Organising winter gritting services is something that it is all too easy to forget about, or put off for a later date – until the need to use it arises. Unfortunately, when the temperatures plunge and you discover that a vital site such as a car park needs gritting, it is likely to be too late to save the situation. This is an area where prevention is definitely much better than cure. Rather than waiting for a crisis to arrive, a business should make sure that gritting contractors are appointed before the Big Freeze starts to bite, so that the risk of a crisis is averted.
If you don't already have a winter gritting services contractor appointed, it is vital to act now and put that right, so that you can be sure that you have the right professional team in place. Here we are going to look at 5 problems which could arise this winter if you have failed to make the right arrangements.
Winter Gritting Services – Click here for more information about Ice Watch
1. Your Car Park Has to Be Closed: If snow and ice strike and you have failed to organise car park gritters, it is highly likely that your site will become too icy and unsafe to use. This will lead to problems being caused to people who need to use the site for work, and leave you open to accusations of a lack of reliability, reflecting on your organisation as a whole. It is also likely to cause great annoyance if the roads were gritted properly and people have managed to struggle in for work, but then fall at the final hurdle because they find they cannot park their vehicles –due to a lack of forward planning.
2. A Worker or Customer Is Injured: If somebody either slips on ice in an ungritted car park, or crashes their vehicle and is hurt as a result, the worst aspect to this is obviously the pain and suffering caused to the individual concerned. However, there are also other consequences, such as loss of working time in the case of an employee who has to take sickness leave to recover. In the case of a customer, there is obviously a high likelihood that they will go elsewhere in future after being injured on your premises, and tell all their friends and relations to do the same.
3. You Get Sued or Prosecuted: After an accident occurs on your site because of a failure to organise car park gritting, there is a danger that you could be sued by someone who has been injured, or whose car has been damaged. This could lead to heavy losses for your business. In cases of injury, there is also a risk of prosecution under health and safety legislation, so you could find yourself having to face a criminal court. There is even the risk that, after a serious incident, your business could potentially face both a civil case and a criminal prosecution.
4. Your Insurance Is Invalidated: Insurance for a business will include conditions about your responsibility to make sure your premises, including the car park, are in a safe condition. This means the policy is likely to be invalidated if you don't abide by its small print. The consequences of this for your company is that you could end up having to pay out hefty penalties yourself if you find that they are not covered.
5 You Lose Business: Loss of business is likely to arise at two stages. First, it could happen as an immediate consequence of the failure to organise winter gritting services. If your workers cannot get in to work because the car park is impassable, it may mean you cannot open up and lose all your trade for the affected days. Even if you are able to open, the hazardous state of your site could still mean that you lose many customers. The loss of business could also arise in the longer term, if bad publicity over the lack of gritting hits your reputation.
How to Avoid These Pitfalls
It's clear from all this that forgetting to organise car park gritters could have disastrous results. However, the good news is that all these problems can be avoided by appointing an expert gritting contractor like Ice Watch. Appointing us will mean that you have all the arrangements in place before gritting is necessary, giving peace of mind.
As your gritting contractors, we will provide a regular service where you are kept fully informed of when we are going to grit, and we will also keep full records in case you ever face a legal challenge. We offer a winter gritting service across the UK, including Suffolk, Cambridge, Luton, Milton Keynes, Plymouth and Nottingham.
Car Park Gritting – Contact us to find out more about our service.
Tuesday 17 December 2013
Thursday 20 June 2013
Summer is the Perfect Time to Review Your Gritting Contractors' Performance
Just how well did your gritting contractors do during last winter's big freeze? It can be tempting to forget all about snow and ice during the spring and summer, yet these months are the perfect time for a company to review the performance of its contractors during the previous cold spell. Alternatively, if a business does not already have a contractor in place, now is the right time to appoint one, well before next winter.
Gritting Contractors – Click here for information about the Ice Watch service
Performance Markers for Gritting Contractors
Did they perform a thorough risk assessment as part of the sign-up process?
It is important to look over the area to be treated thoroughly in advance of any bad weather, making sure that the areas which would need to be treated during an icy spell are clearly designated. The assessors will look to see where there is a risk of a worker or a visitor to your site slipping or of a vehicle being involved in an accident. If this is not done, it could cause problems when the cold weather does arise and it has not yet been decided which areas are to be treated. It could also leave your business open to a legal action if an accident does occur.
Did they monitor local weather for you and let you know when gritting was likely to be needed?
Carrying out daily weather checks in your own local area is vital, as weather conditions can vary greatly within just a few miles. If your gritting contractors fail to provide a localised weather forecasting service, there is a risk that your site may miss out on necessary gritting when icy weather is approaching, or, equally, that it could end up being treated unnecessarily.
Did they visit your site to check whether gritting was really necessary?
If frost and ice are being forecast but the risk for your immediate area is unclear, then it is essential for your contractor to visit the site and inspect it to check whether gritting is likely to be needed on this occasion. Doing this ensures that the right decision is made for your site and for the conditions. Lack of a site visit could mean a need to rely on guesswork.
Did they give you the option to say no to gritting if preferred?
It is important that this option is there, so that, for instance, if your site is going to be closed, you do not have to pay for un-needed grit.
Were they always available for gritting when required, with enough people and equipment?
The prolonged icy conditions last winter provided a real test for contractors, as gritting had to be carried out on more occasions than typically expected over the season. It is vital that customers can rely on a regular service and not be hit by a lack of equipment and contractors just when the need is greatest. Businesses signing up to a reliable gritting service should not have to worry about supplies running out, and should be assured that their sites will be treated whenever needed.
Did they successfully ensure gritting before ice/snow arrived, to prevent ice formation?
Time is of the essence when cold weather bites, and it is important that gritting is carried out before the arrival of ice and snow, when it will be too late to be fully effective. The best way of ensuring a safe surface is to spread the grit in advance, so that the ground has already been treated before the freezing weather arrives, stopping ice from forming. If this isn't done in time, then grit spread later on will not work so well.
Did they provide fully documented records of weather monitoring and gritting activity?
Businesses need to have a full record of the precautions they have taken to protect both employees and visitors from the risks of ice and snow. If gritting contractors do not provide properly documented records, it may be hard for you to prove what actions you have taken in the event of somebody making a claim against your business.
Did they operate with care for the environment?
Contractors should be local to the areas which they treat, cutting down on unnecessary vehicle journeys and resulting pollution. They should also avoid wasting grit and salt.
The Ice Watch Gritting Service
Ice Watch provides all the aspects mentioned above as standard. Once you sign up for the service, the expert gritting contractors will start by carrying out a full risk assessment at your site, and will go on to put in place a comprehensive service which includes weather forecasting for your local area, inspections and gritting, together with the keeping of full records. The firm is environmentally responsible, and ensures that it has enough staff and supplies to provide a service you can rely on.
And If You Don't Already Have Gritting Contractors in Place?
Now is the perfect time to look around for contractors, well before the cold weather returns. At this time of year, you have the time and space to assess your needs and meet with contractors, who can undertake thorough risk assessments for your business. It also gives you time to carry out an internal cost-benefit analysis if desired. Once you have a contractor appointed, it means there will be one less thing to worry about next winter.
Gritting Contractors Click here for full information about the Ice Watch service.
Gritting Contractors – Click here for information about the Ice Watch service
Performance Markers for Gritting Contractors
Did they perform a thorough risk assessment as part of the sign-up process?
It is important to look over the area to be treated thoroughly in advance of any bad weather, making sure that the areas which would need to be treated during an icy spell are clearly designated. The assessors will look to see where there is a risk of a worker or a visitor to your site slipping or of a vehicle being involved in an accident. If this is not done, it could cause problems when the cold weather does arise and it has not yet been decided which areas are to be treated. It could also leave your business open to a legal action if an accident does occur.
