# Have you ever been injured while managing snow and ice?



## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

Have you ever been injured while managing snow and ice?

Please discuss if you have ever been injured while out in the elements managing snow and ice. If so, what happened and what are some of the things you did after it occurred? What did you learn from that and what are some of the procedures you may have implemented to possibly prevent such injuries in the future?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Never jump out of the truck expecting the pavement to be ice free...........always, always, get out slowly.


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

Mark Oomkes;2044177 said:


> Never jump out of the truck expecting the pavement to be ice free...........always, always, get out slowly.


Yup.

Wasn't injured, but took one hell of a fall. I landed flat on my back, smacking my head (which I guess explains a lot of things, eh ?)

I was wearing my russian style hat with the floppy ears, and when I realized I fell, I was surrounded by women staring down at me. I just so happened to be in a driveway where a bunch of ladies were standing waiting for their kids to get out of school. I thought I was in Heaven.... or Hell when I looked up, but other than being sore, I was okay. A little dazed, wind knocked out of me, but fine.

I've since purchased a bigger hat, so when I do fall, my head is protected against the impact a little better.


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

I'm sure you look quite Awesome with that new hat Thumbs Up

let's also please keep this discussion "related" to the injuries that you may have encountered...thanks all :waving:


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Michael J. Donovan;2044186 said:


> I'm sure you look quite Awesome with that new hat Thumbs Up
> 
> let's also please keep this discussion "related" to the injuries that you may have encountered...thanks all :waving:


I'm serious Michael, did the same thing as Dog--minus the kewl hat--jumped out to open up a gate and went flat on my kiester and then my head. I was fortunate, no one saw me.


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

Mark Oomkes;2044177 said:


> Never jump out of the truck expecting the pavement to be ice free...........always, always, get out slowly.


I gotta ask Mark, is this you speaking from experience


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Michael J. Donovan;2044196 said:


> I gotta ask Mark, is this you speaking from experience


See above, it most certainly is, but it can't be proven.


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

Mark Oomkes;2044195 said:


> I'm serious Michael, did the same thing as Dog--minus the kewl hat--jumped out to open up a gate and went flat on my kiester and then my head. I was fortunate, no one saw me.


I'm sure most of us have done the same (yes, myself included) and not a good feeling...so, great advice as a simple slip and fall like this could become a real problem, and not just from an embarrassment standpoint


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

Michael J. Donovan;2044186 said:


> I'm sure you look quite Awesome with that new hat Thumbs Up
> 
> let's also please keep this discussion "related" to the injuries that you may have encountered...thanks all :waving:


Well, I was sore
Had a slight neck ache
wind knocked out of me.

Nothing permanent, other than a bit of brame dambrage.... 

Yeah... I'm good.Thumbs Up

My wife took a header (she's my shovel monkey) and wound up flat on her back lying in a pile of snow and ice chunks. After I stopped laughing :laughing::laughing:hysterically, I went over to help her up. She was again, a bit sore, but no real lasting injuries.

I'll be looking into a couple of sets of "cleats" that go over your boots for this season...


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Michael J. Donovan;2044174 said:


> Have you ever been injured while managing snow and ice?
> 
> Please discuss if you have ever been injured while out in the elements managing snow and ice. If so, what happened and what are some of the things you did after it occurred? What did you learn from that and what are some of the procedures you may have implemented to possibly prevent such injuries in the future?


Two different accidents.

Blew out my right knee, and broke my right arm.

I learned.
Pain it temporary.
Chicks dig scars.
and glory is forever.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Michael J. Donovan;2044200 said:


> I'm sure most of us have done the same (yes, myself included) and not a good feeling...so, great advice as a simple slip and fall like this could become a real problem, and not just from an embarrassment standpoint


I was fortunate, nothing really hurt other than my pride. (my head is too hard to hurt..........the brain is a different story) This was long before cell phones and I more than likely wouldn't have had it with me anyways. We had 2 way radios, but no one would have missed me for at least a couple hours.

I should think about investing in cleats for my sidewalk crews, icy conditions scare the crap out of me when I think of them walking around, pushing spreaders, on steps\stairways.


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

Mark Oomkes;2044177 said:


> Never jump out of the truck expecting the pavement to be ice free...........always, always, get out slowly.


