At this time of year, ice and snow couldn’t be further from your mind, especially if you are organising your summer holiday. However, even with the warmer weather upon us, a top tip is never to put health and safety on the back-burner as leaving it too late before organising gritting contractors is a risk that simply isn’t worth taking.
Thousands of people sustain injuries in bad weather each year – and many of these injuries can be put down to icy roads and pathways. Statistics from the Hospital Episode Statistics for England showed that in the winter of 2012/13 as many as 7,031, people in the country were admitted to hospital after taking a tumble due to bad weather conditions. In addition to this, in 2012 the Department of Transport revealed 38 people were killed, nearly 550 people were seriously injured, and more than 4,500 were slightly injured due to adverse conditions on the roads. Although these are injuries taken as a whole, and not necessarily work related injuries, it demonstrates just how dangerous icy conditions can be and how important it is to put the right measures in place to ensure the safety of your staff.
Although it is tempting to organise DIY gritting, commercial gritting is always best left in the hands of the experts. In fact, it could save you money in the long run as it avoids staff absences through training, you don’t have to pay employees overtime to grit, and there is no need to invest in salt bins and stocks. More importantly, by contacting Ice Watch gritting contractors this summer, you can rest easy that you have all the correct measures in place – well in advance – to avoid injury and the risk of a costly law suit when the weather turns frosty. And, let’s face it winter is really only months away!
If you want to fully relax on your summer holiday and enjoy peace of mind before the colder months set in, here are ten reasons why you should organise your commercial gritting and snow clearance services through Ice Watch:
Ice Watch gritting contractors - Click here to find out how we can help keep your workplace safe in harsh weather.
National Company with a Local Service – Ice Watch is a well recognised, trusted name which gives you all the benefits of a national company, with a localised, personal service. We have all the resources, including up-to-date machinery and sufficient grit and salt stocks to see you through winter. We also have local operators, based within ten miles of your site, so we can get to you fast.
Competitive Prices – As we operate nationwide, Ice Watch gritting services can bulk buy supplies and equipment – savings which we pass on to you. And, as we have an operator stationed in your area, this reduces mileage and helps cut the costs of our service. Our policy is to only grit when necessary, so there is no salt wastage, which again, all helps to keep prices down.
Commitment to the Environment – In addition to ensuring no salt wastage, we have a range of up-to-date equipment so that we can protect paths and walkways without damaging grass verges. As we provide a localised service, we reduce our carbon footprint and we are also working towards the environmental accreditation ISO 14001.
Tailored Packages – We provide a service that is tailored to suit your needs, from gritting to forecasting and snow clearance. You can count on us for total peace of mind as we provide a complete gritting service, from risk assessments, to monitoring local weather conditions and keeping your records up to date.
Keep Our Customers Informed – If the forecasts show gritting is needed, we will text and email you first, to keep you informed. We will also inspect your site if conditions are borderline. After we have gritted, we will email you with confirmation that work has been carried out.
Serious About Health and Safety – Health and safety is our ultimate priority which is demonstrated by our membership of the contractor assessment schemes SAFEcontractor and ContractorPlus. Our operators are well trained and comply with the company’s ISO 9001:2000 operating standards. In addition, we provide thorough site inspections to identify key risk areas on your site.
Localised Weather Monitoring – We provide constant monitoring of temperatures in your area using highly accurate, localised weather reports from WeatherQuest, so all the correct measures are in place before bad weather strikes.
Full Reporting – At Ice Watch we keep accurate, up-to-date reports, so you can prove your company’s commitment to safety in the workplace.
Public Liability Insurance – If you take out a contract with Ice Watch, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you are automatically covered by our £10 million public liability insurance.
Excellent Customer Service Feedback – We have received superb reviews from customers nationwide, praising us for the quality of our service, the dedication of our operators and value for money. With Ice Watch, you can rest easy as you know you’re in the hands of the experts!
Click here to contact Ice Watch now to organise your risk assessment in time for winter.
Related articles:
Should You Choose a National or a Local Gritting Service?
Ice Watch Gritting Contractors are Ready for the Winter
5 Problems You Could Face if You Don’t Organise Car Park Gritting
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Why Gritting Services is a Winter Essential for Most UK Businesses – Even When Snow is Less Certain
If you are putting the task of organising professional gritting services for your UK business on hold because you expect another mild winter – think again. While it may seem cost-effective to go with the various weather predictions first, transferring ‘organising gritting services’ to the bottom of your ‘to-do list, this could put the welfare of your staff – and ultimately the reputation of your business – at risk.
