NYS Labor Department: All Ski Areas Are Safe After Inspection
Utica, NY (WIBX) - The New York State Department of Labor is urging skiers to exercise caution as they head to the mountains for Winter activities.Spokesperson Leo Rosales said the Labor Department completed its inspection of all 450 ski areas in the State. He said, "Before the first snow fall, before they start making the snow we are there inspecting the ski lifts. We inspect the chairs, we inspect all the moving parts, we inspect the cables, everything in place to make sure that riders are safe as they're going up that mountain."
Rosales said severe weather also plays a role in accidents but people should exercise personal safety such as getting familiar with equipments and not skiing where you're not supposed to. He said despite the recent ski lift accident on Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, it's safe to ski and take part in other outdoor Winter activities in New York State however, personal safety should be applied and participants should follow the rules posted.
He said, "We are encouraging everyone who is a ski fanatic to go out to the mountain and take advantage of the great resource that we have here in New York State, but keep in mind the safety precautions and guidelines that will be clearly posted when you go to a Ski Resorts. But also know that every chair that you are about to board on has been inspected by the State Labor Department and also by the Ski areas themselves. They do routine inspections, they do daily, they do weekly inspections as well. And we come back throughout the year to perform other inspections so it's something that we take very seriously and we want to make sure that every skier is safe this season."
He said for those going out on their own, they should know their surroundings and limitations and have other people know their location. He said these are simple precautions that some of us may take for granted must if followed, can provide a safe experience during the ski season.
The precautions the Labor Department is providing to skiers and other Winter activity participants are as follows:
For passengers of mechanical devices that transport skiers, such as rope tows, chair lifts and t-bar lifts, Labor Law outlines clear responsibilities:
- Familiarize yourself with the device.
- Remain on the device if it stops moving.
- Board and get off the device only at points designated by the ski area operator.
- Don't throw anything off the device that could harm other skiers.
- Try not to wear loose clothing or accessories that can become tangled in the device.
- Do not ski in any area where you're not supposed to be.
- Don't ski beyond your limits and abilities – if you're a beginner and you're going on a trail designated "most difficult," chances are you're not ready for it yet.
- Abide by the instructions of the ski area operator.
- Be in control. If you think you're going too fast, you probably are.
- Don't leave the scene of an accident that results in personal injury to another party until the ski area operator arrives – unless you leave to go get help.
- Don't stop on a slope or trail in a place where stopping can cause a collision.
- Don't remove, deface, alter or damage signage maintained by the ski operator.
- Conduct employee training sessions at least once before the beginning of each season – for operators of trail maintenance equipment, passenger tramway attendants, and ski personnel charged with evacuating passengers from passenger tramways.
- Equip all trail maintenance vehicles with flashing or rotating lights.
- Post proper signage, including a "Warning to Skiers," of the hazards associated with skiing.
- Mark with crossed poles things like snow-making equipment, electrical outlets, timing equipment, pipes, etc.
- In a central location, maintain information on the location of lifts, slopes and trails. Information should include the status of each trail – open or closed, the location of emergency communications or medical equipment, and the degree of difficulty of the trails (easier, more difficult, most difficult).
- Inspect each open ski slope at least twice a day to observe general conditions, such as ice patches or bare spots.
- Develop and maintain a written policy involving reckless conduct on the slopes.
- Report any fatality to the Commissioner of Labor by telephone within 24 hours.
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