Winter always brings challenges for business owners, not least trying to ensure that slip hazards are reduced across your premises. Snow, ice, moss and fallen leaves can all create dangerous conditions for staff and members of the public.
To keep your business running smoothly even during the coldest of cold snaps, you need to be sure that you've done all you can to reduce risks.
Legal responsibility
As a business owner, you have a responsibility to ensure that slip hazards are reduced as much as possible. Health and Safety regulations state that arrangements must be made to minimise the dangers that can arise as a result of snow and ice. If you're an employer, you have to make sure that walkways and other outside areas are gritted, with snow shovelled and cleared. Accidents as a result of snow and ice can prove costly if it can be proven that a business owner neglected their duties.
Assessing the risk
To reduce the risk of slips and winter accidents you will need to properly assess the risk and have a system in place to reduce it.
Some of the pedestrian areas around your business premises that are most likely to be affected by snow and ice are:
* Building entrances
* Pedestrian walkways and shortcuts
* Any sloping areas
* Wet areas
* Shaded areas
When should you grit your business premises?
Your first line of defence against snow and ice is gritting, but it's important to do it right. If you fail to grit when the temperature has dropped your business premises can easily become hazardous, yet doing it haphazardly can mean that you waste money, and it's ineffective.
Gritting should always be carried out when frost, snow or ice is forecast. If walkways around your business are wet or damp, and the temperature is going to be below or near freezing, then they should be gritted. The best times to do this are in the early evening, or in the morning before employees arrive.
Because the UK weather is so unpredictable, you should be ready to grit between October and April.
Call in the professionals to enjoy peace of mind
Getting gritting right is tricky and time-consuming. You can end up wasting time and money, and your premises can still be hazardous. Weedfree Landscapes offer a professional gritting, shovelling and winter weather management service. We eliminate the guesswork and can give you peace of mind. We're dedicated to keeping your premises hazard-free all year round.
Why not get in touch with our friendly, professional and experienced team today for advice and a free quote?
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