The bad weather this week is going to make our journey’s to and from work more dangerous with more potential hazards and risks. We cannot underestimate the dangers of snow and ice, while walking on footpaths, in public places or entering and exiting your vehicle.
Slips, trips, and falls are even more likely to occur and can cause serious injury. We don’t realise that many slips and falls happen in places we regard as safe and secure, typically outside our front doors, on the door step, on the path or while getting out of the car.
Here’s 5 top tips from Ayrton Group… be mindful out there this week;
- Reconsider your fancy footwear – some footpaths may not be treated, so probably best to avoid your typical workplace footwear, especially high heels!
- Be bright, be seen – wear higher visibility clothing, as visibility in general will be considerably reduced in snowy conditions.
- Be a bit more savvy when walking – snow and ice can make the footpaths very dangerous. If there are no footpaths, don’t just walk aimlessly on the street. Walk on the right hand side of the road, towards oncoming traffic.
- Don’t be fooled – ice can hide under lighter dustings of snow and just because you can’t see it, it does not mean its not there waiting for a unexpected slip or trip. It is very possible that a thin sheet of transparent ice or “Black Ice” is covering your pathway putting you at risk.
- Have the right moves – if you really can’t avoid the ice and snow, a good tip is to bend your knees slightly and take slower, shorter steps to reduce the chance of a slip, trip and fall or injury.
