Season’s Greetings planet paramours! The Green Corner wishes you the merriest and happiest of the Holiday season and best wishes for a wonderful 2012. By now, you are probably all tired of Christmas blogs, email, posts and even angry letters to the editor. So, we are going to switch gears and discuss some winter walking tips to help keep you upright (by choice) and healthy so you can return that horrendous sweater Aunt Bertha Mae thought would look so cute on you (if you were still an 8 year old, of course). Via the creative talents of UR’s Environmental Health and Safety department and our very own Grounds department here are some awesome ideas to help you navigate the winter months:
Winter Walking Safety
Winter walking falls are a serious
safety hazard. Employee falls result in bruises, sprains and
broken bones. The University of
Rochester employs over 20,000 staff, most of whom walk some distance to the building
they work in; that’s oodles of opportunity for injury.
Snow Removal
When the temperatures drop, snow, ice and even slush result in
falls. Late morning snowfall (Lake
Effect) often covers over the late night and early hours work of grounds staff,
so exercise caution in parking lots and sidewalks during snow events. With only a light wind, a little snow can
cover pathways in minutes and create a slippery surface.
Black Ice
Dew or water vapor can freeze on cold surfaces, forming an extra-thin, nearly
invisible layer of ice. No matter how
well the snow and ice is removed from parking lots or sidewalks, pedestrians
will still encounter slippery surfaces in winter. Grounds has a SNOW & ICE REMOVAL HOTLINE at x5-0000. Call the hotline to report hazardous walking
conditions. Grounds will not only act on
the information, they will enter it into a database maintained specifically to
identify problem areas for the future.
Footwear
The single most important thing you can do for your safety is to wear
weather appropriate footwear. Boots with rubber soles and non-slip tread are
great; grippers, traction cleats or “Yaktrax” are another excellent idea. Nothing is foolproof, but the right footwear provides slip resistance. You will appreciate the difference!
So, get that penguin stroll down pat. Practice. Me, I’ve loaded up on my winter fat so I’m halfway there with padding!
A hearty shout out to Anne Schmidlin from Environmental Health and Safety and Dan Schied, our manager of Grounds for their creativity and humor in getting the pictures and tips to the Green Corner. The Univerity of Rochester is in good hands with Anne, Dan and all the dedicated members of the University who make it a priority to keep us safe when winter rears it’s powerful force.
Merry Christmas, all.
Cold temperature, freezing rain and snow during winter can be a recipe for disaster. So follow the helpful tips above to help avoid injury when walking on ice and snow. We can’t change the weather but we can do much to prepare and keep ourselves safe.
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