Did they monitor local weather for you and let you know when gritting was likely to be needed?
Carrying out daily weather checks in your own local area is vital, as weather conditions can vary greatly within just a few miles. If your gritting contractors fail to provide a localised weather forecasting service, there is a risk that your site may miss out on necessary gritting when icy weather is approaching, or, equally, that it could end up being treated unnecessarily.
Did they visit your site to check whether gritting was really necessary?
If frost and ice are being forecast but the risk for your immediate area is unclear, then it is essential for your contractor to visit the site and inspect it to check whether gritting is likely to be needed on this occasion. Doing this ensures that the right decision is made for your site and for the conditions. Lack of a site visit could mean a need to rely on guesswork.
Did they give you the option to say no to gritting if preferred?
It is important that this option is there, so that, for instance, if your site is going to be closed, you do not have to pay for un-needed grit.
Were they always available for gritting when required, with enough people and equipment?
The prolonged icy conditions last winter provided a real test for contractors, as gritting had to be carried out on more occasions than typically expected over the season. It is vital that customers can rely on a regular service and not be hit by a lack of equipment and contractors just when the need is greatest. Businesses signing up to a reliable gritting service should not have to worry about supplies running out, and should be assured that their sites will be treated whenever needed.
Did they successfully ensure gritting before ice/snow arrived, to prevent ice formation?
Time is of the essence when cold weather bites, and it is important that gritting is carried out before the arrival of ice and snow, when it will be too late to be fully effective. The best way of ensuring a safe surface is to spread the grit in advance, so that the ground has already been treated before the freezing weather arrives, stopping ice from forming. If this isn't done in time, then grit spread later on will not work so well.
Did they provide fully documented records of weather monitoring and gritting activity?
Businesses need to have a full record of the precautions they have taken to protect both employees and visitors from the risks of ice and snow. If gritting contractors do not provide properly documented records, it may be hard for you to prove what actions you have taken in the event of somebody making a claim against your business.
Did they operate with care for the environment?
Contractors should be local to the areas which they treat, cutting down on unnecessary vehicle journeys and resulting pollution. They should also avoid wasting grit and salt.
The Ice Watch Gritting Service
Ice Watch provides all the aspects mentioned above as standard. Once you sign up for the service, the expert gritting contractors will start by carrying out a full risk assessment at your site, and will go on to put in place a comprehensive service which includes weather forecasting for your local area, inspections and gritting, together with the keeping of full records. The firm is environmentally responsible, and ensures that it has enough staff and supplies to provide a service you can rely on.
And If You Don't Already Have Gritting Contractors in Place?
Now is the perfect time to look around for contractors, well before the cold weather returns. At this time of year, you have the time and space to assess your needs and meet with contractors, who can undertake thorough risk assessments for your business. It also gives you time to carry out an internal cost-benefit analysis if desired. Once you have a contractor appointed, it means there will be one less thing to worry about next winter.
Gritting Contractors Click here for full information about the Ice Watch service.
Friday 17 May 2013
The Snow May be Over – But UK Businesses are Counting the Cost
Extreme weather, with blizzards and heavy snowfall, has a major impact on the economy as a whole. As insurance giant RSA revealed, bad weather costs the UK economy as much as half a billion pounds a day, much of which is borne by individual businesses. With the snowy period behind us, now is the perfect time to consider employing the services of gritting contractors, so your business doesn’t get caught out again this winter.
The 2012/13 long period of snow and ice impacted on many businesses in the UK, with arguably the hardest hit being small firms, the hospitality trade, the retail industry, and those businesses reliant on domestic and overseas flights to attend meetings, promote their firm abroad and secure contracts.
However, the cost to the economy caused by the 2012/13 snowy spell could have been higher had it not been for the action taken by councils and local authorities to grit and clear roads and who were generally better prepared this year, helping to minimise disruption.
Certainly private businesses owners and their staff benefitted from local authorities’ advance planning in terms of gaining access to the major roads; however, this didn’t help when it came to their own premises as non-gritted car parks, pathways, private roads and delivery yards were rendered impossible to gain access.
If businesses want to minimise their own costs, they need to invest in precautions such as hiring private gritting contractors.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Spring is the perfect time for businesses to review how the weather affected them over last six months. To consider an accurate cost to their business, it is advisable for company directors to do a thorough cost analysis while the impact of the bad weather is still fresh in the mind.
The cost analysis needs to include the following:
Loss of Work Days
If staff are unable to access work premises (due to blocked driveways, hazardous car parking areas, or walkways that pose a danger to pedestrians) this can have a major affect on productivity. Reduced hours or lost work days will impact on businesses, especially small firms who suffer the most from staff absences. Even if some people are able to get into work having a firm running at a reduced capacity has a knock on effect as it is difficult to make up the lost hours. Unfortunately, this year many businesses ran behind on deadlines as a direct result of bad weather.
Deliveries Missed
Bad weather not only affects orders going out, but incoming deliveries too. Missed deliveries can affect a host of companies, from those in the retail or hospitality trade, to factories and offices. In the case of retail outlets and online stores, for example, if the products are not in stock, they cannot be sold or dispatched to the customer, and this may ultimately drive customers away. The same is true of factories too; if they are not able to take in the raw materials (because the drivers cannot get into the delivery bay safely) this will have a major impact on production and lead to delays, or worse, cancellations.
Lost Sales
Snowy weather impacts on sales as some businesses such as pubs, shops and restaurants may have to turn away customers during the worst of the weather (due to staff shortages, inaccessible driveways etc). Not only this but customers will be put off using a business premises if they see that the car parks or walkways are either icy, or covered in snow. Consumers are likely to avoid shops and restaurants that they can’t gain safe entry to and instead may use the services of a rival company that does have cleared access.
Loss of Reputation
If delivery times aren’t met, orders are cancelled, or customer service isn’t up to scratch (because a business is running on reduced staff) this can all impact on a company’s reputation. In a factory situation, for example, lost work days mean that a company falls behind on its product output, and orders are not fulfilled. Once a reputation is lost, it is very hard to regain a customer’s trust and they are likely to go elsewhere. However, far more damaging is the cost of a potential court case if a customer or worker sustains an injury by slipping or falling on ice or snow on your premises.
Business Meetings Cancelled
If executives are forced to cancel important business meetings as a result of bad weather, the effects can be devastating. It could potentially lead to the loss of a new contract and therefore impact on future opportunities (and jobs). Company directors should weigh up the cost of arranging gritting contractors against the resulting impact bad weather will have on their business, well in advance of the winter period.
Installations Not Carried Out
Most businesses depend on the use of outside services to keep the business ticking over. Most companies, for example, are heavily reliant on computers and there are additional things to take into account such as lighting, heating etc. While larger firms often have in-house computer departments, if you are a smaller firm and a computer breaks down, you will have to rely on outside services to fix it. If these outside services don’t have access to your premises (as a result of hazardous pathways and slippery walkways for instance) they will not be able to gain entry to your premises to carry out these important repairs.
In-House Gritting
If you are providing your own in-house gritting service, it is important to take all the costs into account. This includes time and money spent on procuring grit and gritting equipment, plus the training costs, lost work time, as well as any overtime expenses as you would have to pay staff to attend premises in the early hours. All of these expenses need to be weighed up against the actual cost of hiring a gritting contractor.
Why Use Gritting Contractors
By planning ahead and arranging gritting contractors in advance of the winter period, this will save you considerable costs in the long run. You will avoid not just the monetary costs, but also the overall stress, hassle and disruption caused by premises that have not been gritted. Contact Ice Watch today for a free no-obligation visit or click on the link below to find out more.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
The 2012/13 long period of snow and ice impacted on many businesses in the UK, with arguably the hardest hit being small firms, the hospitality trade, the retail industry, and those businesses reliant on domestic and overseas flights to attend meetings, promote their firm abroad and secure contracts.
