Let it snow, let is snow, let is snow

No part of the country has escaped the snow in the last month with some parts being hit worse than others. While children who are off school revel in the snow, employers have to look seriously about what precautions they should take to ensure that their employees and others are safe and to safeguard themselves from potential claims.

• Gritting - Car parks should be gritted or salted to reduce snow and ice coverage. Areas where there is a greater risk of danger such as steps and slopes should receive additional care. Potential slip areas should be identified, For example in areas where people enter and exit buildings or where people leave umbrellas or change shoes absorbent mats should be provided to soak up the extra water.

• Carry out and record regular checks - Regular checks should be made to ensure that the mats haven’t become too damp and are failing to absorb the water. Employers or building managers should keep documentary evidence to show that such procedures are not only in place but are being carried out.

There is some controversy over whether employers should grit public paths out with the boundary of private land. IOSH have given guidance on this issue and confirmed that businesses should be good employers and neighbours by gritting beyond property boundaries and make sure that the task is carried out thoroughly. However, where employers fail to grit the surface properly and someone has an accident as a result, then they could incur some liability. Policy and Technical Director of IOSH, Richard Jones, added;

 “As a general rule, it’s sensible for firms to consider the risks and take reasonable steps to prevent accidents from happening. If this means gritting outside the boundaries of your workplace, then it’s better to do that than to have people slipping over or involved in car crashes on your doorstep.”