of snow can weigh 20 pounds . Before Shoveling: Cold, tight muscles are more prone to injury than warmed up, flexible muscles. Get your blood moving with a brisk walk, marching in place, or another full - body activity. Stretch your low back and hamstrings Limber up your arms and shoulders with a body h ug that you hold for 30 - 60 In addition to cold stress, there are other winter weather related hazards that workers may be exposed to when performing tasks such as driving in the snow, removing snow from rooftops, and working near downed or damaged power lines. Winter Driving. Work Zone Traffic Safety. Stranded in a Vehicle. Shoveling Snow. Safety is more important than speed. Protect your back. Bend at the knees, not the back. Lift with your legs bent, stand with your feet hip-width apart for balance and keep the shovel close to your body. Also, don't pick up too much snow at once; use a small shovel or fill up a large shovel no more than half way. Shovel while snow is fresh. Push the snow. Keep the shovel close to your body, with your hands at least 12 inches apart. Squat, using your legs to do the work instead of your back. Avoid twisting movements. A dry snow is lighter than a wetter snow. Take smaller loads with wetter snow. Pace yourself. Shoveling snow is a strenuous activity. Key Safety Issues and Risks Snow accumulation in excess of building design conditions can result in structural failure and possible collapse. Structural failure due to roof snow loads may be linked to several possible causes, including but not limited to the following: • Unbalanced snow load from drifting and sliding snow. SNOW STORAGE Sometimes local agencies don't have room on or near the roadway to store the snow that has been plowed. This is fairly common in urban areas. To move the snow and completely clear traffic lanes and parking spaces, local agencies load the snow into trucks and haul it away to remote storage areas. Storage areas 3. Do not allow snow to accumulate before shoveling. Moving smaller amounts more frequently is better than having to lift heavily packed deep snow. 4. Pushing snow is better than lifting. 5. If pushing snow, keep the shovel close to your body. 6. For better pressure / leverage place one hand on the end / handle of the shovel and one hand part Other Snow Removal Safety Issues: Use proper shoveling technique (bend from the knees, throw the snow in front of you, work at a comfortable pace, use an ergonomic shovel for push- ing snow) Make sure you have proper gear to be working outside for extended periods of time. Wear gloves that offer both dexterity and warmth. • A worker was removing snow from a roof, when he lost his balance and slid off the roof. He fell and struck his head on construction materials that were being stored below the roof, and sustained a fatal head injury. • A worker was laying grid lines and shoveling snow on a second floor deck. An elevator shaft Shovels used for snow are very different those used for dirt. Round blades with long handles are better for sand and dry earth. Square blades with short handles are designed for coarse-grained materials such as gravel. A wide rectangle blade is good for pushing snow. No matter what you are shoveling, consider warming up or doing a few exercises have to shovel snow periodically, this information is useful. Safety tips for shoveling snow • Take time to warm up your muscles before shoveling by doing some stretching exercises or marching in place. • Shovel often.