Winter waves on the North Shore can pose a hazard, in and out of the water, and call for special attention to safety.

A road worker suffered lacerations and needed medical care after he was thrown onto sharp rocks Wednesday while standing near roadside barriers along Kamehameha Highway. And two young girls wearing life jackets were sucked out of a lagoon at Ko Olina by a rogue wave; thankfully, they were rescued by family members, but their three adult rescuers were all injured, one badly enough to send him to the emergency room.

Better to give the ocean a very wide berth on big-wave days, unless assured of surfing expertise — and accompanied by a rescue crew.