However, the cost to the economy caused by the 2012/13 snowy spell could have been higher had it not been for the action taken by councils and local authorities to grit and clear roads and who were generally better prepared this year, helping to minimise disruption.
Certainly private businesses owners and their staff benefitted from local authorities’ advance planning in terms of gaining access to the major roads; however, this didn’t help when it came to their own premises as non-gritted car parks, pathways, private roads and delivery yards were rendered impossible to gain access.
If businesses want to minimise their own costs, they need to invest in precautions such as hiring private gritting contractors.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Spring is the perfect time for businesses to review how the weather affected them over last six months. To consider an accurate cost to their business, it is advisable for company directors to do a thorough cost analysis while the impact of the bad weather is still fresh in the mind.
The cost analysis needs to include the following:
Loss of Work Days
If staff are unable to access work premises (due to blocked driveways, hazardous car parking areas, or walkways that pose a danger to pedestrians) this can have a major affect on productivity. Reduced hours or lost work days will impact on businesses, especially small firms who suffer the most from staff absences. Even if some people are able to get into work having a firm running at a reduced capacity has a knock on effect as it is difficult to make up the lost hours. Unfortunately, this year many businesses ran behind on deadlines as a direct result of bad weather.
Deliveries Missed
Bad weather not only affects orders going out, but incoming deliveries too. Missed deliveries can affect a host of companies, from those in the retail or hospitality trade, to factories and offices. In the case of retail outlets and online stores, for example, if the products are not in stock, they cannot be sold or dispatched to the customer, and this may ultimately drive customers away. The same is true of factories too; if they are not able to take in the raw materials (because the drivers cannot get into the delivery bay safely) this will have a major impact on production and lead to delays, or worse, cancellations.
Lost Sales
Snowy weather impacts on sales as some businesses such as pubs, shops and restaurants may have to turn away customers during the worst of the weather (due to staff shortages, inaccessible driveways etc). Not only this but customers will be put off using a business premises if they see that the car parks or walkways are either icy, or covered in snow. Consumers are likely to avoid shops and restaurants that they can’t gain safe entry to and instead may use the services of a rival company that does have cleared access.
Loss of Reputation
If delivery times aren’t met, orders are cancelled, or customer service isn’t up to scratch (because a business is running on reduced staff) this can all impact on a company’s reputation. In a factory situation, for example, lost work days mean that a company falls behind on its product output, and orders are not fulfilled. Once a reputation is lost, it is very hard to regain a customer’s trust and they are likely to go elsewhere. However, far more damaging is the cost of a potential court case if a customer or worker sustains an injury by slipping or falling on ice or snow on your premises.
Business Meetings Cancelled
If executives are forced to cancel important business meetings as a result of bad weather, the effects can be devastating. It could potentially lead to the loss of a new contract and therefore impact on future opportunities (and jobs). Company directors should weigh up the cost of arranging gritting contractors against the resulting impact bad weather will have on their business, well in advance of the winter period.
Installations Not Carried Out
Most businesses depend on the use of outside services to keep the business ticking over. Most companies, for example, are heavily reliant on computers and there are additional things to take into account such as lighting, heating etc. While larger firms often have in-house computer departments, if you are a smaller firm and a computer breaks down, you will have to rely on outside services to fix it. If these outside services don’t have access to your premises (as a result of hazardous pathways and slippery walkways for instance) they will not be able to gain entry to your premises to carry out these important repairs.
In-House Gritting
If you are providing your own in-house gritting service, it is important to take all the costs into account. This includes time and money spent on procuring grit and gritting equipment, plus the training costs, lost work time, as well as any overtime expenses as you would have to pay staff to attend premises in the early hours. All of these expenses need to be weighed up against the actual cost of hiring a gritting contractor.
Why Use Gritting Contractors
By planning ahead and arranging gritting contractors in advance of the winter period, this will save you considerable costs in the long run. You will avoid not just the monetary costs, but also the overall stress, hassle and disruption caused by premises that have not been gritted. Contact Ice Watch today for a free no-obligation visit or click on the link below to find out more.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Thursday 11 April 2013
Is Snowmageddon Over? Why You Should Keep Your Gritting Contractors on Speed Dial This Spring
This winter saw treacherous conditions in some parts of the UK and the bad weather has continued into spring – with this month predicted as the snowiest March Britain has had for some time.
In the second week of March, snowy conditions caused widespread chaos in Britain and hardest hit were businesses that had not organised gritting contractors in advance. Slippery walkways, driveways and car parks forced some firms to close when employees and customers couldn’t safely access the premises.
Some of the worst hit areas were Kent, Sussex and Southern Hampshire, and areas of higher ground. Hazardous weather in parts of Britain meant some drivers were stuck in their cars for hours during freezing conditions. Even the shortest journeys to and from work became lengthy and arduous, and in some parts of the country, drivers were trapped in their cars overnight.
The UK has been hard hit by the harsh weather. At the start of the year, the northerly parts of the UK, Wales, Scotland, and areas on higher ground were some of the worst affected areas. In January, blizzards in Wales caused massive disruption, leading to school closures, traffic chaos, and parts of the country were hit by power cuts which caused further misery to householders.
The frosty conditions continued well into February. High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, for instance, was one of the worst hit places in England as residents experienced as much as 13 cm of snowfall. However, other parts of the UK saw a light flurry that month with just 1–3 cm of snowfall.
Icy conditions and even a light dusting of snow can cause widespread chaos and often takes a business by surprise. Those that aren’t covered by gritting contractors may be forced to close until the snow clears as slippery conditions make it virtually impossible for staff to gain access to premises without putting themselves at risk. This month’s snowfall has shown that even in spring, it’s unwise to put organising gritting contractors on the back burner.
Here we look at the snow and ice forecasts over the coming month and explain why it is important to be prepared, even in spring.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help
Snow Forecast for Spring 2013
Mid-March saw temperatures that are more common in mid-January with parts of the UK – including parts of the south east – experiencing freezing temperatures, sleet and snow.
This pattern continued into mid-March and at the time of writing, more snow and ice was forecast. More rain and snowfall is predicted especially in the north and east of the UK. And as we continue into April, the unsettled weather is set to continue, especially in the south and west.
This means, even with spring on the way, it is vital managers and company directors remain on their guard and organise gritting contractors so they are not caught out by an unexpected drop in temperature.
Ice Forecast Spring 2013
Frosty nights and chilly days are predicted well into March and windy and damp conditions are expected in the far northwest of the country. Although temperatures rose at the start of March, the second week saw temperatures plunge again and severe frosts affecting parts of the UK.
Temperatures will continue to be colder than average towards the end of the month and there’s still a high chance of frost and ice in many areas right through to April and even beyond.
Ice is extremely hazardous; in particular, black ice which is almost impossible to see on pavements, car parks and walkways, and this presents a major risk to staff and visitors which is why car park gritters are so vital.
About Ice Watch
Ice Watch monitor highly localised weather reports from Weatherquest, so you won’t get caught out and your staff and customers are kept safe whatever the weather. Our gritters are on hand as and when the need arises to ensure your car parks, driveways and public access areas are free from the hazards of snow and ice.
Safety remains our top priority and our daily checks will provide you with complete peace of mind. Ice Watch provides a cost effective solution for your business and we ensure your premises stays open, whatever the weather.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help
In the second week of March, snowy conditions caused widespread chaos in Britain and hardest hit were businesses that had not organised gritting contractors in advance. Slippery walkways, driveways and car parks forced some firms to close when employees and customers couldn’t safely access the premises.
Some of the worst hit areas were Kent, Sussex and Southern Hampshire, and areas of higher ground. Hazardous weather in parts of Britain meant some drivers were stuck in their cars for hours during freezing conditions. Even the shortest journeys to and from work became lengthy and arduous, and in some parts of the country, drivers were trapped in their cars overnight.
