Let It Snow, but Go Slow; MEMIC Gives Tips on Winter Safety
December 20, 2005 | Safety
PORTLAND, Maine, December 20, 2005—Snow won’t be the only thing falling this winter season, according to Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC). The state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer is predicting a heavy concentration of slips, slides and falls with the official start of winter tomorrow.
MEMIC workplace injury records show the risk of injury from a fall nearly triples during the winter months for Mainers. Fifty-six percent of all falls reported by the company’s customers occur in the coldest months of the year.
While snow and ice can make even the shortest stroll treacherous, most falls are avoidable, say MEMIC safety specialists. Slowing down and wearing outdoor shoes with good traction is simple advice that will keep you upright.
But wintry roadways pose hazards that are harder to avoid, even for seasoned drivers. The most common cause of a workplace death, according to the Maine Department of Labor, is a motor vehicle accident.
“Longtime Mainers seem especially vulnerable to a false sense of security when driving in the snow,” said Ed Paul, MEMIC transportation safety specialist, who has driven over one million accident-free miles. “Drivers should think of roads as two lane ice rinks.”
Another class of bravado driving involves four-wheel drive owners, said Paul, who seem to believe they’re driving indestructible tanks. While four-wheel drive gives extra traction when starting in deep snow, it does not help in stopping. In fact, according to Paul, it can be even more dangerous than two-wheel drive when brakes are applied fast and hard on ice or packed snow by doubling the number of sliding wheels.
“The single most important thing that anybody can do is slow down,” said Paul.
Walking safely
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About MEMIC
Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC), based in Portland, Maine, is Maine's largest and leading workers' compensation insurer, providing coverage to 21,000 Maine employers and their estimated 170,000 employees. The company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best. MEMIC Indemnity Company, based in Manchester, NH, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MEMIC. It is licensed to write workers' compensation policies throughout the Northeast and into the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. It is rated “A-” (Excellent) by A.M. Best.
MEMIC workplace injury records show the risk of injury from a fall nearly triples during the winter months for Mainers. Fifty-six percent of all falls reported by the company’s customers occur in the coldest months of the year.
While snow and ice can make even the shortest stroll treacherous, most falls are avoidable, say MEMIC safety specialists. Slowing down and wearing outdoor shoes with good traction is simple advice that will keep you upright.
But wintry roadways pose hazards that are harder to avoid, even for seasoned drivers. The most common cause of a workplace death, according to the Maine Department of Labor, is a motor vehicle accident.
“Longtime Mainers seem especially vulnerable to a false sense of security when driving in the snow,” said Ed Paul, MEMIC transportation safety specialist, who has driven over one million accident-free miles. “Drivers should think of roads as two lane ice rinks.”
Another class of bravado driving involves four-wheel drive owners, said Paul, who seem to believe they’re driving indestructible tanks. While four-wheel drive gives extra traction when starting in deep snow, it does not help in stopping. In fact, according to Paul, it can be even more dangerous than two-wheel drive when brakes are applied fast and hard on ice or packed snow by doubling the number of sliding wheels.
“The single most important thing that anybody can do is slow down,” said Paul.
Walking safely
- Slow down.
- Take stock of your surroundings.
- Keep walks and driveways well lit.
- Sand and salt generously.
- Wear outdoor shoes with good traction or go one-step further by wearing over-the-shoe crampon-like stabilizers.
- Clear all windows before driving.
- Turn on headlights.
- Lower speed 5 mph for every hazardous condition: snowing (-5), road covered (-5), poor visibility (-5), icy (-5). Too slow? Get off the road.
- Don’t use cruise control.
- Keep at least four seconds between you and the car ahead.
- Don’t pass winter road crews.
- Listen to weather updates.
- Stay home, play Scrabble instead.
- Warm up muscles by stretching first.
- Don’t wait for snow to build. Shovel early and often.
- Bend at the knees to lift snow. Avoid twisting.
- Don’t overexert yourself. Get help if you need it.
- Sand and salt generously.
- Treat sore muscles with periodic 20-minute icings.
Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC), based in Portland, Maine, is Maine's largest and leading workers' compensation insurer, providing coverage to 21,000 Maine employers and their estimated 170,000 employees. The company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best. MEMIC Indemnity Company, based in Manchester, NH, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MEMIC. It is licensed to write workers' compensation policies throughout the Northeast and into the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. It is rated “A-” (Excellent) by A.M. Best.