Check out our past recorded webinars below! Feel free to reach out to the risk management team if you have any questions on the material or recommendations for future trainings.
Find alphabetical list HERE
Slip and falls are one of the three leading causes of work-related and third-party injuries within schools and education institutions. With slip and falls costing approximately 35% more than the average claim and cause employees to miss an average of 83 workdays, it often hurts schools by keeping dollars and resources in the classroom. While slip and falls are one of the leading causes of injuries, they are also the most preventable. Red Alert is a patented floor safety coating that is assisting schools (and employers) with reducing their slip and fall exposure by making previously invisible (water) hazards visible. Red Alert provides schools and education institutions a cost-effective means to keeping employees and the public they serve safe.
Cindy Koenemann-Warren works with VSBIT and its members as a Human Resources Consultant through her position at RHR Smith and Company, CPAs. She has been a Human Resources Professional for over 20 years, 16 of those years in Vermont School Districts. She has her SPHR from HRCI. Her professional goal is to support school districts and municipalities based on her professional expertise and personal first-hand knowledge in conjunction with VSBIT and other Vermont organizations assisting Vermont schools and municipalities.
This session will provide an overview of the best management practices and requirements for handling both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes commonly generated at schools. Speakers will discuss dealing with disposal of cleaners, fluorescent lamps, paint, batteries, lab chemicals, art supplies, unknown materials, and making hazardous waste determinations, onsite storage, and transport. The discussion will center on managing wastes from science labs, art classrooms, trades-related classrooms and facilities, and maintenance facilities. Presented by Drew Youngs and Mia Roethlein from VT DEC.
We are pleased to have international keynote speaker on safety, Donald Olesen, present to school leaders on this important topic. Don has been in the practice of Environmental Health and Safety for over 41 years. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Board-Certified Safety Professional in Engineering Practice.
Topis covered include: Microbial growth in a public building (mold), is it really mold? Identification, proper communication, and terminology Exposure and what is a baseline, myths vs. reality Remediation techniques – Bleach??? Cause of potential growth-related issues? Darrel has been in the restoration and remediation business for over twenty years and combined over 25 years in facilities management and emergency management planning. Darrel is an IICRC certified technician and teaches continuing education in the insurance marketplace that range from Fire Damage Restoration, Ethics, Water Damage Restoration, Remediation Planning and Microbial Remediation. He currently sits on the Leadership Council for PuroClean North America and a partner in a construction firm, Construction Management Direct.
Presented by Sara Gibson, Sr. Risk Services Manager and Ariel Jenkins, Assistant VP, Risk Services, both from Safety National Slip, trips and falls are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims involving school staff. Whether it’s an icy walkway, water in the hallway, inadequate lighting, or rushing to get the job done, these incidents are preventable. Sara and Ariel will discuss the leading causes of slips, trips, and falls, including the human element, as well as hazard prevention and OSHA standards. They will also cover the role of safety culture and the consequences of neglecting risk factors in the workplace.
Presented by Heidi Joyce and Ben Prevost, Risk Management Consultants, VSBIT Multi-Line Leading and lagging indicators are two types of measurements used when assessing performance in an organization. A leading indicator is a predictive measurement, for example, the percentage of people wearing proper footwear is a leading safety indicator. A lagging indicator is an output measurement, for example, the number of accidents due to slips, trips, and falls is a lagging safety indicator. The difference between the two is a leading indicator can influence change and a lagging indicator can only record what has happened.
Presented by Jim Nowaczewski, Northeast General Manager, Kee Safety, Inc. Join us for this 30-minute webinar on rooftop safety, where we'll cover critical areas including Access Points, Rooftop Openings, and Unprotected Edges. We'll discuss common rooftop fall hazards, applicable OSHA codes, and the Risk Assessment Matrix that guides decision-making to protect workers. This webinar will demonstrate how safety professionals can protect workers during routine maintenance and other tasks that require rooftop access, and Jim, a rooftop safety expert, will provide practical tips to help you make informed decisions that impact worker safety.
