Thursday 8 November 2012

Should You Choose a Local or National Gritting Service?

This is the time of year when many companies are now searching for a professional gritting service to keep their business operational and their staff and visitors safe over the coming winter.

When you search for the right gritting service one of the many questions you will want to ask is: Should I go for a national or local gritting service and which is the best choice for my company?

Here we shall look at the advantages of each in turn and show how Ice Watch give you the benefit of both.

Gritting Service - click here for full information on how we can help

Advantages of a National Gritting Service


One of the many advantages of a national gritting service is that it has all the resources needed to cope with the high demand. This is especially important as recent years has seen some of the coldest UK winters on record such as the Big Freeze winters of 2009-10, and 2010-2011.

With more cold snaps yet to come, a national gritting service benefits from keeping sufficient grit and salt stocks to cope with the demand as well as the most up-to-date machinery. Nationwide companies also benefit from sufficient numbers of trained staff to ensure there is full cover for even the longest and most treacherous of winters.

Another benefit is going with a trusted name. A company that is well recognised and has a good reputation gives you the confidence to rely on their service and trust that your site will be made safe for staff and customers.

Not only this, but if you have multiple branches in locations scattered all over the UK, it is easier to count on one gritting contractor to cover all sites at once. This is not only a great timesaver as one company serves all (so you don’t have to ring round to find a gritting service for each branch) but it also helps to keep costs down.

Larger companies also benefit from economy of scale as, generally, the larger the company, the better value it can provide to its customers. There are a number of things that a larger company can bring such as: bulk buying of supplies and equipment, mass marketing, and better access to the latest equipment. This all helps reduce the cost of their services and attract more clients, and they can pass these savings on to you, the customer.

Advantages of a Local Gritting Service

Although there are many benefits to using a national company, you generally can’t expect to receive the same personal service and one-to-one treatment that a local gritting service can provide.

A locally based company can get to your site fast, compared to a big depot situated hours away from your business. They can also more easily visit the site to see it at first hand, so they can make more accurate gritting decisions.

Local operators are also more likely to be familiar with the location of your business. As they know the area well, they can get to your site easier in difficult weather conditions and if the roads are shut, they can more easily find an alternative route.

Having a site in the local area also minimises the chances of operators themselves being affected by bad weather conditions, such as shut motorways when the conditions are icy and hazardous.

Getting the Best of Both Worlds

Ice Watch is a nationwide gritting service with salt spreaders across the country. We work for a wide range of businesses and have acquired several major new contracts. As a result of our success, we have recently expanded to a team of 75 operators, covering 300 different sites.

By choosing us to clear your pathways, walkways, car parks, ramps and entrances, you will benefit from the best of both worlds - a national name you can rely on and a local, responsive service.

We organise ourselves on a local basis - recruiting operators from the local area - to ensure that all our clients have an operator within ten miles.

As our operators are based locally, this helps minimise mileage, keeping costs low and reducing our carbon footprint.

We use highly localised weather reports from WeatherQuest but sometimes forecasts are borderline. If we are in any doubt whether or not to grit, our local operators can quickly go out and check your site first before gritting. This means that salt wastage is reduced to a minimum and, again, we can pass these savings on to you.

With Ice Watch you can access all the resources of a large company - with experienced staff, hi-tech equipment and the ability to meet demand - combined with the speed and knowledge of a local operator. 

Our customers also benefit from our £10 million public liability insurance we provide as part of our full service.

Gritting Service - contact us now for a free quotation

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Ice Watch Gritting Contractors Are Ready For the Winter!

October is here and many areas of the UK are already be experiencing frost. So if you are if you haven’t already done so, it is important to act now to organise gritting contractors for your organisation.

At this time of year gritting contractors have already put various measures in place to ensure they are prepared well in advance of any cold snaps. Early preparations are vital, as from October onwards some parts of the UK can experience sub-zero temperatures overnight. October can also bring early snowfall, and areas most at risk are northerly parts of the UK, that are on higher ground.

Some companies battling with the heavy rainfall over summer and early autumn now face the possibility of further damage to their business as a result of ice and snow – unless they seek the help of professional gritting contractors.

Ice and snow can be extremely disruptive and can hit trade hard, not to mention the loss of working hours.  Weather forecasters have warned that winter weather is likely to arrive earlier this year, so organising gritting contractors now will give you complete peace of mind in the coming months. 

We know all know too well the hazards caused by harsh weather: snow-filled private driveways, roads and car parks can hold up deliveries and prevent staff and customers arriving. In addition to this, icy walkways present a danger to pedestrians – your employees or customers – who could fall and injure themselves. And if this happens, it could potentially leave your company wide open to a costly legal claim, not to mention the impact on your business of having employees off sick with injuries.

This is why it is so important to seek the services of a private gritting contractor. Ice Watch offer a comprehensive private gritting service to businesses throughout England and Scotland. Our service includes carrying out a thorough risk assessment at each site, daily weather monitoring throughout the winter months, keeping detailed records of action taken and performing gritting as required – ensuring companies meet their health and safety legal requirements. What's more, all of our clients are covered by a £10 million public liability insurance should they ever need it.

