Winter Slip-and-Fall Risks: What To Fix Before Volunteers Show Up

Winter weather brings a familiar set of challenges for nonprofit organizations that rely on volunteers. Ice, snow, wet floors, and reduced daylight can quickly turn routine volunteer activities into injury risks. Slips and falls remain one of the most common causes of volunteer injuries, particularly during the winter months. Addressing those risks before volunteers arrive is a key part of protecting people and operations and an essential reason organizations rely on volunteer accident insurance.

How can nonprofits reduce winter slip-and-fall risks for volunteers? The most effective approach starts well before the first volunteer walks through the door. Preparation, clear responsibility, and appropriate insurance coverage work together to reduce injuries, limit claims, and prevent avoidable disruptions.

Why Winter Slip-and-Fall Risks Increase for Volunteers

Cold weather creates hazards that do not exist during other times of the year. Snow and ice accumulate quickly on walkways and parking areas. Entrances become slick from tracked-in moisture. Shorter days and poor lighting make it harder to see uneven surfaces or temporary hazards.

Volunteers may be especially vulnerable because they are often less familiar with facilities or off-site locations than staff. They may not know which entrances are safest, where lighting is weakest, or which stairs become slippery in winter conditions. 

According to federal safety guidance on winter hazards, slips and falls are among the most common cold-weather injuries across workplaces and volunteer settings alike. These risks increase when conditions change faster than inspection routines can keep pace.

What To Fix Before Volunteers Arrive

Winter slip-and-fall prevention is most effective when it focuses on pre-arrival checks rather than reactive fixes. Waiting until a volunteer points out a hazard often means the risk has already escalated.

Organizations should prioritize:

• Clearing snow and ice from walkways, entrances, and parking areas before volunteer shifts begin
• Improving lighting in high-traffic areas, especially near stairs, ramps, and entrances
• Checking for uneven pavement, loose mats, or worn steps that become more dangerous when wet or icy
• Making sure handrails are secure and easy to grip, particularly on exterior stairs

Assigning responsibility is just as important as identifying hazards. Someone should be clearly responsible for inspections, follow-up, and documentation. Many organizations benefit from using seasonal checklists and written procedures to support consistency. VIS offers practical tools and downloads to help organizations formalize these processes, available through its volunteer management resources.

Nonprofit leaders often ask whether basic cleanup is enough. In most cases, it is not. Winter conditions change daily, sometimes hourly. A formal process helps make sure hazards are addressed consistently rather than sporadically.

How Training and Volunteer Accident Insurance Work Together

Even with careful preparation, winter injuries can still occur. A volunteer may slip while carrying supplies, lose footing on an icy sidewalk, or fall while entering a building. Training helps reduce these risks by setting expectations and encouraging volunteers to report hazards, but it cannot eliminate every scenario.

This is where volunteer accident insurance plays an important role. Volunteer accident insurance helps address medical expenses when a volunteer is injured while performing approved activities. Without coverage, even a minor fall can create financial stress for the volunteer and administrative challenges for the organization.

Insurance complements prevention efforts. It does not replace the need for inspections, training, or supervision. Instead, it provides a financial safety net when incidents occur despite best efforts. This layered approach supports volunteers while helping organizations manage claims and maintain continuity during the winter season.

Preparing Now for a Safer Winter Season

Winter slip-and-fall risks are predictable, which means they are also manageable. Addressing hazards before volunteers arrive, assigning clear responsibility, and reinforcing expectations through training can significantly reduce injuries.

When combined with volunteer accident insurance, these steps form a practical strategy for protecting volunteers and limiting disruption during winter months. To learn how VIS helps organizations prepare for seasonal risks and protect volunteers through specialized insurance programs and risk management resources, contact VIS today. Also, for a description of the accident insurance and the other kinds of insurance VIS offers, click the “VIS is…” tab at the top of this page and scroll down to the FAQ section.

FAQ on Winter Risks for Volunteers

What is the most common winter injury for volunteers?

Slips and falls are among the most common winter-related injuries, often caused by ice, snow, wet surfaces, and poor lighting.

Are nonprofits responsible if a volunteer slips and falls?

Responsibility depends on the circumstances, but organizations can reduce exposure by addressing known hazards, documenting inspections, and providing appropriate insurance coverage.

Does volunteer accident insurance cover medical costs from a fall?

Volunteer accident insurance is designed to help cover medical expenses when a volunteer is injured during approved volunteer activities.

About VIS

Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS) is a membership organization serving more than 3,500 volunteer-based nonprofit organizations and public entities nationwide. VIS is the only association that offers these three insurance programs designed specifically for volunteers: volunteer accident, volunteer liability, and volunteer excess automobile liability.

If you are interested in protecting your volunteers through the unique VIS insurance program, please click on the “Get volunteer insurance now” link on the home page, or call 800.222.8920. For more information on VIS’s risk-management resources for members and our vendor partners, click on the “Member Benefits” tab.