Icy weather risk for Shropshire employers
Shropshire employers have been warned to take extra care in winter weather and icy conditions to protect their staff from slips and falls.
Tony Conlon, of Henshalls Insurance Brokers, in Newport and Shrewsbury, said snow-covered paths and walkways around commercial premises were a particular danger point.
“Employers and anyone who is responsible for the management of any business premises have a duty of care to make sure staff, customers and visitors are all safe, no matter how bad the weather gets. So it’s vital that every business takes simple precautions to reduce the risks and that plans are put in place so that everyone knows what actions to take when bad weather arrives.”
Tony said employers should ensure they had plenty of grit, sand or rock salt on the premises, and assess whether they had enough brooms and shovels, or whether they may need specialist equipment such as grit spreaders.
“Give someone at your workplace direct responsibility for supervising the gritting and snow clearance, so that they can step in as quickly as possible.
“Snow is easier to clear before it becomes compacted, so the quicker it can be cleared, the better. And grit can be spread in the evening when the threat of winter weather is announced – this will reduce the amount of work that might need to be done in the morning before the real working day can begin.”
Tony suggested employers should start by identifying key access routes and areas that may be affected in severe weather.
“Think about the main pedestrian access routes to and from buildings, main traffic routes onto and off the premises, employee car parks, and goods inwards/dispatch areas where vehicle unloading takes place and forklift trucks may be in use.
“Decide when gritting will take place, either in the evening or the morning, and which areas will be a priority to be cleared first. But most of all, make sure your workforce knows exactly what plans are in place for gritting and snow clearance, and who is responsible for each part of the process.”
Tony said employers should also make sure that all fire doors and exits were cleared of any accumulations of snow so they could be opened easily, and that there were safe routes leading away from the exits.
“Don’t forget any staff who work outside too – assess their risks and maybe leave jobs like window cleaning or high level work until the icy or snowy conditions have cleared.”