The UK has been hard hit by the harsh weather. At the start of the year, the northerly parts of the UK, Wales, Scotland, and areas on higher ground were some of the worst affected areas. In January, blizzards in Wales caused massive disruption, leading to school closures, traffic chaos, and parts of the country were hit by power cuts which caused further misery to householders.
The frosty conditions continued well into February. High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, for instance, was one of the worst hit places in England as residents experienced as much as 13 cm of snowfall. However, other parts of the UK saw a light flurry that month with just 1–3 cm of snowfall.
Icy conditions and even a light dusting of snow can cause widespread chaos and often takes a business by surprise. Those that aren’t covered by gritting contractors may be forced to close until the snow clears as slippery conditions make it virtually impossible for staff to gain access to premises without putting themselves at risk. This month’s snowfall has shown that even in spring, it’s unwise to put organising gritting contractors on the back burner.
Here we look at the snow and ice forecasts over the coming month and explain why it is important to be prepared, even in spring.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help
Snow Forecast for Spring 2013
Mid-March saw temperatures that are more common in mid-January with parts of the UK – including parts of the south east – experiencing freezing temperatures, sleet and snow.
This pattern continued into mid-March and at the time of writing, more snow and ice was forecast. More rain and snowfall is predicted especially in the north and east of the UK. And as we continue into April, the unsettled weather is set to continue, especially in the south and west.
This means, even with spring on the way, it is vital managers and company directors remain on their guard and organise gritting contractors so they are not caught out by an unexpected drop in temperature.
Ice Forecast Spring 2013
Frosty nights and chilly days are predicted well into March and windy and damp conditions are expected in the far northwest of the country. Although temperatures rose at the start of March, the second week saw temperatures plunge again and severe frosts affecting parts of the UK.
Temperatures will continue to be colder than average towards the end of the month and there’s still a high chance of frost and ice in many areas right through to April and even beyond.
Ice is extremely hazardous; in particular, black ice which is almost impossible to see on pavements, car parks and walkways, and this presents a major risk to staff and visitors which is why car park gritters are so vital.
About Ice Watch
Ice Watch monitor highly localised weather reports from Weatherquest, so you won’t get caught out and your staff and customers are kept safe whatever the weather. Our gritters are on hand as and when the need arises to ensure your car parks, driveways and public access areas are free from the hazards of snow and ice.
Safety remains our top priority and our daily checks will provide you with complete peace of mind. Ice Watch provides a cost effective solution for your business and we ensure your premises stays open, whatever the weather.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help
Wednesday 10 April 2013
Spring is Here – But Freezing Overnight Temperatures Set to Continue Through April and Beyond
Overnight ice is a risk not only in winter, but right through the spring in
most areas of the country. This is why it is important to be aware of
the dangers it can present to your workforce and organise gritting
contractors so that you are fully prepared, even at this time of
year.
While from March to May the majority of ice occurs outside working hours, for businesses or organisations that operate overnight, or in the early hours of the morning, such as hospitals, hotels, warehouses, factories or 24 hour stores, this means an ongoing threat to staff and visitors. Overnight ice can pose a risk for much of the year, even if the daytime temperatures are warming up significantly and it is commonplace for Ice Watch gritting contractors to be called out right through the spring period.
This article looks at the UK ice risk, region by region for April. The temperatures below are based on historical averages and show a general likelihood rather than a specific forecast.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Scotland
The west and south west of Scotland tends to be generally warmer than the east and north, as this part of the country benefits from the effects of the Gulf Stream. However, overnight temperatures in the south of Scotland can still drop below freezing throughout April. The north tends to be drier (only 18 days of rainfall in Inverness, for example) but is also significantly colder, presenting a significant ice risk right through April and plenty to keep gritting contractors on their toes!
*
Absolute minimum will almost always be an overnight temperature
North of England
The northern English counties of Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire and Yorkshire can all experience overnight temperatures well below freezing being possible right through April and even through till May. Combined with high levels of rainfall this creates an ongoing risk of ice formation throughout the month.
Midlands
Wales
South West
East Anglia
Home Counties
London and South East
In short, unless you are lucky enough to live and work in Cornwall, South Wales or Central London, you can be almost certain to experience some overnight ice throughout the month of April and, in some places, even beyond. While businesses are naturally alert for ice over the winter months, ice in April may catch out many – except for those with gritting contractors in place, watching the weather for them.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
While from March to May the majority of ice occurs outside working hours, for businesses or organisations that operate overnight, or in the early hours of the morning, such as hospitals, hotels, warehouses, factories or 24 hour stores, this means an ongoing threat to staff and visitors. Overnight ice can pose a risk for much of the year, even if the daytime temperatures are warming up significantly and it is commonplace for Ice Watch gritting contractors to be called out right through the spring period.
This article looks at the UK ice risk, region by region for April. The temperatures below are based on historical averages and show a general likelihood rather than a specific forecast.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Scotland
The west and south west of Scotland tends to be generally warmer than the east and north, as this part of the country benefits from the effects of the Gulf Stream. However, overnight temperatures in the south of Scotland can still drop below freezing throughout April. The north tends to be drier (only 18 days of rainfall in Inverness, for example) but is also significantly colder, presenting a significant ice risk right through April and plenty to keep gritting contractors on their toes!
Glasgow
|
Edinburgh
|
Inverness
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
4
C
|
1
C
|
4C
|
Absolute
minimum* April temperature
|
-4
C
|
-11
C
|
-10
C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
22
|
23
|
18
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
Medium
|
High
|
High
|
North of England
The northern English counties of Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire and Yorkshire can all experience overnight temperatures well below freezing being possible right through April and even through till May. Combined with high levels of rainfall this creates an ongoing risk of ice formation throughout the month.
York
|
Blackpool
|
Manchester
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
3C
|
6C
|
4C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
-5
C
|
-4C
|
-4C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
15
|
17
|
21
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
Medium
|
Medium
|
Medium
|
Midlands
The
Midlands do not benefit much from being further south, perhaps
because they are largely landlocked and do not benefit at all from
the Gulf Stream. Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire,
Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire,
Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire and the West Midlands
have a similar or even greater ice risk than the more northerly
counties.
Derby
|
Lincoln
|
Shrewsbury
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
4C
|
3C
|
3C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
-6
C
|
-10C
|
-14C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
17
|
20
|
21
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
Medium
|
High
|
High
|
Wales
While
the south of Wales is warmed significantly by the Gulf Stream
(Cardiff and Swansea experiencing very low ice risk, for instance),
places that are further north or inland can still see overnight
temperatures plummeting as low as -9C. Inland locations get
significantly less rainfall however, which helps to reduce the ice
risk considerably – so in a wetter year the risk will increase.
Caernarfon
|
Cardiff
|
Wrexham
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
5C
|
6C
|
4C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
-9
C
|
-1C
|
-5C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
21
|
16
|
3
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
High
|
Low
|
Low
|
South West
The
south west region varies greatly, with the westerly counties of
Cornwall, Devon and Somerset being warmed by the Gulf Stream and
giving overnight temperatures that don't drop much too much below
zero if at all; while the counties of Dorset, Wiltshire and
Shropshire are much more like their Midlands neighbours, giving some
significant ice risk.
Truro
|
Exeter
|
Bournemouth
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
7C
|
5C
|
3C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
1C
|
-5C
|
-13C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
14
|
16
|
19
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
Very
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
East Anglia
The
flat counties of Suffolk, Norwich and Cambridgeshire are exposed to
very cold winds coming in off the North Sea and can all experience
overnight temperatures well below freezing throughout the month of
April, with Ipswich temperatures as low as -12C on occasions
.
