November 2026 Business Risk & Safety Update: Winter Workplace Safety and Navigating Election Season

As November arrives, employers face two important challenges: preparing their workplaces for winter weather and navigating the potential workplace challenges that come with election season. Both present opportunities for businesses to take a proactive approach to protecting employees, maintaining productivity, and reducing unnecessary risk.

This month, we're highlighting practical ways employers can prevent winter-related workplace injuries, establish expectations for political discussions at work, and take advantage of resources available through Risk Advisor Konnect.

Don't Let Winter Trip You Up: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls at Work

Winter weather brings more than cold temperatures and shorter days. Snow, ice, freezing rain, and wet floors create additional hazards for employees and can lead to costly workplace injuries.

Slips, trips, and falls cost U.S. employers approximately $19 billion annually in serious workers' compensation claims, with incidents increasing during the winter months. Parking lots, sidewalks, building entrances, and loading areas can quickly become dangerous when snow and ice are not properly addressed.

The good news is that many of these injuries are preventable with consistent inspections, proper housekeeping, and appropriate footwear.

What Employers Need to Know About OSHA Requirements

OSHA's walking-working surfaces standard (29 CFR 1910.22) places responsibility on employers to maintain safe walking and working surfaces. This includes addressing hazards associated with snow and ice.

Some of the key requirements include:

• Keep surfaces clean and orderly: Aisles, stairways, and stockrooms should remain free of clutter, cords, and debris.

• Keep floors dry whenever possible: Use entry mats, drainage systems, and nonslip surfaces in areas where moisture accumulates.

• Remove recognized hazards: Address spills, leaks, loose boards, protruding objects, snow, and ice on walking surfaces.

• Provide safe access and exit routes: Ensure entrances, exits, and walkways are properly cleared and treated.

• Conduct regular inspections: Schedule routine walkthroughs and correct or guard hazards before employees use affected areas.

Even when a specific OSHA standard does not directly address a hazard, employers may still be cited under OSHA's General Duty Clause for recognized workplace hazards. An untreated, icy entrance is one example of a preventable hazard that can put employees at risk.

Where Do Winter-Related Falls Happen Most Often?

Although winter hazards can occur throughout a workplace, certain areas deserve additional attention:

• Parking lots and sidewalks: Black ice, refreezing snow, and poorly lit walkways can create dangerous conditions during early morning and evening commutes.

• Entrances and lobbies: Snow and moisture tracked inside on footwear can create slippery floors, particularly within the first 10 to 15 feet of an entrance.

• Loading docks and outdoor work areas: Icy dock plates, trailer beds, steps, and gaps between docks and trailers increase the likelihood of falls.

• Vehicles and equipment: Employees entering and exiting trucks, forklifts, and heavy equipment should use three points of contact.

• Stairs and ramps: Wet steps, missing handrails, and inadequate lighting can quickly become serious hazards.

• Ladders and roofs: Seasonal maintenance, gutter cleaning, and snow removal can expose employees to both slipping hazards and falls from elevated surfaces.

• Aisles and stockrooms: Increased holiday inventory, extra boxes, and extension cords can create additional tripping hazards.

Employers should also consider which employees may be more vulnerable. New and seasonal hires may not be familiar with areas where slippery conditions frequently develop, while older workers may be more likely to experience serious injuries, including fractures, that result in extended time away from work.

Winter Safety Tips by Industry

Every industry has unique workplace exposures. Taking time to identify the hazards specific to your operation can make winter safety efforts much more effective.

Construction

Falls to a lower level are among the costliest injury causes in construction. Employers should clear snow and ice from decks, scaffolding, and roofs before work begins, inspect fall protection equipment and anchors, and enforce applicable fall protection requirements, including the six-foot threshold referenced in the source guidance.

Manufacturing and Warehousing

Loading docks, trailers, and wet floors near overhead doors are common trouble spots. Inspect dock plates and trailers, maintain door seals, use mats near overhead doors, and keep forklift travel paths clear.

Transportation and Delivery

Drivers face additional risks when exiting vehicles and navigating icy customer locations. Reinforce the importance of three points of contact, provide ice cleats in trucks, and encourage drivers to report unsafe delivery locations.

Healthcare and Senior Living

Wet floors, patient rooms, and parking garages used by employees working night shifts deserve attention. Keep spill response kits available on every unit, ensure staff parking areas are properly lit and treated, and encourage slip-resistant footwear.

Retail and Restaurants

Entryways, coolers, greasy kitchen floors, and stockroom ladders can all contribute to winter-related injuries. Use long entry mats, maintain a regular degreasing schedule, and provide step stools instead of allowing employees to climb shelves or boxes.

Hospitality

Same-level falls are a significant cost driver in the hospitality industry. Pay particular attention to lobby and pool-deck mats, treated guest walkways, and housekeeping cart routes.

Offices and Professional Services

Parking lots and building entrances are common areas of concern. Hold snow removal contractors accountable, maintain appropriate entry mats, and ensure adequate lighting for employees arriving and leaving during darker hours.

What Should You Do If an Employee Falls?

Even with the best prevention efforts, workplace accidents can still happen. Having a consistent response process can help employers manage incidents effectively and prevent similar injuries from occurring.

