Management Grant and Recognition Application Now

 
 
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Spring Has Sprung — Are You Ready?

 

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Training Update

Close up photo of tree branches beginning to leaf.

Spring Has Sprung — Are You Ready?

It’s springtime, and that means it’s time to play ball — and golf, and soccer, and to picnic and hike, and to enjoy being outside after a long cold winter! For your agency, it’s also time for in-service training for your seasonal, part- and full-time staff.

Person trimming small branch from tree.“Spring safety prep should be as much a part of the season as turning the clocks ahead,” advises Seth Norton, PDRMA Risk Management Consultant. Agency employees are already tackling many job tasks before the first blade of grass appears, from mowing lawns, golf and soccer/baseball fields to clearing dead wood and trimming branches as well as checking building roofs and dozens of other preparations.

Even experienced permanent staff needs a refresher. It’s tempting to take a shortcut and ignore the consequences, but that can lead to injuries. That’s why, for instance, our video on ladder safety (see below) is such a must-see for employees. It is a poignant reminder to take the extra time to follow best safety practices. 

Here’s a checklist of essential spring training topics:

  • The Core 6 Approach to Safe Mowing — Video — English and Spanish.
  • Small Engine and Mower Repair for Maintenance Staff — Video — English.
  • Chainsaw Operation and Tree Trimming Safety — Video — English.
  • The Richard Lee Story — Ladder InjuryEnglish.
  • Ladder Safety Online Learning Center.
  • Trailering Safety — Loading, Unloading, Operating and Working with TrailersEnglish.