Members Helping Members

Gail Sandles-Jackson of Sheldon ISD knows the importance of safely navigating a 20,000-pound school bus filled with Texas' most precious cargo. "I have respect for the vehicle and my responsibility," said Gail. "Whatever's going on around me, I have to be a professional."

Being a professional includes responding appropriately to collisions. That’s why Gail weathered April storms (safely, of course) to attend the Fund's Vehicle Collision Investigation (VCI) training, hosted by Pearland ISD. The event was one of multiple training opportunities graciously hosted by Fund members this spring. 

7 Safety Tips from Your Peers

TASB Risk Management Services experts lead regional training, but there was plenty of support from the transportation directors, school risk managers, custodial supervisors, and shop foremen in attendance. Here are seven practical tips shared by your peers.

1. Leverage third-party video

Gail Sandles-Jackson
Driver
Sheldon ISD

"When I worked for another district, a bus driver was involved in an accident that wasn’t her fault. Unfortunately, the bus cameras weren’t working, but we found video from a nearby business that showed the other driver caused the accident.”

2. Ask vendors for training

Arthur Montgomery
Custodial Services Supervisor
Denton ISD

New equipment brings new risks. When the custodial team gets new equipment, we have the vendor come out and demonstrate safe operating procedures at no cost to the district.

3. Hire for safety

Brenda Shelby
HR Manager of Auxiliary Services
Denton ISD

I've been working with Arthur Montgomery, our Custodial Services Supervisor, to incorporate safety into the interview process. Our goal is to hire people who can not only do their jobs well but who also share Denton ISD's commitment to preventing injuries.

4. Invest in an accident review committee

Keith Knaup
Transportation Director
Pearland ISD

We formed an accident review committee that includes the transportation supervisor, lead trainer, shop foreman, and a driver. The committee reviews collision investigation reports to identify root causes and determine whether accidents were preventable. The goal is not to find fault, but instead to find facts and constantly improve.

5. Incentive safety

Meredith Kerr
Auto Claims Specialist
Garland ISD

We do a monthly callout and issue a certificate to incident-free bus drivers. Drivers who go 12 months without an incident receive a patch for the district letterman-type jacket we issue when they join the district. Recognition really boosts morale.

Bonus safety incentive tip!

Angelo Grau
Driver Safety Trainer
Mesquite ISD

I host a monthly Pizza with Angelo event for safety-minded employees. For example, I had the honor of rewarding an employee who recognized a student who had been missing for some time. He picked the child up and got him home safely.

6. Engage employees in safety

Sabrina Jeter
Risk Specialist
Garland ISD

Our leadership team selects an injury-reporting and safety point of contact for each campus. They assist me with inspecting workplaces for hazards, taking corrective actions, and submitting first reports of injury. We also engage employees with monthly safety quizzes focused on a single topic.

7. Report claims as soon as possible

Glenn Henry
Shop Foreman
Pearland ISD

We learned from working with the Fund that we should submit claims the same day whenever possible. We submit whatever information we can to get the ball rolling. We know we can always submit more information as it becomes available.

8: Don’t dismiss near-misses

Jennifer Bakare–Brown
Safety Manager
Arlington ISD

Near-misses offer improvement opportunities. We put flyers that have QR codes in break rooms and other high-traffic areas. Employees can quickly scan the code and complete a short near-miss report we created using Google Docs. The risk management team investigates each report and takes corrective action.

Want to Share a Tip?

If your organization solved a risk management challenge, we encourage you to share it with your peers. After all, Fund members are stronger together! Email us at fund.communications@tasb.org.