If you work in a location where all four seasons are present—or at least a colder winter—you may have to make some adjustments when going to and from work. Whether it be severe snowfalls, ice storms or just cooler temperatures, traveling to the office can be challenging and, sometimes, dangerous. Experiencing inclement weather going to and from the office is inevitable for many workers and brushing up on your winter safety tips for employees may help.
Medical Issues
With many workers going back to the office full or part time, this means physically going outside and traveling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this wasn’t as much of a worry with remote work being the norm. Now, employees are facing the cold-weather demons they may have forgotten about after a year working from home. With this “new” reality may come some medical struggles not thought about before the pandemic hit. The following points are medical issues that may come from colder temperatures if cold weather precautions are not taken in your office:
- Slips and falls
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite
- Flu or cold
Winter Safety Tips for Employees
Wear Layers
It may seem obvious to wear layers when it’s colder even if you only have a short distance to walk or your car only takes a few minutes to heat up. However, layering up is a smart idea when staying safe and healthy in the winter no matter your distance to work. Wearing warm clothes underneath a warm coat along with appropriate gloves, hats, and boots helps you get through the colder seasons with the best tools possible. Also having sufficient coat racks and space to dry off those layers prevents sickness when you have to layer back up later that day.
Carry Light
Before leaving home for the office, a good cold weather safety precaution may be leaving extra baggage you don’t need behind. If you typically walk to work or take public transportation, carrying extra bags can be a major safety hazard—especially if the sidewalks haven’t been salted and snow or sleet is falling heavily. Keep home what you don’t need at the office and only bring what is absolutely necessary.
Shovel and Salt
If you live in a northern town where snow is a yearly occurrence, you are probably used to stocking up on salt to throw on those slippery stairs outside your office. You also may gain quite a bit of muscle from shoveling those stairs and the sidewalks once winter really hits. Being prepared with that beloved shovel and purchasing salt before the snow falls will be the peace of mind you need when thinking about cold weather precautions. Creating a shoveling and salting schedule among employees may also be a good way to share the work so one person isn’t the constant go-to when it comes to this activity.
