OSHA shares snow-removal advice for businesses

February 9th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

Snow is inevitable in many parts of the country, and employees removing it - especially from elevated surfaces and other dangerous areas - need to consider safety when performing this task. Because snow removal is a seasonal job, it's easy to forget best practices and OSHA guidelines due to lack of information or practice. To ensure a high degree of compliance with health and safety rules even when taking on a responsibility that's somewhat infrequent and unpredictable, the federal regulator offered some simple but important guidance.

Elevated surfaces like roofs can pose additional dangers when clearing snow and ice.

Keeping employees safe when removing snow

Snow and ice removal is a vital part of wintertime safety, to keep employees free from harm as they enter and leave your facility and for workers who spend a significant amount of time outdoors. Of course, someone needs to take the first step of removing the accumulation, and that means working on a surface that can be particularly unsafe. When snow has to be removed from equipment, roofs and other structures and large pieces of machinery, the risk for injury increases.

OSHA's guidance included a mix of educational reinforcements and common-sense considerations - which are important to emphasize when employees might consider rushing to complete an additional duty. Tips specific to working in snow and ice include:

• Wearing proper footwear. Snow and ice are often slippery, whether due to the composition of the ice or snow's tendency to melt quickly when underfoot. Strongtreadsare important for grip and stability, but cold weather also requires boots that can insulate workers' lower legs and feet, keeping their extremities warm as they spend significant amounts of time outside.
• Walking slowly with shorter steps than normal. This tactic helps workers maintain their balance and avoid slipping by reducing reaction times.

For employers, OSHA focused on providing reminders about fall protection and working safely at elevated heights, monitoring ladder safety and stressing extreme caution when working near power lines. Businesses also need to monitorthe amount oftime employees spend outdoors and ensure they take adequate breaks indoors to raise their core temperatures and don't become overtired.

Removing snow is a simple task when everyone involved is aware of the potential dangers of the situation, but it can quickly lead to serious injury without the proper preparations.