Come winter season, everybody breaks out their snow blowers to clear the snow from their driveways, walkways and sidewalks. Using these machines makes the tedious task of clearing snow easier. Unfortunately, these machines can also cause serious injuries if not used properly and carefully. In 2012, more than 3,300 emergency room visits were made due to snow blower related injuries like finger injuries and amputations. Other snow blower injuries include broken bones, sprains, cuts to the skin and soft tissue, and bruises.
Here are a few safety tips that may help prevent a snow blower related injury:
• Never wear loose clothing. This includes jackets, pants, or scarves. These items can get tangled in the moving parts of a snow blower and pull you in.
• Always wear earplugs or some form of hearing protection. This especially applies to gas-powered models, which can typically run above the 85 decibels where hearing damage may occur.
• Clear the area before the snow gets too deep. Doormats, newspapers, wires, sleds and boards are things that should be removed as to avoid clogging or damaging the machine.
• Never let children operate a snow blower. Whenever you’re clearing, keep people and pets far away from the area.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by running a gas-powered snow blower outside and never in the garage, shed, or any other enclosed area. Even if the door is open, never run the machine in such areas.
• If it’s an electric model you’re using, use an outdoor extension cord that is rated for the model and connected to an outlet with GFCI (ground-fault-circuit-interrupting) protection. Be careful and keep the cord away from the spinning auger when working.
• Before clearing a clog at the discharge chute or auger, turn off the engine of a gas-powered snow blower or unplug the cord of an electric model. Never use your hands (even if you’re wearing gloves) or feet to unclog. A stationary impeller or auger is typically under sufficient belt tension to harm your hands or feet even if the electric motor or engine is off. It’s best to use a clearing tool or a broom handle.
• For gas-powered models, avoid igniting the gasoline by waiting until the engine has cooled down before refueling.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Waterford or any other city in