Why? As this article shows, the likelihood and frequency of snow and ice is hard to predict months in advance. The only solution is to use a professional gritting company who closely monitor localised weather conditions and grit only when necessary, which gives you, and your employees, year round peace of mind.
Gritting Services – click here to find out more about how we can help you.
A look back at the winter of 2013/14
Last winter (2013-2014) harsh weather was forecast as far back as October when we were urged to get ready for the ‘big freeze’ ahead. On Saturday October 12, the Daily Express ran the headline: ‘The Worse Winter for Decades: Record-Breaking Snow Predicted for November’. The article warned ‘the entire country’ was set for a ‘horror freeze’ which would ‘bring brutal winds and fierce blizzards.’ However, the passage of time showed this wasn’t the case, and while some places did experience significant snowfall, the UK overall had a comparatively mild winter; other areas, such as the Anglian region had no ground settlement of snow at all.
In fact, dire warnings of heavy snow featured prominently in the media in the autumn. On September 10, the Daily Mail ran a light hearted article referring to the 2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac which warned we might have to dust off our snow shovels to brace ourselves for a ‘bitter cold’ winter.
As it happened, although there were some levels of ice and snow around the UK, it was nothing like the ‘big freeze’ people were expecting. The weather formation that was forecast, in fact, hit North America very hard but was blocked from reaching Britain. Instead, stormy and wet weather battered many areas, especially in the South, with heavy flooding posing the biggest threat to homes and businesses in some areas. The winter of 2013/14 turned out to be, not the coldest, but the wettest on record in England and Wales for nearly 250 years (since the rainfall series began).
Preparing ahead for the British weather
There is no doubt that British people have long been obsessed by the weather and are always trying to predict it. The reason for this is that the UK weather varies considerably from year to year: while winter of 2012/13 was dominated by snow and ice, people faced strong winds and flooding in 2013/14.
So, how can we plan ahead? The variable weather makes it hard for businesses to arrange gritting on an ad hoc basis. The solution is to use professional gritting services, such as Ice Watch for your UK business. We closely monitor weather conditions, and only grit as and when needed – so we can pass these savings on to you. You know that whenever the weather takes a turn for the worst and there is a need to grit, you can rest assured the job will be done for you.
Less certainty means a greater need for gritting services
In practice, we all know the UK will receive a good amount of ice and snow most winters – even a relatively wet and mild one. Taking the country as a whole, even if there is no chance of a big chill, there is still a strong likelihood of occasional ice formation on some of the roads and pavements. As mentioned in our last blog post, gritters were still out on the roads of East Anglia last winter.
Certainly, some companies only take snow and ice precautions when there’s a big and definite freeze forecast. However, stocking up on grit and shovels, training staff and arranging rotas, doesn’t offer suitable precautionary measures if the weather turns unexpectedly bleak. And, without the careful, daily monitoring of conditions throughout the winter period this can leave your business wide open to risk.
Arranging gritting services from a UK supplier is akin to taking out insurance. For example, you don’t take out business insurance because you think a person is about to make a claim against you. You take it out because you want to take precautionary measures; as the consequences of not doing so could spell financial disaster for your business.
To ensure the safety of your premises whatever the weather, Ice Watch carry out a risk assessment, put Health and Safety measures in place, keep documents and closely monitor local weather conditions. This is efficient, accurate and far more cost-effective (in terms of actual cost as well as staff time and disruption) than organising in-house preparations , or worse, doing nothing and then suffering the cost of business disruption and potential liability claims.
Ice Watch – Follow the link to find out how we can help.
Related articles:
Three Strategies for Snow and Ice Removal
Why? As this article shows, the likelihood and frequency of snow and ice is hard to predict months in advance. The only solution is to use a professional gritting company who closely monitor localised weather conditions and grit only when necessary, which gives you, and your employees, year round peace of mind.
Gritting Services – click here to find out more about how we can help you.
A look back at the winter of 2013/14
Last winter (2013-2014) harsh weather was forecast as far back as October when we were urged to get ready for the ‘big freeze’ ahead. On Saturday October 12, the Daily Express ran the headline: ‘The Worse Winter for Decades: Record-Breaking Snow Predicted for November’. The article warned ‘the entire country’ was set for a ‘horror freeze’ which would ‘bring brutal winds and fierce blizzards.’ However, the passage of time showed this wasn’t the case, and while some places did experience significant snowfall, the UK overall had a comparatively mild winter; other areas, such as the Anglian region had no ground settlement of snow at all.
