ICE CLEAT BLOG

Good question! Most PPE that you deal with as a safety professional has some sort of third-party anti-slip regulation that guides you in your decision making. Whether that standard comes from ANSI, OSHA or CSA, etc., there is typically some predetermined barometer for gauging whether the specific PPE you are considering has “passed the test.” This is true for everything from gloves and hard hats to steel toe boots and even indoor slip-resistant footwear. But when it comes to ice cleats and traction aids, there are NO STANDARDS. Why is that?

If you’re a safety professional, that word is OSHA. (Yes, technically, it’s an acronym, but stick with me here.) According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), “Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.” In fact, OSHA regulations state their point pretty clearly: “Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace. Employers MUST provide their employees with a workplace that does not have serious hazards and follow all re[…]

The sun may still be hot, 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:

If you’re a safety professional , I have an important question for you "What is your biggest safety sin or workplace hazard?" Before I tell you mine, I’ll give you some background. Winter Walking is North America’s largest manufacturer of traction aid ice cleats. We help hundreds of companies and thousands of employees reduce the chance of suffering a slip and fall injury while on the job. We take tremendous pride in our product line, our company and our task. So imagine how embarrassed I would be if I personally suffered a slip and fall injury on ice or snow? Embarrassed is an understatement […]

If you’re willing to pay a high premium for shipping overnight, you can get just about anything you want, when you want it. Now is the time of year when “just ship it overnight” quickly becomes the most often heard statement I hear. Of course you can have ice cleats or traction aids shipped overnight, right? Well, the answer is both yes and no. In some cases, your order will be delivered on time and it won’t reflect any delayed decision-making. However, what happens to your employees and your safety record when after paying for shipping overnight, the delivery fails to be delivered the next da[…]

Sometimes you think you've heard it all, and we have when it comes to excuses why people don't want to wear ice cleats. Time for a top 6 list... Too expensive. My employees won’t wear them. Can’t wear indoors. Can’t drive with them on. Employees won’t take care of them. We've tried everything and nothing works in my environment. Reality of buying the right ice traction for shoes or ice cleats from the right manufacturer. Ice cleats are far less expensive than the resulting costs associated with a slip and fall. Have you ever given your employees the chance to try them? If you did and they prov[…]