What is the most effective behavior to help prevent falls on slippery surfaces?
It’s called the penguin shuffle. After the snow has been shoveled, the ice melt has been applied and you have shoes that have good treads, walking like a penguin is the best way to avoid a slip and fall that may be likely to cause serious injury and unnecessary visits to the doctor’s office.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in four older adults report a fall each year. In 2020, 36,508 older adults aged 65 and older died from preventable falls, and over 2.8 million were treated in emergency departments.
How to walk like a penguin:
- Spread your feet out, at shoulder width
- Keep your hands free
- Keep your center of gravity over your front foot
- Square your shoulders
- Take short steps or just shuffle along slowly
Make it a safe day. It starts with one.
Kyle Black is the District Manager at Seneca Meadows Landfill located in Seneca Falls, New York.