Most traditional ice cleats should not be worn indoors. Aggressive studs designed to grip ice can become slippery on hard indoor floors and may damage some flooring. However, ice cleats designed specifically for frequent indoor/outdoor transitions can reduce these concerns and may be appropriate for workers who move between icy outdoor surfaces, buildings and vehicles throughout the day.

Who doesn't love winter? With the snow falling gently from the sky, it transforms the world into a picturesque wonderland. It's a time when families come together, hot cocoa is sipped by the fireplace, and memories are made. However, not everyone shares the same sentiment when it comes to winter. For safety professionals, the arrival of winter brings with it a sense of apprehension and concern. As the temperature drops and the ground becomes covered in a blanket of snow and ice, slips and falls become a common occurrence. This is especially worrisome for safety professionals whose main priorit[…]

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.

Have you ever asked your employees for their feedback on the traction aids and ice cleats that you buy for them? If you have never done this, you are missing out on some very important information. This is one of the most critical and most often forgotten ways to increase employee buy-in. You will learn what is working well – and what is not – with the current ice cleats you provide to reduce winter slips and falls. Additionally, you will be building morale and reinforcing the notion that you care about employee safety.

I know a safety coordinator at a large Canadian company. The conversation I had with him one winter stuck with me. When we spoke, he was in no mood to discuss the use of an ice cleat or other winter traction aids. He admitted that he was sick of winter, in general, and sick of hearing about ice cleats, in particular. He was tired of having to “deal” with them all the time. Does this sound familiar to you? Here’s the interesting thing about what I do for a living: If you choose to ignore the problem of winter slip and falls on ice and snow, you’re in luck because eventually the weather will cha[…]

I have young kids at home. Every night, they eat dinner. Sometimes they eat their dinner early and sometimes it’s late. But every night they eat. So what would happen if I waited until they were starving to feed them. And at that point I said, “Okay, just spot me a few hours. I have to go to the market, buy some ingredients, come home, look up a recipe and then cook you dinner. Sound good, kids?” Just the thought of the ensuing tantrums is enough to ensure that this scenario never unfolds in my home.