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SAIF urges Oregonians to “Walk like a penguin”

Walking like a penguin reduces slips, trips, and falls.

Walk like a penguin!

With inclement weather arriving in some parts of the state and forecast for others, SAIF again wants to remind Oregonians to “walk like a penguin.”

“Slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of injury in Oregon—both in and out of the workplace,” said Scott Clark, safety innovations manager for SAIF. “Changing how you walk on slippery surfaces can mean the difference between making it home safely and taking an unexpected trip to the hospital.”

Clark offers the following guidance for taking walking cues from our arctic friends:

  • Keep your hands by your side (and not in your pockets).
  • Slow down and take short steps.
  • Walk flat-footed.
  • Point your toes slightly to the sides.

Watch a demonstration from SAIF on how to walk like a penguin here: https://youtu.be/eOlrFVDRAjM

Oregonians are encouraged to show how they #WalkLikeAPenguin throughout the winter, and share the poster from Mt. Hood Meadows to encourage others to “walk like a penguin,” too.

You can find more tips like this on the saif.com “Safety and health”.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. For more than 100 years, we’ve been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work.