Here we shall look at why gritting contractors are needed and the preparations Ice Watch make during the summer and autumn months.

Gritting Contractors - click here for full information on our gritting service

Gritting Contractors Autumn Preparation

There are various preparations that gritting contractors make in advance of winter weather. All this groundwork means they are fully prepared for any cold snaps and it also ensures they carry out a thorough and professional job.

Check Stocks of Grit – This is done not only at the beginning of the season but also regularly throughout the winter. Ice Watch’s main salt stocks are kept in Suffolk, England and also in Scotland. Our local operators also hold stocks of salt and keep a minimum of a week’s salt for their sites. When salt stocks are required, they are usually delivered to the main stores in England or Scotland and are then distributed to the local operators. However, they can also be delivered direct to an operator. From October to April, daily checks are made to ensure that salt is stocked up in all these places.

Service Machinery and Equipment – Before October, Ice Watch machinery and equipment is serviced and refurbished. Ice Watch also acquire new equipment to fulfil new contracts which is done well in advance.

Recruit and Train Staff
– Ice Watch will check its network of local gritting contractors to ensure there is enough coverage, based on the number of clients on our books. If not, Ice Watch may need to take on new operators and these personnel will need to be trained to fulfil new contracts. We will also recruit new support staff as necessary to work in the offices, such as taking an administrative role, working on the computers, and answering telephone calls.

Full Risk Assessments – We perform detailed risk assessments for all our client sites, including identifying areas staff and customers use that are most likely to be affected by ice, such as short cuts, slopes, car parks and walkways. Once these are identified, maps are drawn up for the operators. The operators who will be carrying out the work are then taken to the site and briefed on what they have to do there. This means contractors are personally familiar with your site and how to access it, so they can get to work quickly and efficiently when ice and snow begin to appear.

Gritting Contractors – A Vital Service in Winter

Ice and snow is not just an occasional hazard with bad winters only every ten or 20 years. Hazardous weather is becoming more frequent with many forecasters predicting more severe winters as a general pattern.

This highlights an urgent need to have an ongoing relationship with reliable gritting contractors to ensure you are fully prepared.

About Ice Watch


Ice Watch is a nationwide gritting company that takes a proactive approach to gritting, to keep outdoor areas clear of ice and snow.

At each site, conditions are monitored daily from October to April, using highly localised weather reports. We carry out full risk assessments and detailed records are kept for use in the event of a claim.

Gritting Contractors  - click here for full information on our gritting service

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Car Park Gritting - Avoiding Slips in the Workplace

Car park gritting is vital to prevent injury to staff and customers from slipping and sliding on ice.

Accidents caused by trips and falls are a major cause of injuries among workers and members of the public. In 2009, just over 20 per cent of injuries reported to health and safety were caused by falls at work and of these a quarter of those injured were off work for more than a month.

This is why it is important to have the correct health and safety measures in place, such as car park gritting, to prevent work-related injuries. Car park gritting ensures public access areas are clear of snow and ice to guard against costly legal claims, lost revenue from staff absences and subsequent damage to reputation.

Ice Watch carry out a range of winter services, including car park gritting, and we shall examine the importance of this below.

Car Park Gritting  - contact us now for a free quotation.

Why Is Slipping So Dangerous?

Watch any episode of ‘You’ve Been Framed’ and you could have been forgiven for thinking that slipping and falling is a minor, even a funny matter. But for most adults, landing with your full bodyweight on your hands, wrists, or any part of your skeleton can potentially cause serious injury.

While you might get away with a bit of bruising, simply falling at the wrong angle can result in broken bones or even spinal and head injuries - the kind of injuries which take months to heal, or even result in permanent impairment.

Not surprisingly, people affected in this way may well consider a legal claim in order to compensate them for loss of earnings or the costs of medical care. So for any business that has failed to put measures in place to minimise slipping, such as car park gritting, the cost can be very high indeed.

Factors Contributing to Slipping in Winter

Statistics show the numbers of slip and trip accidents rise over the autumn and winter months and some of the reasons for this are: less daylight hours, rainwater, wet leaves on paths and ice, and frost and snow forming.

When the light falls in winter, this can prevent staff and customers seeing potential dangers ahead, so it is important to install adequate lighting.

Fallen leaves are another risk in autumn and winter as wet leaves can become a slipping hazard. Leaves can also conceal places where workers can trip, so should be cleared to prevent accidents.

Wet areas on paths, grass, or mud have the potential to cause injury by slipping. In addition, the presence of snow and ice on pavements and delivery areas leaves your workforce vulnerable. We shall look into more detail about car park gritting and other ways to keep your workforce safe in icy weather below.

Prevention Measures

There are a number of measures to take to minimise slips during frosty conditions.

It is vital to to keep abreast of the weather conditions and to take action when freezing weather is forecast. If sub-zero temperatures are predicted there must be adequate procedures in place to prevent ice forming and to divert pedestrians away from hazardous spots.

Ensuring potential accident spots are gritted in icy weather is one way to keep your workforce safe. Car park gritting works in one of two ways: either as a preventative measure to stop ice-forming or to melt existing snow or ice.