.
Cambridge
|
Norwich
|
Ipswich
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
7C
|
5C
|
3C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
-8
C
|
-3C
|
-12C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
11
|
19
|
19
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
Medium
|
Low
|
High
|
Home Counties
The
counties immediately surrounding London, including Surrey,
Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and
Buckinghamshire are generally slightly warmer than the more northerly
and easterly counties. But many places in this region, especially
those away from the coast, have average minimum temperatures only 3
or 4 degrees above freezing, and overnight temperatures well below
freezing, creating a significant ice risk.
Oxford
|
Basingstoke
|
Guildford
|
|
Average
minimum April temperature
|
3C
|
3C
|
4C
|
Absolute
minimum April temperature
|
-8
C
|
-11C
|
-6C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
17
|
19
|
7
|
Estimated ice risk in April
|
High
|
High
|
Medium
|
London and South East
While Central London itself will rarely see sub zero temperatures in April,
even overnight, you do not have to travel far away from the capital
to find a significant risk of overnight ice: Heathrow airport can
experience lows of -11C, for instance.
Colchester, Essex
|
Heathrow, London
|
Maidstone, Kent
|
|
Average minimum April temperature
|
4C
|
5C
|
4C
|
Absolute minimum April temperature
|
-12C
|
-11C
|
-5 C
|
Expected
days rainfall in April
|
19
|
20
|
3
|
Estimated
ice risk in April
|
High
|
High
|
Low
|
In short, unless you are lucky enough to live and work in Cornwall, South Wales or Central London, you can be almost certain to experience some overnight ice throughout the month of April and, in some places, even beyond. While businesses are naturally alert for ice over the winter months, ice in April may catch out many – except for those with gritting contractors in place, watching the weather for them.
Gritting Contractors – click here for full information on how we can help.
Monday 25 February 2013
How Did Your Gritting Services Hold Up this Winter?
Snowfall this winter caused motorway chaos and disruptions to travel in some parts of the UK, and businesses with gritting services in place were in a far better position to cope than those without.
The snowfall caused school closures in Essex, Hertfordshire and Aberdeenshire, and there were major delays to public transport. Add to this the hazardous conditions caused by ice and snow on the roads and many people chose to stay at home, rather than brave the icy conditions.
As usual, all the main routes were gritted or cleared in advance of the snowfall, but the minor roads and pavements, as well as private roads, were left untreated. Unless these roads were gritted locally by volunteer residents and employees, they quickly became icy, endangering drivers and pedestrians.
Countless businesses were disrupted by snowfall this winter and some were forced to close as staff and customers were unable to get safe access to the premises.
While the freezing conditions made some companies focus on avoiding this safety issue. A number acted quickly to put gritting services in place before the next cold snap to prevent potential injuries in and around the workplace.
Gritting Services - click here for full information on how we can help
Who Was Hit the Hardest?
The companies that were hardest hit this winter were those taken by surprise, with no plan in place for gritting or clearing. Unfortunately, many of these businesses had walkways or car park areas with icy black spots that created a slipping hazard.
In some cases, businesses with no provision for gritting services meant that staff could not get into work or use the private car parking areas because they were covered in snow, so they were forced to return home. This meant at least a day’s loss of productivity which has an adverse effect on a business and is particularly unwelcome in today’s current climate.
Who Coped Best?
UK businesses that coped the best during the cold snap were those with plans in place, especially those with gritting services on standby. A gritting service that carries out pro-active weather monitoring means that you won’t be ‘taken by surprise’ by a change in the weather: your gritting service will tell you when the temperature plummets and carry out gritting in good time to prevent ice formation.
And if in the unlikely case that the weather is truly unpredictable and there is no advance snow warning, then your gritting service will be on the spot to clear snow and treat possible accident black spots.
Are You Ready for the Next Snowfall?
Typically, January and February are when we expect the most snow – and December snowfalls are often a light scattering in contrast to what is to come.
In mid-January, the lowest temperature recorded was -13.2C in Buxton, Norfolk, and several parts of the UK also had to brace themselves for heavy snow showers. The possibility of freezing fog in some parts of the UK makes the icy conditions even more dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. At the time of writing, temperatures were expected to get even colder as we moved into February and the possibility of snow was also predicted well into the spring.
Given the disruption caused by as little as an inch of snowfall in the UK, it makes sense for all businesses to organise contingency plans, if they haven’t done so already. The best way to ensure your businesses remains open during the snowy weather, and that your staff and customers can get to and from your premises safely, is to organise gritting services. A professional gritting service gives you complete peace of mind, whatever the weather.
Even if there is no risk of snowfall in your area, there is still a strong likelihood of below zero temperatures. And with 2012 being the second wettest year on record (with more rain expected) just add a bit of rain into the mix and you have a recipe for ice formation on car parks, pavements, private roads and walkways.
Snow was predicted for the whole of the UK this winter and could even persist into spring 2013. If December 2012 was a wake-up call for your business, it is important to protect yourself now by signing up with Ice Watch today. We provide full risk assessments, reporting, highly localised weather monitoring and gritting services. In addition to this, all our contracted clients are covered by full liability insurance.
Gritting Services - click here for full information on how we can help
The snowfall caused school closures in Essex, Hertfordshire and Aberdeenshire, and there were major delays to public transport. Add to this the hazardous conditions caused by ice and snow on the roads and many people chose to stay at home, rather than brave the icy conditions.
As usual, all the main routes were gritted or cleared in advance of the snowfall, but the minor roads and pavements, as well as private roads, were left untreated. Unless these roads were gritted locally by volunteer residents and employees, they quickly became icy, endangering drivers and pedestrians.
Countless businesses were disrupted by snowfall this winter and some were forced to close as staff and customers were unable to get safe access to the premises.
While the freezing conditions made some companies focus on avoiding this safety issue. A number acted quickly to put gritting services in place before the next cold snap to prevent potential injuries in and around the workplace.
Gritting Services - click here for full information on how we can help
Who Was Hit the Hardest?
The companies that were hardest hit this winter were those taken by surprise, with no plan in place for gritting or clearing. Unfortunately, many of these businesses had walkways or car park areas with icy black spots that created a slipping hazard.
In some cases, businesses with no provision for gritting services meant that staff could not get into work or use the private car parking areas because they were covered in snow, so they were forced to return home. This meant at least a day’s loss of productivity which has an adverse effect on a business and is particularly unwelcome in today’s current climate.
Who Coped Best?
UK businesses that coped the best during the cold snap were those with plans in place, especially those with gritting services on standby. A gritting service that carries out pro-active weather monitoring means that you won’t be ‘taken by surprise’ by a change in the weather: your gritting service will tell you when the temperature plummets and carry out gritting in good time to prevent ice formation.
And if in the unlikely case that the weather is truly unpredictable and there is no advance snow warning, then your gritting service will be on the spot to clear snow and treat possible accident black spots.
Are You Ready for the Next Snowfall?
Typically, January and February are when we expect the most snow – and December snowfalls are often a light scattering in contrast to what is to come.
In mid-January, the lowest temperature recorded was -13.2C in Buxton, Norfolk, and several parts of the UK also had to brace themselves for heavy snow showers. The possibility of freezing fog in some parts of the UK makes the icy conditions even more dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. At the time of writing, temperatures were expected to get even colder as we moved into February and the possibility of snow was also predicted well into the spring.
Given the disruption caused by as little as an inch of snowfall in the UK, it makes sense for all businesses to organise contingency plans, if they haven’t done so already. The best way to ensure your businesses remains open during the snowy weather, and that your staff and customers can get to and from your premises safely, is to organise gritting services. A professional gritting service gives you complete peace of mind, whatever the weather.
