December 2, 2021
Hey All StarZ! With the weather turning darker, colder, and wetter this time of year, I wanted to reach out and share a few safety tips for the season.
Roadway Safety
The weather is turning bad, and it’s getting cold and wet out here in the Pacific Northwest and I recommend keeping an eye out for other drivers and slippery conditions on the roads. It’s also getting darker out this time of year, so make sure headlights are clean and working. And of course with the rain this time of year, watch for water and flooding on the roadway. Keep in mind that large puddles on the roadway can also obscure other objects, hide potholes, or cause hydroplaning and loss of control of your vehicle.
It’s important to watch out for other drivers. Nobody sets out to get in an accident, but there’s no way to predict what someone else will do on the road, especially if the other driver approaches one of those large puddles. They might suddenly veer into your lane to go around the puddle, or they could plow straight through it and lose control of their vehicle. So, try to give yourself some extra space, watch other drivers a little closer, and give yourself some extra time to get to your destination.
Don't Slip
While you’re at work, keep an eye out for any spills, or leaks that might cause slips and trips. Water can cause the floor to be quite a bit more slippery than usual. Water can be tracked in when it’s raining, spilled on the floor, or there could be leaky pipes. And for outdoor safety, watch for any puddles of water that might accumulate outdoors on sidewalks, driveways, or even on warehouse floors that can make the floors and sidewalks slippery. As it gets colder out, those puddles can also turn into ice, so watch for slippery sidewalks. With that in mind, just try to keep an eye on where you’re stepping, and wear shoes that will have good traction and will keep your feet dry in slippery, rainy conditions.
Heat & Holiday Safety
With it also being the holiday season, I know a lot of people will want to run heaters or and hang holiday lights and whatnot. Just keep in mind that you should keep space heaters about 3 feet away from the wall and any flammable objects. Also try to make sure space heaters are flat on the floor, not up on table or a surface where it could be tipped over or come in contact with anything that could start a fire. And last, never leave a space heater turned on unattended, especially if you have kids or pets who could tip it over or drop something flammable next to it.
With both heaters and holiday lights, don’t daisy chain any extension cords or surge protectors. Big fire hazard there! Connecting multiple extension cords together can overheat the cords and start fires.
For space heater safety, try to get one that has a long enough cord it can be plugged directly into a wall outlet to minimize your fire risk. If you need an extension cord for holiday lights, get one that’s long enough on its own rather than stringing multiple together to reach your outlet.
Please keep your family safe this season!
Got other safety concerns? We’re always happy to answer questions from our readers, so send in your best questions!
Check out our other blog posts for more useful tips and tricks!
