Winter Hazards

From the Health and Safety Committee: We are sending out the following tips to remind you of the hazards of winter conditions:

• Please notify the Grounds Department (8-2702), Physical Plant (8-2202 ), or Sylvie Rice (8-2879) if you find slippery areas or falling ice from buildings, so that we can remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
• Wear appropriate shoes for the weather.
• Use extra caution around snowplows. The plow driver’s vision is often obstructed by the weather conditions and blind spots, so he/she may not be aware of your presence, especially if you are in a small car.
• Be careful when getting out of your car, especially in the early morning and evening when water tends to freeze up.
• Be sure that on-coming traffic has come to a complete stop before you cross the street — cars and trucks cannot stop as quickly when the roads are slippery.

Many of our accidents are related to slips and falls due to icy conditions, and some of our buildings are prone to ice buildups on the roof. Our grounds crew and UNICCO staff work hard to keep the paths and roads clear and free of hazards, but wintry weather can be difficult, especially given the frequency and nature of the storms that we have been having lately. If you should have an accident or near miss, please fill out an incident report form available at http://www.keene.edu/hr/forms/incident_report.pdf.