Car park gritting, and other forms of gritting, should be done when ice, frost, or snow is forecast or when car parks are likely to be wet or damp and the ground temperature drops to or below zero.

The best time for gritting is early evening, before the frost gets a chance to settle, or early morning before staff and customers arrive at the workplace - which means that it requires people on call at unsocial hours for gritting to work properly.

Salt does not create instantaneous results, it takes time to take effect and it takes longer to work on pedestrian routes than roads and car parks - which is why it is important to employ the services of an expert.

In addition, there are are also set amounts of grit to use per meter, and certain conditions where grit will be ineffective (i.e. when it is raining heavily or when compacted snow turns to ice). Gritters need to be knowledgeable about when and where to use the grit to achieve the best results.

Risk assessments must also be carried out to identify the places most prone to ice forming. This can include car parks, building entrances, walkways, ramps, short cuts and zones that are constantly in the shade or wet.

It takes experience to pin-point potential hazards, especially if the risk assessor is very familiar with a particular building, as some areas can be easily overlooked.

These preventative measures, combined with the need for up-to-date reports, mean that the use of a private gritting contractor is the most effective way to ensure your workforce is kept safe.

The Easy Way To Guard Against Ice Slips This Winter

Ice Watch have the experience to properly assess your premises, keep up-to-date records and they have the resources, equipment and experience to use the correct gritting procedures for the most effective results.

They monitor highly localised weather reports from WeatherQuest and grit only as and when needed to keep costs to a minimum and to ensure no salt is wasted. All our clients are covered by our £10 million public liability insurance. 

Is there a Gritting Shaped Hole in Your Health & Safety Policy?

Whatever your health and safety policy in the workplace, you should ensure that all areas are made safe for employees - which is why it is so vital to use the services of private gritting contractors.

Even businesses that take a great deal of care when it comes to maintaining health and safety at work, can all too easily forget about the risks posed to employees and visitors when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

As icy conditions are not a daily occurrence, it is simple for employers to overlook the importance of gritting contractors. However, the fall-out from injuries caused by treacherous weather can hit a company hard - even though these consequences could have been be avoided by using gritting contractors such as Ice Watch.

For many businesses already burdened with paperwork, it is understandable that putting their own systems in place to cater for ice and snow is time consuming - it involves risk assessment, appointing the right staff to do this, training, sourcing grit and machinery, and more paperwork.

Luckily, this is something that can be outsourced to gritting contractors and is not only cost effective, but will give you valuable peace of mind.

Gritting Contractors - contact us now for a free quotation.

Why Is Gritting So Easily Forgotten?

In 2009, just over one in five accidents reported to Health and Safety were caused by a trip, fall or slip in the workface and some of these injuries were caused by inadequate measures in place during frosty conditions.

Although there is health and safety guidance available for when the weather plummets, gritting is so easily forgotten as the bulk of health and safety information focuses on the internal areas of a business.

For example health and safety risk assessments mainly talk of hazards IN the workplace - checking kitchens, stockrooms etc - which draws attention to the immediate working environment, rather than outside.

However, there is also a duty of care for employers to take the necessary precautions to the external areas to prevent injuries to staff, customers, and pedestrians. One of the ways to do this is by hiring gritting contractors.

What Might Prompt a Business to Pay Attention to Gritting?

A properly maintained health and safety policy will include keeping records of accidents and for staff to report a potential risk.

In practice this should mean that if an employee did sustain an ice-related injury, this ought to be noted immediately so managers can set the wheels in motion to prevent it happening again.

This of course depends on employees recording such an incident and they may not think it relevant unless the injury is more serious. Unfortunately, by then harm has been done and the business could be liable for a claim.

Gritting contractors, however, are specialists in this area and will carry out a thorough risk assessment to identify hazardous areas, then grit only as and when needed. Ice Watch keep up-to-date reports in the event of any claim and all our contract clients are covered by our £10 million public liability insurance.

What Are the Options for Including Gritting In Your Health and Safety Policy?


  1. Do it yourself. This involves doing a proper risk assessment, training the staff, getting the necessary equipment and salt supplies, organising the relevant paperwork as well as arranging overtime payments (because most gritting is done during unsociable hours). Expert knowledge is required on how to identify the areas most at risk as well as the time and expense to put everything in place
  2. Outsource to professional gritting contractors. This is by far the successful, cost-effective and hassle free option. Ice Watch staff are fully trained to carry out a proper risk assessment identifying all the hazardous areas and are trained on how to put the correct measures in place to prevent accidents. Professional gritting contractors such as Ice Watch, cover all the legal aspects including full record keeping and for additional peace of mind, all our contract clients are covered by a £10 million public liability insurance.


About Ice Watch

Ice Watch are nationwide gritting contractors who aim to prevent accidents and injuries by keeping car parks, walkways, ramps, access areas, loading bays, paths, driveways, steps and public places ice free. We organise weather monitoring, site inspections, gritting and record keeping on your behalf to keep your workplace safe.

We have gritters stationed on 150 sites throughout the UK, so wherever you are based we can help. Contact us on: 01728 633900 or email: mail@icewatch.co.uk