Winter Safety Tips: Slip and Fall Prevention
Curling up with a book by a fire and drinking hot cocoa are some of the perks of winter weather. Unfortunately, icy roads and walkways, and snow and water tracked into buildings, are also part of winter. During the winter, slip and fall accidents increase as people attempt to navigate icy sidewalks and puddles. Luckily, there are several things you can do to prevent an accident. Let’s take a walk through your day, keeping your safety in mind.
The best time to start thinking about snow and ice? Before you even leave the house. Two great steps you can take to avoid getting into trouble are choosing winter appropriate footwear and taking a few moments to consider your commute. Choosing warm footwear often means choosing shoes or boots that are more geared towards snow and ice anyway; shoes with rubber or neoprene soles have better traction when walking down icy sidewalks. While your commute isn’t directly related to preventing falling, snow and ice can hamper any plans. Is there an alternate route you can take to avoid any areas of snow buildup or ice? Take that route and plan a little extra time into your morning so you can arrive safely.
Once you’ve arrived safely at work, don’t just run into the office. Take care to look for areas that appear icy, and test unavoidable patches before stepping directly on them. Try to avoid carrying a lot of things, and avoid keeping your hands in your pockets as you walk. If you do slip, you’ll want your hands free to balance or to break your fall.
Congratulations! You’ve made it inside, but so has everyone else, tracking the snow (now puddles) in with them. That floor mat in the entryway has certainly seen better days. Winter is rough on floor mats, and there’s no better time to make sure you have extra on hand and a service that cleans and maintains your matting regularly. Mats that get bunched up or are not properly anchored are more likely to cause someone to trip, and mats waterlogged with snow and water aren’t doing their job. Water is tracked into the building, making slipping much more likely.
In the event of puddles or spills, don’t just walk past them, leaving them for someone to slip in. If you are able, try to clean up the spill. If not, contact the appropriate person, and stay near it to warn other people.. Employers, if you haven’t already, designate someone (or a group) to keep snow and water clear of entryways, keep an eye out for severe winter weather, and put down salt when necessary. Even after cleaning, make sure the area is well marked until it is completely dry and all debris cleared away.
Whew. You made it to work in one piece, and are now ready to begin your day. Can spring come any faster?
Floormats looking a little ragged? SITEX can help. We offer anti-fatigue mats, slip-resistant mats and more, in any size for any area. We are also able to customize mats with your logo. Contact SITEX today to get started.