I have done this more than once, but normally it is when I stop to run into a gas station to grab an energy drink or a snack, never when I am getting out to work! :angry:

A close call I had was last year, MA had big ice dam and roof collapse problems, so my father and I decided to go start clearing ice dams for people, well Dad is up on the roof breaking them off with a sledge when one big freakin piece of ice (about 3'x1'x1') comes flying down at me, I tried to dodge it but my feet were too deep in the snow. We had had almost all of the 8ft by then, and it was compacted to about waist deep in this guys yard. I took the chunk to the back as I failed at trying to get out of the way, needless to say my Dad didn't believe me when I said he hit me, and then laughed when he realized I was being honest. 

Or when I slid off the roof and landed on a picnic table clearing ice dams... Dad wouldnt bring the ladder over, said it would be a soft landing.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Wasn't so much while managing snow and ice but did happen in the snow. Fell and ended up landing on my wrist. Being a stubborn male species are waited to see if it would heal on its own. It didn't and almost a year after the accident ended up having a bone removed to regain use of the wrist. Now have a noticeable loss of strength. So if you do get an injury be sure to have it looked at.


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

kimber750;2044362 said:


> Wasn't so much while managing snow and ice but did happen in the snow. Fell and ended up landing on my wrist. Being a stubborn male species are waited to see if it would heal on its own. It didn't and almost a year after the accident ended up having a bone removed to regain use of the wrist. Now have a noticeable loss of strength. So if you do get an injury be sure to have it looked at.


Well, Kimber to save the day as usual.

Sure glad you chimed in, as I know that being the king of injuries, you'd be the one to bring some life to this thread.Thumbs Up


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Dogplow Dodge;2044367 said:


> Well, Kimber to save the day as usual.
> 
> Sure glad you chimed in, as I know that being the king of injuries, you'd be the one to bring some life to this thread.Thumbs Up


If I go a week without bleeding it would be a miracle. Would of posted the drill pics but that had nothing to do with snow or ice, just my bad luck.


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

kimber750;2044380 said:


> If I go a week without bleeding it would be a miracle. Would of posted the drill pics but that had nothing to do with snow or ice, just my bad luck.


We had one of the signs at work that said "X Amount of days since we have seen blood" my boss took it down because i always seem to cut myself. xysport


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

Wait a minute here Dog, didn't you break your hip going down the stairs?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

kimber750;2044362 said:


> Wasn't so much while managing snow and ice but did happen in the snow. Fell and ended up landing on my wrist. Being a stubborn male species are waited to see if it would heal on its own. It didn't and almost a year after the accident ended up having a bone removed to regain use of the wrist. Now have a noticeable loss of strength. So if you do get an injury be sure to have it looked at.


Just imagine what would have happened if you had further to fall.............like Buffy.


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## Lb7 (Oct 3, 2015)

This is funny as well as hurt. I was tarping a bulk spreader walking backwards on an flatbed and just walked right off the back of it. landing flat on my back. Lesson, Watch for the edge of the bed


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

kimber750;2044395 said:


> Wait a minute here Dog, didn't you break your hip going down the stairs?


Shin bone....

Not snow related


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

Lb7;2044441 said:


> This is funny as well as hurt. I was tarping a bulk spreader walking backwards on an flatbed and just walked right off the back of it. landing flat on my back. Lesson, Watch for the edge of the bed


Been there, done that. Luckily it was spring and I landed in a mulch pile.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

My employe was rushing to get ready, out the shop back door, twisted his knee, was out for three weeks, same for me here, out of the truck and on my a#$. Just hurt my pride. I always told the guys, slow and steady wins the race. Now none snow related injuries, lots of those.


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

Near me, but not me....

-Step out of truck, onto black ice, under truck. tail bone,lower back, back of head.
-Thumb crushed grabbing truck door thinking it was locked as he was slamming it shut.
-broken thumb ligament tear. frozen hand, grabbing equipment didn't realize the pressure that was being applied.
-broken nose - doing something stupid boss not happy 
-twisted knee - working on loader and slipped off edge of pile


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

before i plowed i was shoveling and i jumped out of the truck to start and I caught black ice but luckily I'm young so i was able to get my hands down in time and just had a little sore wrist but nothing really


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

mark oomkes;2044195 said:


> i'm serious michael, did the same thing as dog--minus the kewl hat--jumped out to open up a gate and went flat on my kiester and then my head. I was fortunate, no one saw me.


