Written by B. J. Novak, who also acts in the show as sales representative Ryan Howard, and directed by Caddyshack and National Lampoon's Vacation director Harold Ramis, the episode aired in the United States on April 12, 2007, on NBC.
Offended by Darryl's disdain for office safety training, Michael decides to demonstrate the risk of depression and suicide by jumping off the roof, landing on a hidden trampoline.
When Michael tests out the trampoline by dropping a watermelon from the roof, it bounces off and hits an office worker's car, prompting it to be replaced by a bouncy castle hidden from the general view of the parking lot.
Meanwhile, the office staff begins betting on various things, from counting the jelly beans in Pam Beesly's candy dish to whether Creed Bratton will notice that his apple has been replaced with a potato.
The main plot idea, conceived during The Office's second season, was inspired by the true story of a football player and coach who pretended to get into a fight and threw a dummy off of a roof.
[2][4] The cast and crew of The Office were so intimidated by actor Patrice O'Neal's massive size when he first guest-starred on the series that someone likened him to a sea monster; this ended up working its way into the script for "Safety Training".
[2] Jim actor John Krasinski had changed his haircut to be in the movie Leatherheads, so for this episode he wore a hairpiece with a more reddish color than his natural hair.
Zoromski also praised the acting by minor characters, such as Creed Bratton and Mindy Kaling, who portrays customer service representative Kelly Kapoor.