As the recent bad weather illustrates businesses and homeowners need to be prepared for snow and frosty mornings during the winter months. How far should a business go in preventing injuries from slips and falls in icy conditions? Well as a duty of care under the Health and Safety directive, basic personal safety should be considered a priority.
Walkways differ in surface texture but all can be hazardous given the worst combination of ice and snow. It makes sense to clear snow from common access routes such as steps, footpaths and walkways and other hard surfaces. Our new range of snow scoops and shovels make clearing much easier. Following that it is advisable to apply grit and salt to prevent ice reforming and to check periodically, particularly if snow continues to fall, and clear and treat again if necessary.
In addition to save cost and effort you can restrict access to certain areas and channel foot traffic along cleared and treated routes. Employers can also reinforce these restrictions to dangerous areas with appropriate signs e.g. “no unauthorised persons allowed beyond this point”.
Be prepared and have some grit and salt ready and make sure someone is allocated the task of applying it. You can also place a grit bin and shovel in the car park to help staff get cars moving when heavy snow is on the ground.
For homeowners, invest in a made for purpose snow scoop and snow pusher which will make snow clearance so much easier and have a bag of rock salt to hand to treat steps, paths and porches.
Tony
To grit or not to grit?