Presented by Heidi Joyce and Ben Prevost, Risk Management Consultants, VSBIT Multi-Line Elements of an effective Safety and Health Management Program include: Management Leadership, Worker Participation, Hazard Identification and Assessment, Hazard Prevention and Control, Education and Training, and Program Evaluation and Improvement. This webinar will go over a process for Hazard Identification and Assessment.
Guest Speaker Cristian Sylvestre, HabitSafe, explains his research. Don't miss these "Aha" ideas! Cristian believes that traditional safety has worked well up to now, but further improvement is becoming a challenge. Are we missing something? Yes, a scientific and evidence-based understanding of “why people do what they do”. For the first time in human history, brain science can look inside the human brain to see exactly how it works. As it turns out, humans have limited attention. Not surprisingly, inattention is becoming an increasingly frequent causal factor in many incidents. This webinar explains how the discoveries of brain science are being used to help people understand the causes of inattention and what can be done about it. Enjoy this recorded session, on demand anytime.
Vermont Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (VTPBIS) is a state-wide effort designed to help school teams form a proactive, school-wide, systems approach to improving social and academic competence for all students. Schools in Vermont are engaged in using a formal system of positive behavioral supports in their schools. Involved schools who implement PBIS with fidelity and integrity see a dramatic decrease in the number of behavior problems experienced in their schools. Presented by Cassandra Townshend, Ed.D. and Amy Wheeler-Sutton, Vermont BEST/PBIS Directors, College of Education & Social Services, UVM, Center on Disability & Community Inclusion who will discuss initiatives you can implement.
Cutting, welding and other hot work operations present a major fire risk to schools and have the potential to cause very significant losses. Fortunately, these losses are largely preventable when supervisors, employees and contractors receive appropriate training to understand the risks and take specific precautions. Presented by Dawn Safine, Travelers.
The essence of safety culture resides in people’s beliefs about the importance of safety, including what they think their co-workers, supervisors and leaders really believe about safety’s value. It is demonstrated through attitudes, accepted norms and behaviors. It is about how things work and “the way things are done around here.” Safety culture represents the priority given to safety at all levels of your organization and reflects the real commitment to safety. Join this webinar for action steps to help grow your safety culture.
Presented by Patrick J. McManamon, Highway Safety Specialist, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Enforcement and Safety Division.
In this session you will learn about technologies that Facility Manager’s need to improve maintenance, asset management, project management, retention of institutional knowledge, capital planning/budgeting, and compliance/risk management. In the past, we feared that technology was taking jobs, but now with staff shortages we must leverage technology to improve how we manage our dated school infrastructure. Presented by Ben Prevost, Risk Management Consultant, VSBIT Multi-Line
The who, what, why, when, how often, etc. of putting together a safety team (or rejuvenating the one you have). If you are starting from scratch, we suggest you form a sub-committee of your School Crisis Planning Team.
Most of the school injury claims we see are due to slips, trips, and falls from wet, icy, and/or snowy surfaces. Let’s make sure everyone has the right footwear for the conditions (on the way to/from school, at school, and on the playground).
Did you know that mercury is a problem that every school needs to be prepared for? Some everyday items contain mercury. Even if your school is mercury-free, children or adults who are unaware of the hazard may bring mercury into your school. In this workshop you will learn about mercury and how to prepare for and respond to a spill. Presented by Michelle Thompson, MPH, Public Health Industrial Hygienist, Vermont Department of Health
Learn best practices for safe and effective cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting to get the job done while protecting building occupants from acute and long-term chemical harm, including asthma. Find out if you are in compliance with VT’s 2012 Act 68 School Green Cleaning Law and what you can expect from your vendors and other resources to help. Carol Westinghouse and Charen Fegard, from Informed Green Solutions, have over three decades combined experience in public health, from administering OSHA programs, working in the Civil Service’s Haz-Mat/Environmental Compliance Division, to 20 years working in schools, early child education, colleges and eldercare facilities. Their services are sponsored by the VT Department of Health (no cost to you).
