You either love it or you hate it. Some people adore the idea of a white Christmas whilst others hate the fact that it's cold, wet and there's a higher chance of slipping on ice. There are many ways you can stay safer in winter so you can appreciate the weather. Here are our tips to help prevent slipping on snow.
1. Walk in other people's footsteps
While we are firm believers in taking your own path in life, when it comes to walking in snow, walking in other people's footsteps is a wise move. In most cases, it's not the freshly fallen snow that is the slip risk, it's the ice lying beneath. Once you've stepped into the snow, your weight is resting on the ice and if your balance is unsteady, it's likely you're going to suffer a fall.
When walking on a busy pavement, other pedestrians will walk on the snow and ice and help reduce the risk factor. But if you're walking on a quiet country path, it's beneficial to step into another person's steps as you can see what you're standing on and you're stepping onto less snow and ice.
2. Watch where you're walking
Not watching where you're walking is a bad habit for most people. This bad habit means you've stepped into things before realising what you've actually stood in.
In winter, it's important to keep a careful eye on the ground. Black ice is notorious for taking drivers off the road and making people slip. However, by being more aware you can help prevent slipping on snow.
3. Knock snow off your shoes
Even if you're wearing shoes that have adequate grip, snow has a tendency of clogging the grips on your soles which can make your grip ineffective.
When walking in deep snow, knock your feet against a wall or on the path to help free any clogged snow.
4. Walk like a penguin
Yes, seriously, walk like a penguin. If you've seen penguins on any nature documentaries, they do an excellent job staying on their feet. When we walk normally our weight is separated over both legs, so when walking on snow, there's a risk of suffering a serious accident. However, when a penguin walks, they keep their centre of gravity in their front leg.
Yes, you may look a little silly but you'll look less silly than the other person who has slipped because they were laughing at your penguin impression.
5. Shovel it
One of the best tips to help prevent slipping on snow is to use a shovel. If you're working a lot outside (on a construction site, for example) or you have many customers visiting (like at a restaurant), it's worthwhile to shovel away any fallen snow. It reduces the chance of anyone slipping and suffering an injury. By removing the snow, if the temperature increases throughout the day any remaining snow will melt faster.
6. Grit it
Using grit (or rock salt) is an effective means of making snow and ice melt quickly. It's not an excellent tip if you're looking for tips on how to prevent slipping on ice and snow whilst walking to work but it should be used around your house or in workplaces that have a high risk of causing slips.
Make sure to wear slip-resistant footwear indoors too
During the winter season, it's easy for people to walk indoors with wet shoes and this can cause dangerous slip-hazards. But, wearing shoes that have efficient grip on slippery floors helps you avoid suffering a fall.
At Shoes For Crews (Europe) Ltd. our slip-resistant shoes surpass industry standards when it comes to their grip. We have sold to customers in a wide range of industries, such as healthcare, hospitality, construction and many others. Our shoes are designed for work environments and will help keep you on your feet.
Condor Men: comfortable and supportive slip-resistant work trainers
Have a look at our latest styles of slip-resistant shoes
Visit our shop to see all our latest styles:
What's the difference between our work shoes and shoes from the high street?
To answer that question, we've created a FREE comparison guide so you can see what's the difference between the two and which is best suited for supporting you at work and what's best value for money.