When the country is in the midst of winter weather, it's essential to make sure your business doesn't come to a standstill. You need to keep the outside of your premises clear and safe from hazards like snow and ice.
Be prepared for adverse weather conditions with a winter grounds maintenance plan. This will help to reduce the risk of accidents, slips and falls. There are some easy steps you can take to keep car parks, pavements and surrounding areas safe from the grip of winter weather. Here are just a few tips:
- Keep checking the weather forecast
- Clear and grit pathways
- Clear and grit car parks
- Spread plenty of rock salt on the ground
- Place hazard winter warning signs in prominent locations
In the UK, the winter season can present a lot of challenges to business owners. Extreme weather conditions can cause disruption to trading and damage to the property. Keeping on top of winter grounds maintenance is just one area to focus on. Others include:
Heavy snow can put a lot of strain on any roof. With this in mind, why not have your roof surveyed annually, especially if the property is old? Check the drains too, as blocked drains can flood and could freeze, which in turn would clause slip hazards. Make sure to also check the winter risk plans and risk assessments to see if they are still current.
Burst pipes can be very disruptive to businesses and expensive to repair. There's the added risk to customers and staff. What would happen if pipes do burst during the winter? The worst-case scenario could be that you might not be able to trade from your business premises until the area is completely dry and fully repaired, which could take months.
Do remember to brief your staff about the importance of an annual winter grounds maintenance plan. Get them on board so they are tuned in to any type of weather that the winter months bring and know what to do to keep the premises and grounds safe. It’s also a good idea to train staff in weather forecasting or grit application. You could also appoint a specialist contractor to make sure everything is covered if it’s likely to snow or a freeze is imminent.
Whether you have a number of business vehicles, a space which needs to be maintained, or a workforce that might struggle with the weather conditions, plan ahead by implementing a winter grounds maintenance programme.