F OR SAFETY SAK E
SAFETY CULTURE FOR THE WINTER OF 2020-2021 We’ve made it to the winter seasons of 2020, so let us look at some safety practices to get us through this period of cold, through the eyes of a Safety Culture program. By now, all us should have a strong focus on our Culture of Safety – the attitudes, beliefs and work practices an organization maintains towards safe work conditions. It equates to the positive application of safety standards within your company. The winter months pose the usual workplace safety concerns, but it’s always pertinent to review your company operations and the safety protocols in place. The OSHA General Duty Clause relies on each employer to furnish to each of its employees employment, and a place of employment, which are free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees. Although there are no Federal laws that specifically mandate training for your staff on winter safety, the exposures and hazards that workers face during the colder months are covered by the General Duty Clause. For any employee who is required to work outdoors during the winter months, exposure to cold, foul weather and slippery conditions should be considered a “recognized hazard.” It is the employer’s duty to provide training and properly equip the staff to recognize and be protected from these winter hazards.
18 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Slip/Fall Hazards – Your staff should be required to wear proper footwear at all times. In colder months, your staff should be reminded to check the treads of their work boots/ shoes to help to prevent slips and falls on wet or icy surfaces. For work on extremely slippery surfaces, the use of cleats or slip-on grips may be needed. Your staff should also be reminded to take it slow and maintain a stable center-ofgravity when walking across slippery yards or parking lots. Office staff should be instructed to wear boots to and from their cars and change to office footwear once they arrive indoors. Slick conditions (ice, snow, leaves) should also be noted and corrected as soon as possible, and watch for areas that accumulate water and ice quickly. continued on page 20