Even if there is no risk of snowfall in your area, there is still a strong likelihood of below zero temperatures. And with 2012 being the second wettest year on record (with more rain expected) just add a bit of rain into the mix and you have a recipe for ice formation on car parks, pavements, private roads and walkways.
Snow was predicted for the whole of the UK this winter and could even persist into spring 2013. If December 2012 was a wake-up call for your business, it is important to protect yourself now by signing up with Ice Watch today. We provide full risk assessments, reporting, highly localised weather monitoring and gritting services. In addition to this, all our contracted clients are covered by full liability insurance.
Gritting Services - click here for full information on how we can help
Friday 22 February 2013
Gritting Services – Not Just About Grit
We often connect gritting services with the visual aspects of it – such as staff in trucks turning up in the early hours to grit car parks, walkways, steps and ramps – but there is far more to this than meets the eye.
In fact gritting services are involved in a lot more than spreading grit when the weather turns icy; they are also there to provide you with the health and safety protection your business needs, including thorough risk management.
Gritting Services – click here for full information on how we can help.
Health and Safety – A Risk Management Approach
An effective gritting service needs to provide not just grit, but also a full risk management service. Businesses have a legal obligation to do all they can to protect anyone on their premises from harm, and this includes preventing injuries from falls due to the icy conditions. Although it is not possible to eliminate all accidents entirely, it is the job of a company or organisation to carry out a thorough risk assessment at the workplace to identify likely, or possible, accidents that may occur - and to put measures in place to address those risks.
Health and safety is all about making the workplace safer to protect staff and customers. It is vital to show that you have taken every reasonable precaution to prevent injuries. With Ice Watch gritting services you have complete peace of mind as we provide a full risk management service – so you don’t have to - and we keep full and accurate records to demonstrate you have taken proper steps towards making your business an accident free zone.
Key Elements of Risk Management
There are all sorts of elements involved in risk management and we shall outline some of those here.
Identifying a Risk – You can’t manage a risk until it has been properly identified. To identify risk you need a thorough risk assessment, preferably by someone impartial, such as a third party expert specifically trained to notice possible risks. A third party is more likely to spot potential risks, such as a slight slope at the front door that goes unnoticed by staff but which can become a major slipping risk when it gets icy. Ice Watch carry out a thorough risk assessment as standard and this includes all the proper documentation to demonstrate the steps you have made to identify risks.
Taking Action – Just documenting a risk is not enough. You actually need a fully documented action plan in place to address the risk – one that clearly identifies who is responsible for each action and in what circumstances. If it is an in-house action plan, this means naming the individuals responsible and specifying what happens when the person is on leave, off sick, or simply can’t get into work on the day the icy conditions strike. Companies either need a back-up arrangement, or risk no one taking vital action. By organising a dedicated gritting service, back up is guaranteed and contracting out means the responsibility lies with your gritting contractor, instead of you.
Ongoing Monitoring – Risk management relating to ice and snow at your business does not mean gritting once, and forgetting about it. It involves ongoing monitoring and using the information obtained from this monitoring to trigger action when needed. Full and accurate records must be taken at every step of the way. In winter time, ongoing monitoring involves daily and sometimes hourly checking of local temperatures and forecasts. This also involves overnight monitoring. So consider whether you have the resources to allocate someone in your company to do this. Most companies cannot allocate personnel for this, so Ice Watch takes this responsibility off your hands and not only does the monitoring for you, but fully documents it, contacting you as and when gritting is necessary.
Avoiding New Risks - Let’s suppose there are some hardy types in your company who are quite willing to go outside with snow shovels or bags of grit and take care of your winter gritting. This may at first look like a good solution. But what happens – and this is most likely the case – if the weather indicates your gritting needs to take place at 3am? Will they be willing to come into work at 3am? And even if they are, do you then expect them to go on to complete a normal, full working day? Creating a situation where your workers are fatigued for their normal duties could create an additional risk, particularly for any type of manual work.
Insurance – One of the biggest potential risks to a business is a successful liability claim against you. Having to pay thousands, and even in some cases hundreds of thousands of pounds to an injured party can be enough to wipe out a small company in one stroke. Of course businesses can take out their own insurance, but this means creating additional overheads that many would perhaps rather avoid. And insurance is often conditional on fulfilling all the risk assessment and monitoring activities mentioned above. An alternative is to choose gritting services that offer automatic liability insurance as part of their contract, as this means even if the worst should happen, your business won’t be exposed financially.
The easy way to fully manage any potential accident risk this winter is by employing professional gritting services such as Ice Watch who provide ongoing monitoring of local weather conditions, grit as and when needed, carry out full risk assessments and keep full and accurate reports. In addition to this, all business contracts are automatically covered by our £10 million liability insurance.
Gritting Services – click here for full information on how we can help.
In fact gritting services are involved in a lot more than spreading grit when the weather turns icy; they are also there to provide you with the health and safety protection your business needs, including thorough risk management.
Gritting Services – click here for full information on how we can help.
Health and Safety – A Risk Management Approach
An effective gritting service needs to provide not just grit, but also a full risk management service. Businesses have a legal obligation to do all they can to protect anyone on their premises from harm, and this includes preventing injuries from falls due to the icy conditions. Although it is not possible to eliminate all accidents entirely, it is the job of a company or organisation to carry out a thorough risk assessment at the workplace to identify likely, or possible, accidents that may occur - and to put measures in place to address those risks.
Health and safety is all about making the workplace safer to protect staff and customers. It is vital to show that you have taken every reasonable precaution to prevent injuries. With Ice Watch gritting services you have complete peace of mind as we provide a full risk management service – so you don’t have to - and we keep full and accurate records to demonstrate you have taken proper steps towards making your business an accident free zone.
Key Elements of Risk Management
There are all sorts of elements involved in risk management and we shall outline some of those here.
Identifying a Risk – You can’t manage a risk until it has been properly identified. To identify risk you need a thorough risk assessment, preferably by someone impartial, such as a third party expert specifically trained to notice possible risks. A third party is more likely to spot potential risks, such as a slight slope at the front door that goes unnoticed by staff but which can become a major slipping risk when it gets icy. Ice Watch carry out a thorough risk assessment as standard and this includes all the proper documentation to demonstrate the steps you have made to identify risks.
Taking Action – Just documenting a risk is not enough. You actually need a fully documented action plan in place to address the risk – one that clearly identifies who is responsible for each action and in what circumstances. If it is an in-house action plan, this means naming the individuals responsible and specifying what happens when the person is on leave, off sick, or simply can’t get into work on the day the icy conditions strike. Companies either need a back-up arrangement, or risk no one taking vital action. By organising a dedicated gritting service, back up is guaranteed and contracting out means the responsibility lies with your gritting contractor, instead of you.
Ongoing Monitoring – Risk management relating to ice and snow at your business does not mean gritting once, and forgetting about it. It involves ongoing monitoring and using the information obtained from this monitoring to trigger action when needed. Full and accurate records must be taken at every step of the way. In winter time, ongoing monitoring involves daily and sometimes hourly checking of local temperatures and forecasts. This also involves overnight monitoring. So consider whether you have the resources to allocate someone in your company to do this. Most companies cannot allocate personnel for this, so Ice Watch takes this responsibility off your hands and not only does the monitoring for you, but fully documents it, contacting you as and when gritting is necessary.
Avoiding New Risks - Let’s suppose there are some hardy types in your company who are quite willing to go outside with snow shovels or bags of grit and take care of your winter gritting. This may at first look like a good solution. But what happens – and this is most likely the case – if the weather indicates your gritting needs to take place at 3am? Will they be willing to come into work at 3am? And even if they are, do you then expect them to go on to complete a normal, full working day? Creating a situation where your workers are fatigued for their normal duties could create an additional risk, particularly for any type of manual work.