This explains a lot...


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## Richie (Feb 17, 2016)

My boss was showing me how to operate a 625 case in a Shea Stadium parking lot he was on the phone talking to someone else he hit a drain stopped the 625 dead it was in 4 gear i flew hit the ceiling and window and then door window popped it open i am happy i didn't fall out the truck needed 8 stitches on the top of my head


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## Myshasta (Feb 13, 2017)

Had snow drifting and hanging off a clients roof above the garage door. Not wanting the old folks to get beaned by an avalanche I got most of the drift off without going onto the roof; but being a perfectionist I just couldn't walk away with only part of the roof cleared off so I got their ladder out and set it up in front of the garage door. As I went to transition from the ladder onto the roof, I shifted my weight, the ladder slipped out from under me and I came crashing down. Ended up breaking my right heel and was out of commission for 4 months (3 months with absolutely no weight bearing on that leg as I had pins sticking out of my heel). Happened in January so being a solo operator I had to scramble to find someone to hep me out. Thanks Buckwheat!

Lesson learned:
*1. Always assess the hazards before every job and again if those plans change.* I had developed a safe plan but failed to reassess the hazards when I changed my original plan. In taking the first bit of snow down some fell onto the drive and made the driveway slippery (go figure). There was also a slight slope to the drive where I set the ladder up. I totally missed both of these hazards when I deviated from my original plan.

*2. Right tool for the job.* I didn't have one of those inverted roof shovels. I had looked for on at every in town and couldn't find one that day so improvised by standing in the box of my toolcat which worked great allowing me to get about 4 ft up the roof from eave. The roof shovel with the extendable handle would have allowed me to get it all while standing safely on the ground. I now have 2 roof shovels and haven't used them since I bought them 4 years ago but they were a relatively cheap purchase.

*3. If you have planned a job with the hazards in mind and safely using the tools available, stick to that plan.* Not having a roof shovel I devised the plan to stand in the box of my toolcat and pulled most of the snow down into the box eliminating the need to clear much off the driveway. This worked great and I really didn't need to go onto the roof. I should have stopped when I had completed the job using the plan I had devised for safely using the tools at hand. It was my last minute decision to deviate from the original plan the ended with me being injured.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

MJD sorry for another Fire Dept comment but it should help. I was the Chair of the Health and Safety Committee so dealt with this a lot. We had several snow and ice related injuries.

Personally I jumped out of the rig like mark talks about and lost my footing and fell down into a bar ditch. Partially tearing my left ACL which eventually tore all the way a couple years later.

We had a concussion.

We also had several back injuries, one of which lead to a back surgery.

We also had an incident where we dropped a person strapped to a backboard when all 4 guys carrying it went down on ice.

We implemented a mandatory boot chain program. Boot chains were supplied to each person and if there was snow or ice conditions it was mandatory to use them. We also reinforced our policy of always maintaining 3 points of contact when entering or exiting a vehicle, ladders as well but that doesn't apply.

How much the 3 point contact helped can't really be measured, but once the boot chain policy went into place, up until my retirement, we didn't have any more slip and fall injuries on the ice.


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

I have too many times jumped out of a truck only to realize I should done so a bit slower. It seems my wrist takes the fall more than anything else.

I did however one icy season put sheet metal screws in the bottoms of my boots and used them for ice fishing. They worked great. 

However I do think certain places did not appreciate me wearing them and walking one their hard floors. But I never fell.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Hey look how old this thread is. I failed to look at the date after the Myshasta comment :hammerhead:


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

It's timely, today while waiting for my salt delivery guy to CB his office for the correct amount, I was reading the trucks door jamb. It has a sticker explaining how to get in and out properly....I guess this isn't covered on the road test.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Hey, look posts disappear becuse .??
Yet theos post(s)fell well inside TOS and et was on topic...


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

SnoFarmer said:


> Hey, look posts disappear becuse .??
> Yet theos post(s)fell well inside TOS and et was on topic...


Guess I missed something?


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

I removed your post as it wasn't relevant so, as I always ask, move on and don't take the thread off topic


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

ktfbgb said:


> Guess I missed something?


