Blowing snow sure beats shoveling. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that in 2004, medical offices treated more than 44,000 injuries related to the use of power snow equipment, including lacerations, finger amputations and bone fractures, many of which occurred when machine operators tried to dislodge impacted snow from the chute.  There are also musculoskeletal injuries to consider. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons warns that the improper use of snow blowers, coupled with muscles being overextended and overexerted, can wreak havoc on the shoulders, wrists and backs.

Safety Tips for Snow blower Operators

To keep yourself and those around you safe, keep these points in mind while operating snow blowers:

1. Dress appropriately, including slip-resistant footwear, avoid wearing loose clothing, such as scarves, and keep long hair tucked inside a hat.
2. Read the safety manual.
3. Add fuel before starting the machine, not while the machine is hot.
4. Make sure all guards and shields are in place, and use only approved accessories and attachments.
5. Prior to operation, inspect the area and clear it of foreign objects that could fly out of the machine.
6. Adjust the collector housing so it won't strike gravel or rock surfaces.
7. Clear bystanders from your work area.
8. Keep hands and feet away from all moving parts.
9. Be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning hazards, and don't run the engine in enclosed areas.
10. Always stop the engine prior to making machine adjustments or repairs.
11. Mark the locations of water and gas shut-off valves prior to clearing snow.
12. Always know where the power cord is when using an electric snowblower.
13. Direct the snow away from buildings, vehicles and pedestrians.
14. Do not clear snow from steep slopes.
15. Do not leave the snow blower running unattended.
16. Pace yourself.

Conclusion

Operating a snow blower safely doesn't require technical training; it only requires awareness and common sense. 

Before                                              During                                           After

This tree removal was accomplished in one day. The client was concerned that the tree was failing and that it could possibly fall into the parking lot, creating a dangerous environment and liability issue. The task was completed with one crew, a bucket truck, chain saws, and roll off box to remove all the debris. Mission Accomplished!

Bloodroot,also known as sanguinaria canadensis, bloodwort, and red puccoon root.  It is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant. Bloodroot is a variable species growing from 20 to 50 cm tall, normally with one large, sheath-like basal multi-lobed leaf up to 12 cm across. The flowers are produced from March to May, with 8-12 delicate white petals and yellow reproductive parts. The flowers appear over clasping leaves while blooming. Bloodroot stores sap in an orange color that grows shallowly under or at the soil surface. Plants start to bloom before the foliage unfolds in early spring and after blooming, the leaves expand to their full size and go dormant in mid to late summer. Plants are found growing in moist to dry woods and thickets, often on flood plains and near shores or streams and on slopes. They grow less frequently in clearings and meadows or on dunes, and are rarely found in disturbed sites. The flowers are pollinated by small bees and flies.  Seeds develop in elongated green pods 40 to 60 mm in length and ripen before the foliage goes dormant. The seeds are round in shape and when ripe are black to orange-red in color. The seeds have a fleshy organ that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest to eat, where they are protected until they grow.  The double flowering forms are prized by gardeners for their large showy white flowers, which are produced very early in the gardening season. Bloodroot flower petals are shed within a day or two of pollination so the flower display is short lived. Bloodroot produces morphine-like poisons or drugs, primarily the toxin sanguinarine. The poison or drug is transported to and stored in the root. Bloodroot and its extracts are considered corrosive.  The blood of the root (when cut open) was used as a dye and was used for an herbal remedy by the native population. 

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday".  The last day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.  While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of traditionally ethnic French cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations. Mardi Gras arrived in North America as a French Catholic tradition with the Le Moyne brothers, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisiane, which included what are now the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  The expedition, led by Iberville, entered the mouth of the Mississippi River on the evening of March 2, 1699, Lundi Gras. They did not yet know it was the river explored and claimed for France by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1683. The party proceeded upstream to a place on the west bank about 60 miles downriver from where New Orleans is today.  In 1703 French settlers in Mobile began the Mardi Gras celebration tradition. By 1720, Biloxi had been made capital of Louisiana. The French customs had already accompanied colonists who settled there.  In 1723, the capital of Louisiana was moved to New Orleans, founded in 1718. The tradition has expanded to the point that it became strongly associated with the city in popular perception, and embraced by residents of New Orleans beyond those of French or Catholic heritage. Mardi Gras celebrations are part of the basis of the slogan, Laissez les bons temps rouler, (Let the good times roll) and the nickname "Big Easy". Mobile, Alabama, the former capital of New France, also has a long tradition of celebrating Mardi Gras. Other cities along the Gulf Coast formerly occupied and owned by the French from Pensacola, Florida, and its suburbs to Lafayette, Louisiana, have active Mardi Gras celebrations.