In fact, dire warnings of heavy snow featured prominently in the media in the autumn. On September 10, the Daily Mail ran a light hearted article referring to the 2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac which warned we might have to dust off our snow shovels to brace ourselves for a ‘bitter cold’ winter.
As it happened, although there were some levels of ice and snow around the UK, it was nothing like the ‘big freeze’ people were expecting. The weather formation that was forecast, in fact, hit North America very hard but was blocked from reaching Britain. Instead, stormy and wet weather battered many areas, especially in the South, with heavy flooding posing the biggest threat to homes and businesses in some areas. The winter of 2013/14 turned out to be, not the coldest, but the wettest on record in England and Wales for nearly 250 years (since the rainfall series began).
Preparing ahead for the British weather
There is no doubt that British people have long been obsessed by the weather and are always trying to predict it. The reason for this is that the UK weather varies considerably from year to year: while winter of 2012/13 was dominated by snow and ice, people faced strong winds and flooding in 2013/14.
So, how can we plan ahead? The variable weather makes it hard for businesses to arrange gritting on an ad hoc basis. The solution is to use professional gritting services, such as Ice Watch for your UK business. We closely monitor weather conditions, and only grit as and when needed – so we can pass these savings on to you. You know that whenever the weather takes a turn for the worst and there is a need to grit, you can rest assured the job will be done for you.
Less certainty means a greater need for gritting services
In practice, we all know the UK will receive a good amount of ice and snow most winters – even a relatively wet and mild one. Taking the country as a whole, even if there is no chance of a big chill, there is still a strong likelihood of occasional ice formation on some of the roads and pavements. As mentioned in our last blog post, gritters were still out on the roads of East Anglia last winter.
Certainly, some companies only take snow and ice precautions when there’s a big and definite freeze forecast. However, stocking up on grit and shovels, training staff and arranging rotas, doesn’t offer suitable precautionary measures if the weather turns unexpectedly bleak. And, without the careful, daily monitoring of conditions throughout the winter period this can leave your business wide open to risk.
Arranging gritting services from a UK supplier is akin to taking out insurance. For example, you don’t take out business insurance because you think a person is about to make a claim against you. You take it out because you want to take precautionary measures; as the consequences of not doing so could spell financial disaster for your business.
To ensure the safety of your premises whatever the weather, Ice Watch carry out a risk assessment, put Health and Safety measures in place, keep documents and closely monitor local weather conditions. This is efficient, accurate and far more cost-effective (in terms of actual cost as well as staff time and disruption) than organising in-house preparations , or worse, doing nothing and then suffering the cost of business disruption and potential liability claims.
Ice Watch – Follow the link to find out how we can help.
Related articles:
Three Strategies for Snow and Ice Removal
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Why UK Gritting Services are Still Needed Even in a Mild Winter
This year’s (2014) mild winter still saw UK gritting services out on the road in the late evening, or early hours of the morning. Why? Even if you are faced with spring-like weather during the day, the temperature can still plummet dramatically at night causing ice to settle on roads, car parks and footpaths.
Take Suffolk, for instance, the county is not on high ground and the weather is fairly mild in comparison to Scotland and Northern England. However, the county council Tweeted they gritted hundreds of miles of roads on two dozen occasions between New Year’s Day and March 1.
In addition to this, they also used Twitter to remind drivers to take care when motoring as not all routes are gritted. For this reason, it is vital for business owners to employ the services of private gritting contractors, such as Ice Watch, to ensure the safety of people getting to and from their premises.
UK Gritting Services - contact us now to arrange a free quote.
A glimpse at County Council gritting services in Suffolk
Like Ice Watch, councils rely on specialist forecasts to predict localised road surface temperatures – and the green light to grit is triggered when temperatures fall to 1C and below. The road temperature is lower than air temperature, so it means gritting may be necessary, despite the lack of snow.
Explaining the reason to grit in mild weather, a county council spokesman told the Ipswich Evening Star: “The surface temperature is much lower than a couple of feet off the ground and we have to rely on forecasts,” he said.
“If we had a warning from our specialist forecasters and didn’t act on it and then there were accidents, people would quite understandably be very angry about that.”
The council explained that gritting wasn’t just about dealing with snow, but also ice and frost that settles in freezing conditions.
This year’s winter was a welcome comparison to last year when the cost of the county council’s gritting went £800,000 over budget and the council used twice as much salt as in the previous year.
