Don't Let Winter Get You Down: Protect Yourself and Your Spaces

January 2, 2025

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From icy sidewalks to frosty mornings, winter brings its challenges, but staying safe doesn’t have to be one of them. Explore our winter safety tips to keep your campus experience safe, warm, and worry-free each winter.

Avoid Slips, Trips, and Falls

  • Wear slip-resistant, comfortable footwear.
  • Tread carefully while walking, especially on sloped surfaces or stairs. Take slow, small steps, and avoid carrying heavy loads that may offset your balance.
  • Be extra careful when entering and exiting vehicles.
  • Watch out for slippery surfaces inside buildings.

Fight Frostbite

  • Limit your time outdoors in cold, wet, or windy weather, and layer in loose, warm clothing. Change out of wet clothing as soon as possible.
  • Know the symptoms of frostbite: burning, numbness, tingling, and itching in the affected areas.
  • Seek medical attention if you think you have frostbite.
    • CUIMC Faculty and Employees: During normal working hours, visit Workforce Health & Safety located on the first floor of Harkness Pavilion.
    • CUIMC Students: Visit Student Health on Haven during its normal hours of operation. After hours, go to the NYP Emergency Department.

Protect Your Space

  • Before you leave each day, close and lock all windows and doors and close blinds and curtains. Be sure to close all windows in spaces that are not normally occupied. Open windows in “forgotten” spaces waste energy and can damage your work area if water pipes freeze and crack.
  • Turn off computers, lights, and other equipment. Additionally, move electrical or valuable items off the floor and away from windows.
  • Avoid fire hazards by keeping approved portable space heaters away from flammable materials. Never leave a space heater on or unattended.
  • If your lab or experiments depend on electricity, make sure critical equipment is plugged into outlets that are backed up by emergency power. If you are not sure which outlets are on emergency power, contact Facilities Management at 212-305-HELP (4357), option 3.

Report Issues to CUIMC Facilities Management

  • Report problems, such as leaks, windows or doors that cannot be closed, icy patches, or unsafe sidewalks, to Facilities Management at 212-305-HELP (4357), option 3.
  • Report on-campus emergencies to Public Safety at 212-305-7979; for off-campus emergencies, call 911.