Insurance – One of the biggest potential risks to a business is a successful liability claim against you. Having to pay thousands, and even in some cases hundreds of thousands of pounds to an injured party can be enough to wipe out a small company in one stroke. Of course businesses can take out their own insurance, but this means creating additional overheads that many would perhaps rather avoid. And insurance is often conditional on fulfilling all the risk assessment and monitoring activities mentioned above. An alternative is to choose gritting services that offer automatic liability insurance as part of their contract, as this means even if the worst should happen, your business won’t be exposed financially.
The easy way to fully manage any potential accident risk this winter is by employing professional gritting services such as Ice Watch who provide ongoing monitoring of local weather conditions, grit as and when needed, carry out full risk assessments and keep full and accurate reports. In addition to this, all business contracts are automatically covered by our £10 million liability insurance.
Gritting Services – click here for full information on how we can help.
Wednesday 20 February 2013
Safeguarding Your Business by Safeguarding Your Employees This Winter
While we’ve looked at the Health and Safety issues around ice and snow before, including the role that professional gritting contractors can play in preventing accidents and keeping your business running, here we take a slightly broader look at the whole idea of what “safety” really means for your business and your workforce.
Health and Safety usually makes a business think of legal obligations and protecting employees and visitors from physical harm. In winter this will include taking precautions to deal with ice and snow to prevent slips and falls, and many businesses choose to hire professional gritting contractors to take care of this aspect for them – carrying out a full risk assessment for their premises, keeping all necessary paperwork required by Health &Safety regulations, and so on.
But we can also think about what “safety” means for your business from a slight different point of view – by thinking about ways that the business could be damaged as a business. After all, the livelihoods of many people may depend on your business continuing to trade successfully, so anything which damages that could have a serious impact on many people.
Safeguarding your business means thinking about and anticipating anything which could potentially damage your business, and putting plans or contingencies in place to minimise the chances of them happening, or to create alternative arrangements if the worst should happen.
Over the winter period there is an increased risk of damage to your business from two main sources:
Firstly, there is severe weather of all kinds, but particularly including ice and snow. Severe weather can mean employees not able to travel in to work, clients unable to attend meetings, and deliveries in and out slowed or stopped. No deliveries in can mean you don’t have the raw materials you need to run your business (e.g. factories, hotels, restaurants). No deliveries out can mean dissatisfied customers and a damaged reputation, which can impact on overall competitiveness. In addition, there may be a risk of injury to staff either travelling to and from work, or while on your premises. Of course, you can help to prevent accidents and keep things moving on your own premises by using gritting contractors, but you have less control about what happens off site.
Secondly, winter is a time when there is a greater chance of staff shortages due to illness or injury. Staff shortages can negatively impact your business in a number of ways, including an inability to fulfil customer demand and lower levels of customer service, both of which can damage customer trust and your hard earned reputation.
With these risks in mind it makes sense to anticipate them and put measures in place to minimise their effects. Here we suggest a number of actions that businesses can take to safeguard their business this winter.
1. Bad Weather Policy – While employees have a duty to try and attend work, even in extreme weather, equally they should not be made to feel pressurised to risk their own safety. An employee who is injured on the way to work as a result of severe weather may not be your direct responsibility, but they could still be off work for weeks or months, with consequent impact on your business. And if they can show that they were pressurised to travel, this could potentially give rise to a claim against you. While there is no clear legislation on the matter, it makes sense to prepare a “bad weather policy” for your company, making it clear what you expect of employees, and what they can expect of you in return, so that people aren’t struggling in unnecessarily. When there are warnings for “essential travel only”, think about what this should mean for your employees and whether having them struggle into work, potentially risking life and limb, is really essential for your business. A bad weather policy should make it clear when an employee is expected to attend work and under what conditions they are not. It should also make clear what happens if someone does not attend – whether they can make the time up later and the impact on their pay.
2. Show Flexibility – Rather than simply enforcing your rights as an employer, try to think of creative ways of minimising the risk to your workforce while also maximising resources to your business. It helps to look at the bigger picture, by focusing on keeping your business running successfully and keeping your customers happy, rather than worrying about whether your employees have worked every last minute of their contract. For instance, think about spreading the risk and allowing employees who live further afield, or who use riskier means of transport (e.g. car rather than train) to stay at home in severe weather. or think about creative ways that employees can make up lost time, without being penalised through loss of pay. Losing valuable and experienced staff because they feel disgruntled about how they were treated over the winter, could damage your business in the longer run.
3. Hire Gritting Contractors – There is little point in your employees struggling in to work only to find they cannot access your premises due to snow or ice, or suffering an injury as they get from their car to the building. Keep your business premises open and avoid injuries to staff by taking timely preventative action when icy conditions strike. The easiest way to do this is to hire professional gritting contractors who will actively monitor the local weather and arrange gritting for your site. This will prevent additional staff shortages due to illness being compounded by absences due to injury. By using professional gritting contractors rather than your own workforce, you are minimising the risk that gritting doesn’t happen because your own employees could not get into work.
4. Show Appreciation – If your employees are making the effort to get into work – perhaps leaving home much earlier than usual and getting home much later than usual as a result – think about ways you can be flexible in return. This might include allowing employees to start later or finish earlier in the day. If this isn’t feasible for operational reasons, think of other ways of recognising their efforts, perhaps by providing free hot drinks or snacks. A little team spirit during difficult times can be a great morale booster and motivate a team that is down on numbers to keep your business going.
5. Allow Working From Home – Think about any alternatives to employee travel that might help to keep your business going. For instance, can customer service employees work from home? If this needs certain software or technology to be installed to make this happen, work out how much it will cost and compare it to the cost of lost work days, lost orders or dissatisfied customers due to bad weather.
6. Stock Up – If possible, stock up on raw materials or other supplies needed to keep operations going, so you’re not so affected if there are a few days of disruption.
7. Plan Ahead – If your business involves moving physical goods, consider getting orders out earlier than planned, to minimise the chance of late orders.
8. Use Technology – If your business involves face to face meetings with clients, think about conducting meetings by phone or video conference instead, if they are agreeable. If your clients are out of your local area, make sure you keep them informed of local weather conditions and any severe weather warnings. They might not like having to postpone a meeting but will appreciate being warned of any problems ahead of time. It also enhances your company’s image of being organised and professional.
9. Keep Customers Informed – Tell customers about upcoming weather issues and tell them how you plan to manage the situation and specifically how you intend to deal with their specific requirements. This demonstrates your care for them and will help to ameliorate any reputational damage if you’re unable to deliver.
10. Plan Communications – Ensure you have a means to communicate with employees at home, so that you can assess their local travel situation and monitor things daily. For instance, email, phone, or perhaps posting status information on your company website for people to read. At the very least, give employees a point of contact to ring if they experience travel difficulties so at least you know if someone is able to come in or not. If you are using the internet to communicate, make sure that whoever is doing the updating can do so from home or won’t be affected by the bad weather (e.g. someone who lives close to work).
11. Help Employees Prepare – Encourage employees who are travelling in by car to ensure they are prepared for cold weather. This includes carrying essential items such as an ice scraper, a torch, de-icer, food, hot drinks and warm clothing. But it also includes ensuring the car itself is ready, such as a full tank of petrol, a good level of tread on tyres and so on. You could consider referring employees to the GOV.UK web page on the subject. It also makes sense to ensure they carry a mobile phone which is fully charged, either to call for help if required, or simply to keep in touch with the business (not while they are driving of course!). If a particular employee is so critical to your business that they need to travel in during severe weather, then it probably makes business sense to provide them with a temporary pay-as-you-go phone for this purpose, if they do not have one of their own.
12. Minimise Sickness - Minimise illness within your company by encouraging those with symptoms to stay away and avoid infecting everyone else. This is especially important in open plan offices where transmission rates have been shown to be much higher. You might also include encouraging parents of children with colds and flu to work from home, to prevent transmission of their children’s illness. As well as cutting down on the total number of people off sick, showing trust in your workforce to be honest about this will reap rewards in terms of loyalty and motivation down the line.
