Snow Shoveling Safety Tips

From the Explore Holiday Guide 2019:

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Winter in Wisconsin means lots of snow, and the team at Solutionz, LLC is happy to help local businesses and residents with a quality snow removal approach.

Calling a professional snow removal service to handle your needs is not only convenient, but can help keep you safe during the frigid temperatures and dangerous conditions involved with snowfall.

Cold weather can increase heart rate and blood pressure. It can make blood clot more easily and constrict arteries, which decreases blood supply. This is true even in healthy people. Individuals over the age of 40 or who are relatively inactive should be particularly careful.

To help make snow removal safer, the American Heart Association has compiled a list of practical tips.
• Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling so you don’t over stress your heart. Pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling.
• Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower. The act of lifting heavy snow can raise blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to lift smaller amounts more times, than to lug a few huge shovelfuls of snow. When possible, simply push the snow.
• Learn the heart attack warning signs and listen to your body, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.
• Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling. Alcohol may increase a person’s sensation of warmth and may cause them to underestimate the extra strain their body is under in the cold.
• Consult a doctor. If you have a medical condition, don’t exercise on a regular basis or are middle aged or older, meet with your doctor prior to the first anticipated snowfall.
• Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. Heart failure causes most deaths in hypothermia. To prevent hypothermia, dress in layers of warm clothing, which traps air between layers forming a protective insulation. Wear a hat because much of your body’s heat can be lost through your head.

Don’t pick up that shovel without a doctor’s permission if you have a history of heart disease. A clear driveway is not worth your life.

Snow Blower Safety
○ If the blower jams, turn it off
○ Keep your body away from the moving parts
○ Be aware of the carbon monoxide risk of running a snow blower in an enclosed space
○ Add fuel outdoors (before starting) and never add fuel when it is running
○ Never leave it unattended when it is running

Stay safe this winter, and call Solutionz with your snow removal needs. Thinking Spring? Call ahead for lawn care and asphalt repair, too!

Sources:

American Heart Association Warns of Snow Shoveling Health Hazards