Safety Alert

Falls from stepladders and tire blowouts

As a service to our policyholders, Texas Mutual shares serious workplace injury trends based on catastrophic injuries and fatalities reported to our claims department. Not all of these reported injuries are covered by workers’ compensation, but our goal is to help you ensure these types of incidents do not happen in your workplace. Find tips and suggested e-Learning training courses below to help keep your employees safe on the job. To access the e-Learning courses, policyholders can log in to their texasmutual.com account and then use the links below.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact our safety services support center at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723) or safety@texasmutual.com.

Falls from stepladders

An employee was working from a stepladder when they lost their balance and fell backward. In another incident, an employee moved a ladder from one location to another, but the spreaders did not lock in place. When the employee began climbing the ladder, it shifted and caused the employee to fall.

Stepladders are commonly used items in construction, electrical and maintenance activities. Although they’re typically shorter than extension ladders or lifts, users can still suffer serious injuries from a fall.

Safety tips:

• Inspect all parts of the stepladder for damage and do not use it if there are any defects.
• Ensure the ladder is placed on a dry, stable surface.
• Never use a stepladder while the spreaders are unlocked.
• Maintain three points of contact (one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot) with the ladder.
• Do not use the top step as a step.

e-Learning course suggestions:

Ladder Safety

Mobile Elevating Work Platform

Mount & Dismount Heavy Equipment

Experiencing a tire blowout on the road

An employee was driving when a nearby vehicle had a tire blowout. The vehicle swerved, crossed the median and struck the employee head on. In another incident, an employee experienced a tire blowout while driving, which caused their vehicle to rollover in a single-vehicle accident.

Make sure you’re prepared before you hit the road. Tire blowout prevention starts with maintenance and inspections, but it’s also important to know how to react if one does occur.

Safety tips:

• Stay up to date on vehicle maintenance and repairs, especially tire replacements.
• Check your tire pressure at least once a month to ensure the air pressure is at the recommended level.
• Inspect your tires for any damage or abnormalities before driving.
• If you do experience a tire blowout while driving, let your car slow down gradually, maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel and, once you’re moving less than 30 mph, pull over to a stop on the side of the road.
• If you notice another vehicle experiencing a tire blowout, slow down and give them space to pull over.

e-Learning course suggestions:

Driving Preparation

Alert Driving

Driving Hazard Recognition

Courtesy of Texas Mutual

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