Staying safe in February…and beyond!

Although spring is on the horizon, winter conditions in February are still, unfortunately, hanging around. 

As a result, February presents plenty of dangers and safety concerns for you, from the effects of cold weather on your health to road traffic accidents on icy roads. 

In February, the evenings are still longer and mornings take time to reveal the natural light. So an essential way to help stay safe this month is to be seen. You need to make yourself more visible in February than in the lighter months of the year. 

Visibility in the workplace is crucial. To help protect yourself from safety issues in the workplace in February, consider, for example, the need for high-visibility workwear and wearing colours that reflect the light that you do have available.

Visibility in February extends to the road too. If your vehicle breaks down, you should have something brightly coloured to attach to it to help you be seen on the road. 

Winter can make us feel particularly tired, resulting in winter fatigue. It is a time of year when our cosy warm beds become more tempting than ever. However, winter fatigue can lead to accidents and personal injuries.

Ensure that you get enough sleep, and try to exercise and maintain a balanced diet to keep you healthy and alert.

When winter fatigue does hit you, it can cause many issues in the workplace such as:

• less awareness of potential hazards
• low productivity
• forgetting to abide by safety measures
• poor mental health such as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

There are various things which contribute towards winter fatigue such as:

• dark evenings
• reduced sunlight
• difficulty getting up out of bed in the mornings due to little light 

It is all too easy to slip on wet and icy paths, so this is always something to keep in mind.

One way you can prevent an accident or personal injury on icy paths is to literally think about how you step. In fact, take an example from penguins! They are experts in walking on wet and icy paths so mimic some of their tactics such as:

• tread flat footed
• take short steps
• keep hands by your side, so they're ready to cushion a fall if needed
• keep your mind focused on keeping your balance

You can help prevent a fall or slip on icy paths by keeping paths clear after the snow has hit. Your employer will hopefully do the same in your workplace. When  it is wet at work, use equipment with non-slip- handles and extra grip. 

An essential way to stay safe in February and beyond is to drive carefully. February is the month when snow, ice and slush can cover the roads so you should use simple winter driving tips to stay safe during February. Here are just a few:

• check the condition of your vehicle's tyres
• leave more stopping distance between other vehicles
• let people know where you are travelling to and when you are due to return so others are alerted if you are stuck
• stock up with cold weather supplies such as water, a warm blanket, a snow shovel, snacks and warm clothes in case you get stuck on the road
• leave longer for your journey
• check your washer fluid, coolant oil and other vehicle fluids before you start your journey
• take care entering and exiting your vehicle

Driving carefully doesn't stop on the road. If you work, for example in construction, make sure you drive carefully on a construction site and remember that winter driving rules for public roads are still relevant. 

It makes perfect sense to ensure that you wear the correct clothing for the conditions in February and beyond. When it is icy or cold, layering and covering all skin where possible is a crucial must. This includes work too. 

Your workplace should provide the correct clothing gear for your work conditions so ensure you make use of these. You may need particular footwear or simply warm clothing for the type of job you do. 

As part of staying safe in February and beyond, you should be careful how you handle materials and machinery. If you work in the construction industry this will be very relevant to you as handling materials and machinery will be an everyday activity. 

Lifting materials poorly can cause an accident or personal injury at work. You could stress your heart if you lift incorrectly, so use your legs and ask others for help if you can't lift material on your own. And don't forget to make use of tools in the workplace which can help you with lifting.

Also, ensure that machinery and equipment have been checked before you use it 

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer an accident at work, you should know what to do. If your employee has guidance on this, ensure you read it so you are aware. 

If you do suffer an  injury at work:

• get medical help urgently from the workplace first aid person and call 999 if necessary
• collect evidence when possible, including photographic evidence
• report the accident to your supervisor and ensure it is logged in the relevant workplace accident book
• keep a record of symptoms and any expense you incur as a result of your workplace injury

If you suffer an accident or personal injury due to a road traffic accident you should know what to do. Here are some useful simple steps:

• stop and switch off your engine
• put your hazard lights on
• call 999 if someone is injured or if the road is affected such as if it is blocked
• try to stay calm and keep those around you calm too.

If you suffer an accident in public, it can feel embarrassing. However, it may be serious, and knowing what to do when you suffer an accident in public is useful. Here are some tips:

• firstly get medical help
• report the accident to an official in the public place
• ask witnesses for their details
• take evidence

If you have been injured or suffered an accident at National Accident Helpline we can help you to make an accident claim. We give you free and independent advice for claiming compensation for a personal injury. 

We appreciate that accidents can happen for all sorts of reasons, such as in public, at work and of course road traffic accidents. More importantly, we understand that accidents causing a personal injury can significantly affect your daily life. So call us now on .

Making a personal injury compensation claim with National Accident Helpline is easy. We make the claim process simple and stress-free. With the difficult effects of your personal injury, the last thing we want to do is to add more complications to your life. We even help you to calculate what potential compensation you could get online by using our compensation calculator. 

Our caring advisors will listen carefully and sympathetically to how your accident happened, assisting with any compensation you may be able to claim. They then swiftly pass you to a specialist solicitor to follow through with your claim. It's that simple with National Accident Helpline. 

So let us at National Accident Helpline help you make an accident claim today. Call or simply request a call back here. And, you can even begin your claim online. 

If you have suffered an accident or personal injury, you may be due personal injury compensation so contact National Accident Helpline. We keep your claim process easy and stress-free.

Call us now on to make a compensation claim. Or, you can request a call back here and even begin your claim online. 

^{Last updated 24.02.23}