I had posted aboot waiting for my trigger deapth to be reached , I fell & hurt my elbo.

But, I'm informed it was Not relevant to the topic at hand.


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

SnoFarmer said:


> I had posted aboot waiting for my trigger deapth to be reached , I fell & hurt my elbo.
> 
> But, I'm informed it was Not relevant to the topic at hand.


no, you posted about falling off a bar stool so, as I said, move on and enough with the nonsense to take things off course

thanks and back on topic


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

I should add, since I posted about the boot chains. I would not recommend wearing the boot chains while operating a vehicle. We did at the FD but there is a lot more clearance around the pedals, and sometimes the chains would still get hung up momentarily. I would say boot chains for sidewalk crew guys. For boots for drivers I might try some some studs next year. If you google heavy equipment DIY tire studs, most companies sell lengths designed to screw into boots. I think they would help greatly with slip and fall injuries and would not get hung up while driving.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Michael J. Donovan said:


> no, you posted about falling off a bar stool so, as I said, move on and enough with the nonsense to take things off course
> 
> thanks and back on topic


I sure did, while I was waiting, I was sitting on one.

Again with all dew respect it was on topic,
As I was actively managing my snow operation from a stool.

All fall inside TOS and the topic at hand.

To be blunt, you took it off topic.

Reguards, 
Sno


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## Mike_PS (Feb 28, 2005)

SnoFarmer said:


> I sure did, while I was waiting, I was sitting on one.
> 
> Again with all dew respect it was on topic,
> As I was actively managing my snow operation from a stool.
> ...


as I said, back on topic and move on...not asking again

thanks


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Michael J. Donovan said:


> no, you posted about falling off a bar stool so, as I said, move on and enough with the nonsense to take things off course
> 
> thanks and back on topic


I did laugh at that one...thinking hmm...drinking and then heading out salting 

Better than doing that and plowing I guess.

Did know a guy who every snow fall had a 12 pack with him.

But this to is off topic.

Do not walk on ice after drinking too much. Do not jump out of trucks either.

The worst was a heavy freezing rain....we always try to pretreat but this time we were caught with our pants down. Got out late. What a mess....trucks slipping around, trucks all iced up.

Good post...watch out.

Again I love putting sheet metal screwing in the soles of me boots but do not use those long ones  or use those pull on one not the cheepo's but the good ice fishing kind.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

Was unloading a SS blower and lost my footing which resulted in falling backwards and a wheel on the blower landed on my breeding stick....
Lesson learned was don't wear cowboy boots when plowing.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I have been mentally damaged by heavy lake effect, can't say it wasn't permanent damage that is irreparable.
Pretty sure I'm not alone and thinking of starting a support group, that's why I'm here...


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Buff...you should have use those sheet metal screws. Shaking my head side to side.

Mr Mark welcome to the group and thank you for sharing. Most of us that have been plowing long have been through some sort of traumatic experiences. Even though we here do not experience much lake affect, we certainly have seen heavy and long lasting storms. We feel your burden. Coffee is over there on the table. By the way...are you catching any of the snows coming through ???


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

On a Call said:


> Buff...you should have use those sheet metal screws. Shaking my head side to side.
> 
> Mr Mark welcome to the group and thank you for sharing. Most of us that have been plowing long have been through some sort of traumatic experiences. Even though we here do not experience much lake affect, we certainly have seen heavy and long lasting storms. We feel your burden. Coffee is over there on the table. By the way...are you catching any of the snows coming through ???


Et was a late spring storm that came in sooner than expected and was focused on getting the plow and spreader on. So being in a rush I didn't think aboot changing boots.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I have a streamers on both sides of me but it looks like just a salt run in the morning.
I'll be ok....I'll be ok! Glad to be here...


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I fell a couple times on the ice. Laughing so hard never thought about any injury. :laugh:


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

I must be the perfect one....... Thought I would share.


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## Freshwater (Feb 28, 2014)

Couple years ago a plower was found dead next to his plow truck. They believe he slipped on the ice getting out of his truck, and hit his head.

I slipped walking out to my truck to brush snow and start it. Banged my elbow pretty good. No major injuries so far thank goodness. It's a huge concern with the responsibilities of plowing.


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