Snow Removal Safety

• Keep yourself safe from injury by taking these precautions:

  • Individuals over the age of 40, or those who are relatively inactive, should be especially careful.
  • If you have heart trouble, do not shovel without a doctor's permission.
  • Do not shovel after eating or while smoking.
  • Take it slow! Pace yourself. Be sure to stretch out and warm up before taking on the task.
  • Shovel only fresh snow.
  • Push the snow as you shovel.
  • Do not pick up too much at once.
  • Lift with your legs bent, not your back. Keep your back straight.
  • Do not work to the point of exhaustion. If you run out of breath, take a break.
  • Dress warmly.

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  ​According to Nationwide Children's Hospital in 2011, averages of 11,500 snow shoveling-related injuries were treated from 1990 to 2006 with nearly 100 deaths related to snow removal.

• Snow Blower Safety

  
  
  

  Be safe with these tips from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:

  • If the blower jams, turn it off.
  • Keep your hands away from the moving parts
  • Do not drink alcohol and use the snow blower
  • Be aware of the carbon monoxide risk of running a snow blower in an enclosed space
  • Refuel your snow blower when it is OFF, never when it is running