Going Out to Shovel In Scotch Plains, Fanwood? Keep These Safety Tips In Mind

If you’re going out to shovel the snow in Scotch Plains or Fanwood, the National Safety Council urges you to be cautious.

An average of 11,500 snow shoveling-related injuries were treated yearly from 1990 to 2006, with nearly 100 deaths per year, according to a study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Snow Shoveling Safety Tips

• Individuals over the age of 40, or those who are relatively inactive, should be especially careful.
• If you have heart trouble, do not shovel without a doctor’s permission.
• Do not shovel after eating or while smoking.
• Take it slow! Pace yourself. Be sure to stretch out and warm up before taking on the task.
• Shovel only fresh snow.
• Push the snow as you shovel.
• Do not pick up too much at once.
• Lift with your legs bent, not your back. Keep your back straight.
• Do not work to the point of exhaustion. If you run out of breath, take a break.
• Dress warmly.

If you are using a snow blower:

• If the blower jams, turn it off.
• Keep your hands away from the moving parts
• Do not drink alcohol and use the snow blower
• Be aware of the carbon monoxide risk of running a snow blower in an enclosed space
• Refuel your snow blower when it is OFF, never when it is running

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Karen Wall contributed to this article.