• Have a snow-removal plan to keep parking lots, walkways and entrances clear. Walk through the plan with maintenance and grounds crews.
  
  
• Eliminate "unauthorized walkways." Employees may take shortcuts across areas that are not shoveled to save time. Use hazard tape or barriers to block these areas.
  
  
• Highlight inconspicuous hazards. Sloped handicap inclines and cut-out curbs can be dangerous if not seen. Make them visible for employees.
  
  
• Maintain supplies of ice melt, sand, and equipment. Employees can help keep icy spots from becoming hazards for other employees and students.
  
  
• Give employees good information. Conduct a safety talk on wintertime slips and falls. Keep it top of mind for everyone.

Your staff can't just stop walking. Instead they need to walk defensively.

Silly as it sounds, encourage your faculty to be "defensive walkers" just as they should be defensive drivers. Tell employees to:

• Scan your "road," a.k.a. walkway for existing hazards.
  
  
• Slow down to navigate turns, corners, ice, obstacles, limited visibility and heavy traffic.
  
  
• Make sure you have adequate "tread,"a.k.a proper footwear. Experts say half of all slips and falls can be prevented with proper footwear.
  
  
• Use detours whenever possible to avoid icy or wet surfaces.
  
  
• Understand the hazards involved in going "off-road." A shortcut across the lawn or through the rocks can be dangerous.
  
  
• Keep your mind focused on what you are doing. Awareness is your best defense against slip, trip and fall hazards.

It may seem obvious, but slip and fall injuries increase during the winter months. So, do what you can to make employees aware of the hazards and prevent slip and fall injuries.