If an employee experiences a fall:

1. Get medical attention and report the claim promptly. Employees should receive appropriate medical care, and the incident should be reported to your insurance carrier the same day.

2. Document the scene. Photograph the area before it is cleaned up, and record relevant details such as weather conditions, lighting, and the employee's footwear.

3. Identify the root cause. Determine what led to the incident rather than simply documenting that a fall occurred. Correct the underlying hazard to help prevent another injury.

4. Review OSHA recordkeeping requirements. Record the incident on your OSHA 300 Log if it meets the applicable recordkeeping criteria.

5. Consider modified duty. When medically appropriate, modified work assignments can help employees return to work as soon as their treating physician allows.

Winter workplace safety should be an ongoing priority, not something addressed only after an accident occurs. Regular inspections, employee awareness, and prompt hazard correction can go a long way toward protecting your workforce and controlling workers' compensation costs.

Election Season in the Workplace: What Employers Should Know

Election season is here, and political conversations can become more frequent and passionate during this time of year. For employers, this can create challenges involving political discussions, campaign-related clothing, and disagreements between employees.

Businesses have a legitimate interest in maintaining a professional, respectful, and productive work environment. However, employers should also understand that certain employee speech and activities may be protected by law.

Taking a proactive approach can help establish expectations, reduce unnecessary conflict, and minimize potential legal risks before disagreements arise.

Understanding Employee Speech Protections

Employees sometimes reference their First Amendment right to free speech when discussing political expression in the workplace. However, the First Amendment generally restricts government action rather than the actions of private employers.

This means that employees of government employers may have constitutional free speech protections in certain workplace circumstances, while private employers generally have more flexibility to establish restrictions on political discussions and expression.

There are, however, important exceptions.

Some states have laws that prohibit employers from disciplining or restricting employees based on their political affiliations, political views, or association with a political party.

Additionally, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects many private-sector employees who participate in certain protected concerted activities. These activities can include discussions and collective efforts involving:

• Wages and compensation

• Employee benefits

• Workplace safety

• Other terms and conditions of employment

However, political discussions focused on issues unrelated to the workplace or matters outside the employer's control are generally not protected by the NLRA on that basis alone.

Because employee protections can vary depending on the circumstances and applicable state laws, employers should carefully evaluate workplace policies and consult appropriate HR or legal resources before taking disciplinary action related to political expression.

Why Proactive Communication Matters

Waiting until a political disagreement turns into a formal employee complaint can make an already challenging situation more difficult to manage.

Instead, employers should communicate expectations before election-related discussions become disruptive.

A simple reminder can reinforce the importance of professionalism while acknowledging that employees may have different opinions and perspectives.

Here is an example of a message employers can share with their teams:

Sample Employee Communication:

Subject: Maintaining a Respectful Workplace During Election Season

Hi Team,

As election season approaches, we recognize that political discussions may become more common. We also recognize that employees may have different political beliefs, perspectives, and opinions.

We respect everyone's right to hold their own views. At the same time, we want to remind all employees of our expectations for maintaining a professional, respectful, and inclusive workplace.

Please keep the following expectations in mind:

• Employees are expected to treat coworkers, customers, and visitors with courtesy and professionalism.

• Personal discussions should not interfere with job responsibilities, productivity, or workplace relationships.

• Threatening, discriminatory, or unlawfully harassing behavior will not be tolerated.

Thank you for doing your part to maintain a positive and professional workplace.

Election season does not have to create workplace conflict. Clear expectations, consistent enforcement of workplace policies, and an understanding of employee rights can help employers prevent disagreements from escalating into larger HR issues.

How Risk Advisor Konnect Can Help Your Business

Managing workplace safety, HR challenges, employee claims, and regulatory compliance can be overwhelming, especially when unexpected situations arise.

That's why we offer Risk Advisor Konnect, a service designed to give our clients access to guidance and support when they need it.

Through Risk Advisor Konnect, clients have access to a helpline that provides answers to questions involving four key areas:

• Safety and OSHA Compliance: Get guidance on workplace safety requirements, OSHA recordkeeping, and injury reporting.

• Human Resources: Navigate employee concerns, workplace harassment, and other HR-related situations.

• Claims: Get assistance understanding workplace injuries, insurance claims, and appropriate next steps.

• DOT/FMCSA Compliance: Find guidance on driver qualification standards and transportation-related compliance requirements.

Here are a few examples of questions our clients are already asking:

• Do I need to maintain OSHA 300 logs, and am I required to report this information to OSHA?

• An employee was driving to a customer's location and was injured in an auto accident. Should this be an auto claim or a workers' compensation claim?

• How can we ensure our drivers meet FMCSA qualification standards?

• An employee just reported that they are being harassed. What steps should I take?

These are real-world business challenges, and having access to knowledgeable guidance can make a meaningful difference when deciding how to respond.

Partners Helping Partners

Whether you're preparing your facility for winter weather, navigating employee relations during election season, or working through an unexpected workplace incident, taking a proactive approach to risk management is essential.

Our goal is to help you identify potential exposures, make informed decisions, and protect the people and operations that keep your business moving.

 

All Lester Insurance Commercial Customers have access to Risk Advisor Konnect

Call 888.976.7565 or email myriskadvisor@keystoneinsgrp.com