I speak to our customers on a regular basis. One in particular has been buying our ice shoe cleats for years. Despite their purchase, they’ve still had a few slip and fall accidents on the ice and snow and are frustrated. After the accident investigations, they realized each incident had the same the root cause: None of the employees who fell were wearing the ice cleats and winter traction aids that were being provided.

I’ve found that there are two ways people tend to look at ice cleats. Ice cleats are a last resort. Ice cleats are part of the workplace safety gear solution. Let me ask you a question: Why are your employees using the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they have today? Chances are, your company has a lot of PPE that are mandatory, not voluntary, as a condition of employment. What about safety glasses, hard hats, steel-toe boots, high-visibility clothing, fire-retardant apparel? You get my point. These items are mandatory at most workplaces, including yours. Why? Because your employees experi[…]

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 al[…]

As a safety professional, I have a crucial question for you: What is your biggest safety sin or workplace hazard? Before I reveal mine, let me provide some context. Winter Walking is the largest manufacturer of ice cleats in North America. We take immense pride in helping hundreds of companies and thousands of employees reduce the risk of slip and fall injuries while on the job. But imagine the embarrassment and devastation if I were to personally experience a slip and fall injury on ice or snow. That would undoubtedly be my biggest work-related sin.

The Winter of 2017 - 2018 in the Northeast US was definitely one for the record books. With record breaking cold temperatures, frequent and massive snow falls, ice storms and the resulting school cancellations it seemed like it would never end. Although it still doesn't feel like it, according to the calendar, Spring has finally and officially arrived! Before you completely put this winter behind you I have a question for you. This question has the ability to help you get better employee buy-in when trying to prevent winter slip and falls in ice and snow.

In recent years, the ice cleat and winter traction aid market has expanded a great deal. In fact, you might say it’s overwhelming. If you don’t want to spend the next 15 years of your life doing all the research necessary on how to prevent winter slip and fall incidents, the good news is, I’ve done that research for you. And now, I’d like to share some tips to help you simplify the options you have available in the marketplace. So, what are the two most important types of traction aids: