Safety Tips from I-Safety

Winter is a fun and invigorating time of the year when you keep yourself safe. It is darker earlier in the evening and combining that with snow and ice in the roads and walkways makes conditions more hazardous for everyone. It is important that we take responsibility for our safety and keep the information below in mind.

Night Comes Early!
Depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision can all be compromised in dark conditions. This affects drivers and pedestrians.

• Drivers: be aware of crosswalk locations and scan for pedestrians.
• Drivers: slow down and leave more space between you and the car ahead - your headlights will cause reflections inside the vehicle in front of you, making it harder for that driver to see pedestrians and other obstacles.
• Pedestrians: wear bright clothing or something reflective on you or your backpack.
• Pedestrians: consider that a driver may be blinded by oncoming headlights and be unable to see you in the road.

Hazardous Crosswalks
Icy roads, with or without poor lighting, make crosswalks hazardous.

• Pedestrians: assume drivers DON'T see you.
• Pedestrians: Wait for cars to stop before stepping into the crosswalk.
• Drivers: Acknowledge pedestrians waiting to cross so they know you've seen them.
• Pedestrians: Make real eye contact with the drivers/look for them to acknowledge you, if possible, and then proceed with caution.

Winter Walking
Even a small amount of snow or ice can be dangerous. Watch out for wet floors when you enter buildings. Snow may get tracked inside and then melt, creating a slip hazard.

• Waddle like a penguin.
• Free traction devices are available to employees at EHS.
• Keep your hands free and out of pockets. Avoid using your phone for any reason while walking.
• Use hand rails where provided.
• If you see ice, scatter sand. Sand is available in many locations around campus; watch for cans labeled "Sand" - while they may look like it, they are not trash cans and should not be used as such.

Winter Driving
In addition to the standard "buckle up" and "slow down - take your time" reminders for any time of year, winter driving takes skill and preparation. Keep in mind this may be the first time for some drivers to practice these skills.

• Clear all your windows, completely, before starting to drive – even a small amount of snow buildup on the outside or fog on the inside can block your view of a pedestrian.
• Studded snow tires and four-wheel/all-wheel drive do not make your vehicle invincible; you will still need extra time to accelerate to a safe speed and come to full stops.
• Travel with extra warm clothing, food and water for yourself; keep a full tank of fuel and have proper maintenance performed for your vehicle.
• Delay travel, when possible, until road conditions improve.
• If you should slide off the road, stay in your vehicle while you wait for assistance.

For additional information, please contact EHS at 208-885-6524 or safety@uidaho.edu.

In order to minimize the potential fire hazards associated with holiday season decorations, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) has prepared the following information to guide your decorating plans. The list below is not an exhaustive list of concerns but summarizes a few of the major points. For the full list, visit the Holiday Decorations page on the EHS website.

General Decorations

• Fire code requires all decorations to be non-combustible or treated with a U.L. listed fire retardant.
• Use only U.L. listed, non-heat producing holiday lighting strands and follow manufacturer's recommendations on number of strands that may be plugged into each other.
• Power strips with a fuse or circuit breaker are recommended if there are not enough outlets. Do not run electrical cords through doorways or under throw rugs or loose carpeting and never string cords across doorways or walkways.
• All decorations must be kept away from exit signs, fire alarm devices (pull stations, smoke and heat detectors, etc.), fire extinguishers and emergency and normal-use light fixtures. Exit signs and emergency lights must not be obstructed in any way.
• Use of open flame (e.g., candles, luminaria, incense) is prohibited.

Holiday trees have additional concerns to address, such as height, location and lighting used. Again, for the full list, visit the Holiday Decorations page on the EHS website.

Fall and Winter Break are rapidly approaching, and many in the Vandal family will be traveling around the state of Idaho to enjoy some time away from the daily routine. Regardless of where you are heading or what you will be doing, keep safety in mind. Take the time to complete all safety checks before using any equipment for your chosen activity. A few extra minutes ahead of time may save a lot of hours later if something goes wrong.

Winter is just getting started, so if you are traveling by car, be familiar with the winter driving hazards you may encounter. Check out the Safety Tip on Winter Driving Hazards for things to keep in mind before you go. The tip on Winter Conditions offers additional reminders for driving in low light and dark conditions.

If you aren't so sure you and your vehicle are ready for icy, snowy roads, a travel option for students is the Vandal Break Bus, a joint program of Parking and Transportation Services and the Dean of Students. The National Safety Council statistics show that in 2020 (the most recent year for their published statistics), the fatality rate in passenger vehicles was over ten times higher than that in buses. If the Vandal Break Bus is not convenient for you, check out the PTS website for alternative options. PTS also has information on the specific enforcement regulations that will be in place during the break. If you are leaving a car behind be sure to review those, too. Did you know that overnight on-street parking is prohibited during breaks?

Questions? PTS is a great resource for information about local and regional transportation. Use the links above or reach out at parking@uidaho.edu or 208-885-6424.