Prevent Winter Slips and Falls

There are few things we know for certain in this world, but one of them is this: There will be snow and ice in Pennsylvania during the winter. You cannot avoid winter conditions, but you can help your staff take steps to avoid slips and falls. CM Regent offers these tips for being as ready as you can be for winter weather:

• Inform all staff of the school district’s action plan for removing snow and ice from the parking lots and sidewalks. Employees should be aware not only of who will be clearing the area, but the approximate timeframe (i.e., within two hours of the time when the snow stops falling) for when the job will be performed.
• Make sure your staff know the earliest time when they can come into the school. They may need to adjust their schedules, depending on how long it will take to clear snow and ice.
• Place containers of salt or sand near the building entrances. Staff members will be able to immediately address a particular patch of ice in the parking lot or on the sidewalk.
• Instruct your staff as to the proper method to exit their vehicles in slippery conditions. They should have both hands empty, in case they need their hands free to catch themselves on a slippery surface. Once they are out of the vehicle, they can then collect their bag, coffee and other items from their car.
• Consider placing hand sanitizer stations at the entrances to your building. Many school staff members say they do not use the railings when climbing steps because they are dirty. However, this is an essential practice—especially when the weather is icy. Having hand sanitizer available to clean their hands may encourage them to adopt a safer practice.
• Put into place a procedure for reporting slips, falls and other safety incidents. If one staff member has fallen on a patch of ice, chances are high that another staff member will, too. You should have a protocol that calls for immediate remediation of an unsafe situation.
• Teach your staff the three A’s of safety – Awareness, Attitude and Action.
  • Be Aware of your environment at all times.
  • Assume all surfaces are slippery and maintain an Attitude of carefulness.
  • Take Action to follow through with the appropriate safety measures.

For more information about lowering risk at your schools, visit cmregent.com.