Last week we talked about a few steps you can take to prepare for the fall. This week I’d like to continue this discussion by discussing a few more safety tips for the fall. These safety tips will help you prevent injuries and illnesses and will hopefully reduce the number of long term care claims you need to make this season and in the coming years.
Safety Tip No. 1: Take Your Vitamins
Your health is one of the things that can be impacted by the changes in season. The added moisture and lower temperatures combine to make a very toxic cocktail that increases the chances that you will come down with a cold or a virus. Taking a daily multivitamin can provide your body and your immune system with the nutritional support that they need to keep you healthy.
Safety Tip No. 2: Stretch Out Before Raking Leaves
One of the most common injuries during the month of October is muscle strain from working in the yard. Since a lot of you will be out raking leaves and getting your house ready for the winter, you need to take extra precautions to make sure that you don’t injure yourself. One easy way to prevent yard work related injuries is to stretch out before you head outside. Before you stretch, warm up your muscles with a short walk around the block. This will warm your muscles up and make them easier to stretch.
Safety Tip No. 3: Be Careful With Ladders
If you will be climbing up ladders to clean out gutters or to trim away branches, make sure you use proper ladder safety. First make sure your ladder is securely positioned before you climb on it. Also make sure the rungs are not wet. Finally, make sure your ladder won’t come into contact with power lines.