Credit: Jason Koski/University Photography

With the snow and ice of the 2017-18 winter season fast approaching, the staff from Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the Grounds Department want to make sure staff, faculty and students are prepared.

In the 2016-17 winter season, 73 winter slips and falls were recorded at campus, whereas in 2015-16, 49 winter slips and falls were recorded. During this last winter season, slips and falls related to ice and snow resulted in bruises, sprains, strains, broken bones – and 317 lost work days.

To combat winter hazards, EHS and Grounds have partnered to create Winter Safety Program aimed at sharing information on proper winter walking (Walk Like a Penguin, Winter Footwear, Defensive Walking); and other safety measures.

To start the Winter Safety Campaign, these departments are asking all Cornell community members to Check Your Treads! and follow some Winter Safety Tips – and share these documents with others to help get campus prepared for the winter season.  Check your tires, check your shoes, and make sure vehicles are stocked with such emergency supplies as blankets, salt, jumper cables and small shovels

A winter safety logo will be displayed throughout campus as a reminder.

Once the snow and ice do hit, remember to “walk like a penguin”:

• Bend slightly and walk flat-footed
• Point your feet slightly outward
• Take short, shuffle-like steps
• Watch where you are stepping