Presented by Dawn Safine, Traveler’s Risk Control Account Executive. 1. Learn how to identify sprinkler components, understand sprinkler maintenance and testing requirements and the operation of sprinkler systems 2. Impairments – steps to take in the event of a planned or unplanned impairment 3. Identify the different types of sprinkler systems, namely – wet pipe and dry pipe systems 4. Understand ways that sprinklers can fail
Contractual risk transfer is an important component of managing risk. One large piece of that is certificates of insurance. This is especially significant when dealing with 3rd party vendors and contractors. Learn what kind of insurance requirements you should be looking for, how to request certificates of insurance, and how to verify they are sufficient. Presented by Jordan Bergeron, VSBIT Multi-line Assistant Program Manager
A new, safety awareness and accident prevention program aimed at reducing injuries from slips, trips, and falls year-round. This is an informational meeting to explain more about the program and the initiatives you can take at your schools. Anyone (everyone) can be safety advocates for your school. Presented by Heidi Joyce, VSBIT Multi-line Risk Management Consultant
Presented by Shawn Barth, Industrial Hygienist, Vermont Department of Labor This presentation will review the steps necessary to anticipate, evaluate, recognize and control the use of hazardous chemicals in school laboratories. Information communicated during this presentation will also review OSHA’s Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories regulation and how this regulation may or may not apply to school labs.
Presented by Jim Fritz, President of the Snell Group in Barre will present on the applications of thermal camera imaging in the school setting.
Three of your peers shared their experiences about what motivated them to de-clutter their school building, how they achieved it, how their staff reacted to the challenge, and what measures are in place to keep their building free of clutter.
Presented by Shawn Barth, Industrial Hygienist, Project WorkSAFE VT Department of Labor and Karl Hayden, VOSHA. Shawn Barth of Project WorkSAFE and Miriam Owens of VOSHA will review the details of the VOSHA compliance inspection process. Topics discussed include a review of OSHA’s mission to assure safe and healthful conditions in United States workplaces and the procedures of an OSHA compliance inspection.
Michael McGuffie will explain a solution to the displacement of your wood chips under your swings and slides. The product is LMADRS Playground Matting. - Low Maintenance - Accessible and Affordable (any new or revised playground needs to be accessible) - Durable (5-year warranty) - Rubber - Safety - IPEMA Product Certified/Tested - Local (CT)
Presented by Micheal Greenia, Assistant State Fire Marshal, Section Chief, Public Education, VT Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety presents this webinar on the importance of fire prevention and Life Safety at your school.
Presented by Eric Durett, ETCP Certified Theatrical Rigger, and Owner of Lakeman Theatrical Services. For school theater and facility staff - in this session you will learn how to manage a safe school theater environment. We will also discuss preventing hazardous theater environments, such as electrical safety, rigging, fire safety, and theater construction.
Presented by Randy Yandow from WorkSafe New England. During this webinar, you will learn about the hazards of electricity, electrical programs, Lockout/Tagout, inspections, and methods required to maintain your electrical panels safely.
Presented by Brant Insero from the ISSA. This webinar will help you develop a school cleaning program that revolves around safety. COVID has required us to change the way we clean so let us learn how these changes will continue to be instituted in our cleaning programs.
Presented by the Risk Management team. Slips, trips, and falls are the #1 cause of injuries at schools throughout Vermont. During this webinar, learn how to proactively identify, reduce and/or prevent these injuries from occurring at your school
Presented by the Risk Management team. With our shared experiences inspecting playgrounds, we will take you through the typical playground hazards we see at schools and then discuss how to correct them. Additionally, we will go over playground maintenance for your playground equipment materials (plastics, metal, and wood).