Why it is important for businesses to be prepared
"I prepare for the worst but hope for the best,” is the famous quote by Benjamin Disraeli, UK’s Prime Minister between 1874 and 1880. As a business owner, you never know when frost might strike or when to expect snowfall, so it is important to do just that – be prepared so you are not caught out.
With the British weather so unpredictable, it is vital to be organised well in advance of frost or snow flurries. Although December in East Anglia last year (2012) was the 12th warmest winter in 114 years, last year saw several Arctic blasts. And next year, who knows what will happen?
Even with spring approaching, you cannot rest on your laurels because UK records show snowfall is more likely to happen during the months of March and April, than it is in November and October.
Businesses need to remain open and deliveries still need to be made whatever the weather.
So, if you contact UK gritting services, such as Ice Watch now, you will be fully prepared and can get your risk assessment done well in advance before bad weather strikes.
How Ice Watch keeps things moving
UK gritting services are vital in winter and most of the time we, as motorists, take for granted that the gritters are working round the clock to keep roads safe.
As well as for everyday drivers, gritters play a vital role in the corporate world as they help keep businesses open and running smoothly and ensure people can go to work as normal, and deliveries can be made.
Car parks that aren’t gritted can have a knock on effect financially for some businesses. Some gastro pubs and restaurants, for instance, have found their takings drop in snowy weather if their car parks aren’t gritted because customers decide to play safe and go elsewhere to eat.
Not only this, if you run an organisation, you are under a legal obligation to keep staff and customers safe. Not all roads are covered by council gritters, so solving the problem means organising private UK gritting services to keep roadways, car parks and walkways free of ice. Ice Watch gives you complete peace of mind knowing that you have done all you can to prevent injuries in harsh weather.
Ice Watch offers a complete service, including gritting, snow clearance and the provision of grit buckets. Our services include risk assessments and reporting and careful monitoring of weather conditions, and you can rely on us to set our wheels in motion when temperatures plummet. There’s no wastage as Ice Watch only grit as and when necessary, and we keep things running smoothly even in the most unpredictable weather.
Ice Watch - contact us now to organise a risk assessment.
Take Suffolk, for instance, the county is not on high ground and the weather is fairly mild in comparison to Scotland and Northern England. However, the county council Tweeted they gritted hundreds of miles of roads on two dozen occasions between New Year’s Day and March 1.
In addition to this, they also used Twitter to remind drivers to take care when motoring as not all routes are gritted. For this reason, it is vital for business owners to employ the services of private gritting contractors, such as Ice Watch, to ensure the safety of people getting to and from their premises.
UK Gritting Services - contact us now to arrange a free quote.
A glimpse at County Council gritting services in Suffolk
Like Ice Watch, councils rely on specialist forecasts to predict localised road surface temperatures – and the green light to grit is triggered when temperatures fall to 1C and below. The road temperature is lower than air temperature, so it means gritting may be necessary, despite the lack of snow.
Explaining the reason to grit in mild weather, a county council spokesman told the Ipswich Evening Star: “The surface temperature is much lower than a couple of feet off the ground and we have to rely on forecasts,” he said.
“If we had a warning from our specialist forecasters and didn’t act on it and then there were accidents, people would quite understandably be very angry about that.”
The council explained that gritting wasn’t just about dealing with snow, but also ice and frost that settles in freezing conditions.
This year’s winter was a welcome comparison to last year when the cost of the county council’s gritting went £800,000 over budget and the council used twice as much salt as in the previous year.
Why it is important for businesses to be prepared
"I prepare for the worst but hope for the best,” is the famous quote by Benjamin Disraeli, UK’s Prime Minister between 1874 and 1880. As a business owner, you never know when frost might strike or when to expect snowfall, so it is important to do just that – be prepared so you are not caught out.
With the British weather so unpredictable, it is vital to be organised well in advance of frost or snow flurries. Although December in East Anglia last year (2012) was the 12th warmest winter in 114 years, last year saw several Arctic blasts. And next year, who knows what will happen?
Even with spring approaching, you cannot rest on your laurels because UK records show snowfall is more likely to happen during the months of March and April, than it is in November and October.
Businesses need to remain open and deliveries still need to be made whatever the weather.
So, if you contact UK gritting services, such as Ice Watch now, you will be fully prepared and can get your risk assessment done well in advance before bad weather strikes.
How Ice Watch keeps things moving
UK gritting services are vital in winter and most of the time we, as motorists, take for granted that the gritters are working round the clock to keep roads safe.
