From time to time, we like to revisit some of our most popular blog entries. If safety professionals are looking for specific information, we’re always happy to provide it. And one of our most popular topics focused on the lack of regulations when it comes to ice cleats. In my original article, “Why Are There No Regulations Around Ice Cleats?” I wrote that the main reason for a lack of industry standards or regulations around ice cleats is the number of variables in recreating an outdoor slippery surface. But I don’t think that my post was popular because people wanted to hear why these regula[…]

The sun may still be shining, but we both know winter hazards are right around the corner. For those of you who admit reluctantly that you should start planning, the next 60 days are critical to your employees’ safety. And your company’s safety record. If you plan on buying industrial ice cleats or other winter traction aids for your employees to prevent slips and falls on ice and snow, ask yourself:

It is far and away the most common complaint we hear: “My workers hate having to take their ice cleats off and on throughout the day.” This complaint becomes even more frequent from companies where the workers need to walk outside and back multiple times throughout the day. And on one level we can’t really blame them. Winter slips and falls on ice and snow are a huge contributor to workplace accident statistics, and ice cleats seem like an obvious remedy to this problem. However, there are two factors that complicate this issue:  Most people don’t have jobs that require them to work exclusivel[…]

Are ice cleats safe to wear indoors? In most cases, the answer would be no. Traditional ice cleats are designed for a sole purpose: preventing slip and fall incidents on icy surfaces. Picture an airport in the middle of January, someplace like Chicago that experiences brutal winters. The employees who work outdoors need footwear that will keep them slipping when they walk, so they put on a pair of ice cleats, allowing them to walk safely over slick surfaces. Once they get inside, it’s a whole different story. Read on to learn why most ice cleats are not meant for indoor wear, and to find out m[…]

It’s a question we’ve heard more than a few times. How do we answer it? Look at it this way: If you typed the phrase “ice cleats” into Google back in 2010, the search engine would give back around 418,000 results. Trust us on this number: it’s our job to run that specific search. Try the same search today, and you’ll get back more than 10 million results. What does this number tell us?

Falls are the world’s leading cause of injuries, sending hundreds of thousands of people to the hospital each year alone. Of those cases, only a fraction happen at work, and an even smaller number involve ice/snow-related slip and falls. But if you’re an employer whose workers spend a lot of time outdoors, even one of these incidents is too many. Fortunately, keeping your workers safe during winter is easier than you might think. In this blog post, we’ll look at ways you can prevent slip and falls and other wintertime injuries. Eliminate The Act of Walking on Compromised Surfaces Think about a[…]