Walking safely in winter conditions

By Bonnie Kwan, communications officer, Safety & Risk Services

When the temperature drops and the icy ground becomes too slippery to walk safely, we recommend turning to our favourite short legged friends from the southern hemisphere, penguins, for advice.

To balance on icy walkways, do the penguin waddle. 

1. Keep your hands out of your pockets to steady (like penguin wings) as you shuffle along. 
2. Keep your knees loose — let them bend a bit. This will keep your centre of gravity lower to the ground, which further stabilizes the body.
3. Point your toes out and take a small step, placing your whole foot down at once. Then shift your weight very slowly to one foot and bring your other foot to meet it the same way.
4. Wear a backpack to carry your belongings to keep your arms free to protect yourself against slips and falls. 

To do the penguin walk safely, wear proper footwear with good ankle support and slip resistant soles. 

Stay on the main pedestrian routes and priority cleared areas as much as possible. These are the main routes for snow clearing during a severe weather event and also are priority ramp routes for snow and ice removal (map). Call 778-782-3582 for salt or shovelling at the Burnaby campus. 

More winter safety information at: 

• Are you ready for wet & cold winter weather at SFU?
• Snow Day: what goes into keeping campus safe
• 5 tips for winter driving
• Bundle up for winter at SFU
• Getting ready for winter cycling at SFU