In short, taking a Health & Safety view can mean not only protecting yourself from the possibility of claims, but also help in practical ways to minimise the damage that bad weather can do to your business (fewer accidents and fewer days off sick), as well as helping to promote loyalty and motivation amongst your workforce.
Ice Watch are gritting contractors serving businesses and organisations throughout the UK. Call us today on 01728 633900.
Health and Safety usually makes a business think of legal obligations and protecting employees and visitors from physical harm. In winter this will include taking precautions to deal with ice and snow to prevent slips and falls, and many businesses choose to hire professional gritting contractors to take care of this aspect for them – carrying out a full risk assessment for their premises, keeping all necessary paperwork required by Health &Safety regulations, and so on.
But we can also think about what “safety” means for your business from a slight different point of view – by thinking about ways that the business could be damaged as a business. After all, the livelihoods of many people may depend on your business continuing to trade successfully, so anything which damages that could have a serious impact on many people.
Safeguarding your business means thinking about and anticipating anything which could potentially damage your business, and putting plans or contingencies in place to minimise the chances of them happening, or to create alternative arrangements if the worst should happen.
Over the winter period there is an increased risk of damage to your business from two main sources:
Firstly, there is severe weather of all kinds, but particularly including ice and snow. Severe weather can mean employees not able to travel in to work, clients unable to attend meetings, and deliveries in and out slowed or stopped. No deliveries in can mean you don’t have the raw materials you need to run your business (e.g. factories, hotels, restaurants). No deliveries out can mean dissatisfied customers and a damaged reputation, which can impact on overall competitiveness. In addition, there may be a risk of injury to staff either travelling to and from work, or while on your premises. Of course, you can help to prevent accidents and keep things moving on your own premises by using gritting contractors, but you have less control about what happens off site.
Secondly, winter is a time when there is a greater chance of staff shortages due to illness or injury. Staff shortages can negatively impact your business in a number of ways, including an inability to fulfil customer demand and lower levels of customer service, both of which can damage customer trust and your hard earned reputation.
With these risks in mind it makes sense to anticipate them and put measures in place to minimise their effects. Here we suggest a number of actions that businesses can take to safeguard their business this winter.
1. Bad Weather Policy – While employees have a duty to try and attend work, even in extreme weather, equally they should not be made to feel pressurised to risk their own safety. An employee who is injured on the way to work as a result of severe weather may not be your direct responsibility, but they could still be off work for weeks or months, with consequent impact on your business. And if they can show that they were pressurised to travel, this could potentially give rise to a claim against you. While there is no clear legislation on the matter, it makes sense to prepare a “bad weather policy” for your company, making it clear what you expect of employees, and what they can expect of you in return, so that people aren’t struggling in unnecessarily. When there are warnings for “essential travel only”, think about what this should mean for your employees and whether having them struggle into work, potentially risking life and limb, is really essential for your business. A bad weather policy should make it clear when an employee is expected to attend work and under what conditions they are not. It should also make clear what happens if someone does not attend – whether they can make the time up later and the impact on their pay.
2. Show Flexibility – Rather than simply enforcing your rights as an employer, try to think of creative ways of minimising the risk to your workforce while also maximising resources to your business. It helps to look at the bigger picture, by focusing on keeping your business running successfully and keeping your customers happy, rather than worrying about whether your employees have worked every last minute of their contract. For instance, think about spreading the risk and allowing employees who live further afield, or who use riskier means of transport (e.g. car rather than train) to stay at home in severe weather. or think about creative ways that employees can make up lost time, without being penalised through loss of pay. Losing valuable and experienced staff because they feel disgruntled about how they were treated over the winter, could damage your business in the longer run.
3. Hire Gritting Contractors – There is little point in your employees struggling in to work only to find they cannot access your premises due to snow or ice, or suffering an injury as they get from their car to the building. Keep your business premises open and avoid injuries to staff by taking timely preventative action when icy conditions strike. The easiest way to do this is to hire professional gritting contractors who will actively monitor the local weather and arrange gritting for your site. This will prevent additional staff shortages due to illness being compounded by absences due to injury. By using professional gritting contractors rather than your own workforce, you are minimising the risk that gritting doesn’t happen because your own employees could not get into work.
4. Show Appreciation – If your employees are making the effort to get into work – perhaps leaving home much earlier than usual and getting home much later than usual as a result – think about ways you can be flexible in return. This might include allowing employees to start later or finish earlier in the day. If this isn’t feasible for operational reasons, think of other ways of recognising their efforts, perhaps by providing free hot drinks or snacks. A little team spirit during difficult times can be a great morale booster and motivate a team that is down on numbers to keep your business going.
5. Allow Working From Home – Think about any alternatives to employee travel that might help to keep your business going. For instance, can customer service employees work from home? If this needs certain software or technology to be installed to make this happen, work out how much it will cost and compare it to the cost of lost work days, lost orders or dissatisfied customers due to bad weather.
6. Stock Up – If possible, stock up on raw materials or other supplies needed to keep operations going, so you’re not so affected if there are a few days of disruption.
7. Plan Ahead – If your business involves moving physical goods, consider getting orders out earlier than planned, to minimise the chance of late orders.
8. Use Technology – If your business involves face to face meetings with clients, think about conducting meetings by phone or video conference instead, if they are agreeable. If your clients are out of your local area, make sure you keep them informed of local weather conditions and any severe weather warnings. They might not like having to postpone a meeting but will appreciate being warned of any problems ahead of time. It also enhances your company’s image of being organised and professional.
9. Keep Customers Informed – Tell customers about upcoming weather issues and tell them how you plan to manage the situation and specifically how you intend to deal with their specific requirements. This demonstrates your care for them and will help to ameliorate any reputational damage if you’re unable to deliver.
10. Plan Communications – Ensure you have a means to communicate with employees at home, so that you can assess their local travel situation and monitor things daily. For instance, email, phone, or perhaps posting status information on your company website for people to read. At the very least, give employees a point of contact to ring if they experience travel difficulties so at least you know if someone is able to come in or not. If you are using the internet to communicate, make sure that whoever is doing the updating can do so from home or won’t be affected by the bad weather (e.g. someone who lives close to work).
11. Help Employees Prepare – Encourage employees who are travelling in by car to ensure they are prepared for cold weather. This includes carrying essential items such as an ice scraper, a torch, de-icer, food, hot drinks and warm clothing. But it also includes ensuring the car itself is ready, such as a full tank of petrol, a good level of tread on tyres and so on. You could consider referring employees to the GOV.UK web page on the subject. It also makes sense to ensure they carry a mobile phone which is fully charged, either to call for help if required, or simply to keep in touch with the business (not while they are driving of course!). If a particular employee is so critical to your business that they need to travel in during severe weather, then it probably makes business sense to provide them with a temporary pay-as-you-go phone for this purpose, if they do not have one of their own.
12. Minimise Sickness - Minimise illness within your company by encouraging those with symptoms to stay away and avoid infecting everyone else. This is especially important in open plan offices where transmission rates have been shown to be much higher. You might also include encouraging parents of children with colds and flu to work from home, to prevent transmission of their children’s illness. As well as cutting down on the total number of people off sick, showing trust in your workforce to be honest about this will reap rewards in terms of loyalty and motivation down the line.
In short, taking a Health & Safety view can mean not only protecting yourself from the possibility of claims, but also help in practical ways to minimise the damage that bad weather can do to your business (fewer accidents and fewer days off sick), as well as helping to promote loyalty and motivation amongst your workforce.
Ice Watch are gritting contractors serving businesses and organisations throughout the UK. Call us today on 01728 633900.
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