Resolve to Improve Your Snowblower Safety IQ

Massachusetts pianist Murray Daniels likely won’t ever forget Nov. 16, 2018.

On that day, according to the Boston Globe, Daniels fired up his snowblower to clear the snow from his driveway. He was nearly done when the machine’s chute jammed with wet snow. According to the newspaper, Daniels took his hands off the snowblower controls, thinking that would disengage the moving parts.

He was wrong. He began using his right hand to clear the snow, thinking he was far away from any moving parts. But in an instant, the snowblower’s gears came back to life, crushing the tips of the three middle fingers on his right hand. He lost the tips of those fingers down to the second knuckle. His thumb and pinky were spared.

Daniels, a retired engineer, eventually got back to playing the piano at his church and in a rock cover band, thanks to the efforts of surgeons and therapists. He was fitted with silicone extensions for his injured fingers that allow him to play almost as well as before the accident.

Stories like Daniels’ are a stark reminder of the dangers of a chore with a machine you may not view as particularly hazardous. But statistics show it can be mighty dangerous. Thousands of people are hurt each year.

According to the National Institutes of Health, hand injuries are the most common and potentially serious injuries associated with snowblowers, sometimes called snow throwers. A study conducted from 2009-2017 showed most injuries seen in emergency rooms were fractures and cuts, with an additional 22% being amputations. Most injury patients were middle-aged men.

“The best way to prevent these kinds of injuries is with education about the risks for serious injury connected to snowblowers and being safety conscious at all times,” says hand and orthopedic surgeon Karl Helmold, MD, with Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. “Hands are complex, with a multitude of bones, tendons and blood vessels that combine to help us in nearly every aspect of daily life. Serious injuries affecting hand function can be life altering.”

If your snowblower clogs

• Turn it off.
• Disengage the clutch.
• Wait five seconds after shutting the machine off to allow the impeller blades to stop rotating.
• Always use a stick or broom handle to clear snow. Don’t assume that you’re safe just because the power switch is off.
• Never put your hand down the chute or around the blades.
• Keep all shields in place. Don’t remove safety devices.
• Keep your hands and feet away from all moving parts.

The hand surgery society also advises you protect your eyes from flying debris by wearing goggles or safety glasses, especially if you are unclogging the machine. Stay focused on what you’re doing and wear boots with good traction to avoid slipping.

In addition, never drink alcohol or use narcotics before using your snowblower.

Lehigh Valley Health Network hand surgeon Matthew Gonzalez, MD, who like Dr. Helmold is fellowship-trained in hand surgery, says if you suffer a snowblower injury, get to an emergency room as soon as possible. “Snowblowers have a lot of force and power, and hand injuries from snowblower accidents unfortunately reflect that force,” says Dr. Gonzalez, with Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. “Hand surgery and microsurgery can help repair a lot of damage, but they can’t turn back time. Please be careful out there this winter.”

In addition to the tips above, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) urges you to add fuel to your snowblower before you start and never add fuel when the engine is running or hot. The AAOS says be sure to always fuel your snowblower outside rather than in a garage, shed, or enclosed area to avoid being overwhelmed by engine fumes. Never operate the machine in an enclosed area to avoid exposure to potentially deadly carbon monoxide.

Twelve Snowblower safety tips 

From Travelers Insurance