Hey, Peeps! Opie here with a topic that freezes the hearts of South Dakotans and Minnesotans to the depths of our souls. Winter.
Yep, we’re definitely in the middle of everyone’s favorite season. Here in Watertown, we have an average of 16 inches of snow on the ground right now. But we’ve gotten more than that and the season isn’t over yet. In the workplace, a big part of winter safety is keeping walkways and parking lots clear of ice and snow. Today, we cover ways to help your business keep itself ready to combat winter and minimize accidents caused by the cold temperatures.
Parking Lots and Sidewalks
Did you know that an estimated 25% of ice and snow related accidents happen in parking lots? Our businesses are at the front lines of keeping people safe when they visit us. Here at Office Peeps, each autumn before the snow starts flying, our president officially deputizes each employee as ‘Ice Melt Monitors’. Each employee is asked to help keep the ice under control on our sidewalks and in our parking lot. If we notice a slippery patch, we’re asked to act on it before someone gets hurt.
We’ve found that a great way to be proactive is to have a station by each door:
Our stations include a shovel, ice melt in an easy to access bucket and some sort of an ice melt shaker. To further ramp up the safety, we also increase the number of mats in our entry way to help collect water, salt and dirt from shoes to decrease the possibility of slipping inside.
Other ways you can increase winter safety in your office are:
- Allow employees flexibility in travel to and from work to ensure safe arrival
- Back up all computer files in the event of a power outage
- Encourage employees to wear safe shoes while outside
- If possible, consider allowing employees to work from home during storms
- Communicate to your employees if there are changes to the work schedule
- Sanitize workstations regularly to avoid spreading illnesses
As always, Office Peeps provides the tools you need to keep your office winter ready. So call today for ice melt, mats, and even computer back up solutions! We work to keep you safe and winterized.
Office Peeps is proud to support workers and businesses in South Dakota. We’re an office interior design and furniture consultancy. A company that provides, services, and maintains and even custom-builds office machines. A single source for workplace supplies, including janitorial and breakroom, school supplies, and scrapbooking supplies. We are located in various South Dakota cities including, Watertown, Brookings, Huron, and Madison. Call 800.658.3541 or like us on Facebook today.
