Winter Health and Safety Tips

With winter just around the corner, let us gear up and be prepared. The general belief for the winter this year is that it will last longer with much more snow. Therefore, we need to be even more cautious than in the past. Here are some good tips:

1.      Always stay warm, whether you are indoors or outdoors. Wear a hood, a hat, scarves, layers, and these should be dry to provide the best insulation and warmth. Keep fingertips, earlobes and noses covered if you go outside.

2.      Prior to shoveling snow, get your body warmed up by doing a few stretching exercises, and cover up your nose to avoid taking in excessive cold air. Avoid overexertion and keep clothing dry; change out of any wet layer. Use proper shoveling equipment, and operate in accordance with the user manual.

3.      Never walk alone outdoor, and walk with extreme caution on snowy or icy sidewalks and driveways with "black ice". Do not shovel snow onto fire hydrants, manholes or catch basins. If you slip and get injured, stay calm and do not attempt to stand up right away in case of any fractured bones. Get help from family or friends, or call 911.

4.      Stay away from and never walk on a frozen lake. Make sure no children play unattended near the ice. If someone falls, do not attempt to make a rescue by yourself but call 911.

5.      Use only approved heating equipment and operate in accordance with the user manual. Avoid overloading. Keep combustible materials away from the heating equipment. Heaters should be free from any hanging clothing.

6.      Make sure to install a carbon monoxide detector outside each bedroom and on each level of the house. Ensure the battery is in good working condition. Never close the garage door with your vehicle's engine still on.

7.      Avoid driving alone in a snowstorm. Let someone know your destination, route and estimated time of arrival. Inspect and replenish the emergency kit in the trunk, e.g. the drinking water, food, blanket and flashlight with good batteries. Make sure you check the tire pressure and windshield fluid. Stay in your car and turn on the hazard lights if you get stuck on the road. Do not walk farther than 200 meters away as you will easily get lost in snowy weather. Start the car with the heater on for 10 minutes every hour and keep exhaust pipe unobstructed to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

8.      Offer help when you see someone in trouble, but only if you are safe first.

While the list can go on, I hope this helps for a start, and we can go through another healthy and safe winter. There are always exceptions when we need apply our common sense and crisis management skills