As well as for everyday drivers, gritters play a vital role in the corporate world as they help keep businesses open and running smoothly and ensure people can go to work as normal, and deliveries can be made.
Car parks that aren’t gritted can have a knock on effect financially for some businesses. Some gastro pubs and restaurants, for instance, have found their takings drop in snowy weather if their car parks aren’t gritted because customers decide to play safe and go elsewhere to eat.
Not only this, if you run an organisation, you are under a legal obligation to keep staff and customers safe. Not all roads are covered by council gritters, so solving the problem means organising private UK gritting services to keep roadways, car parks and walkways free of ice. Ice Watch gives you complete peace of mind knowing that you have done all you can to prevent injuries in harsh weather.
Ice Watch offers a complete service, including gritting, snow clearance and the provision of grit buckets. Our services include risk assessments and reporting and careful monitoring of weather conditions, and you can rely on us to set our wheels in motion when temperatures plummet. There’s no wastage as Ice Watch only grit as and when necessary, and we keep things running smoothly even in the most unpredictable weather.
Ice Watch - contact us now to organise a risk assessment.
Thursday, 13 February 2014
Three Strategies for Snow and Ice Removal
In much of Britain, there has been somewhat less need for snow and ice removal this winter than in the previous two... so far. However, there have been hard frosts and snow in some areas. It should also be remembered that heavy rainfall combined with a rapid shift to colder temperatures still carries a significant risk of ice formation and snowfall well into February and March in many places.
This means that businesses need to be vigilant well into the spring to ensure they are not caught out by a sudden cold snap. In arranging for car park gritting and ice clearance, organisations tend to take one of 3 approaches.
Snow and Ice Removal – Follow the link to find out how we can help you.
Strategy 1: Do It Yourself
Many businesses, especially smaller companies, take a DIY approach to cold weather. This means arranging for the existing workforce to deal with ice and snow clearing as and when required, rather than using specialist staff.
However, there are a number of potential problems with this approach. One is that you can't be confident that staff whose skills lie in other areas will know how to deal with icy conditions. Will your employees know how to do a risk assessment, monitor site conditions and attend with snow gritters at 3am if necessary to ensure your business is safe to open at the start of the working day?
Even if your workers do have the requisite expertise, they might not be able to get to your site at the right time, especially if they live some distance away. Also, while DIY snow and ice removal tends to be chosen as a cheaper option, it may prove more costly than you imagine. If staff have to spend a lot of time gritting car parks or on snow clearance, this will mean that they are not available to carry out the normal duties they are being paid for, and the business will lose out as a result. Another risk is that, if they don't carry out the work adequately, your whole company may have to close during a spell of cold weather, losing money and potentially also driving away customers who decide you can't be relied on.
Strategy 2: Use a Professional Snow and Ice Removal Service
Using this strategy will give you peace of mind, because you can be sure that your business is fully equipped in advance of any icy weather. Using a specialist gritting contractor such as Ice Watch means your site will constantly be monitored, using our highly-localised weather reports. It will be gritted in advance whenever icy conditions are forecast for your specific location, which helps to prevent ice from forming.
We use locally-based contractors with the right equipment, who will find it easier to make it to your premises than your own staff during cold weather, and will be able to undertake snow and ice removal much more quickly and efficiently. Our teams are able to carry out full risk assessments, and will also take the record-keeping and paperwork involved out of your hands.
Using expert gritting services also means you will have liability insurance and financial protection in event of any claim against you from a member of staff, visitor or customer, since you will be able to prove that you have done everything possible to guard against risks posed by icy conditions. Another financial advantage is that your workforce can get on with their usual job of keeping business running.
Strategy 3: Hope it Doesn't Happen and Muddle Through
This approach doesn't really deserve to be described as a strategy at all. Too often, instead of making preparations for the worst, companies prefer not to think about ice and snow until they happen. Such weather is treated like an unpredictable “Act of God" that people cannot do anything about.
However, shutting your eyes to the risk makes no more sense than failing to fit fire extinguishers, or forgetting to check that your roof and guttering are in good repair. Freezing weather is a real risk, as recent winters have shown only too clearly, and a responsible business needs to guard against the dangers it poses.
Making no preparations in advance means you risk disruption to business for an unpredictable length of time during icy weather. There is also a risk to the safety of employees, customers and other visitors to your site, who may skid on untreated black ice, with potential damage to vehicles and injury to themselves. Another danger in this approach is that you could be making yourself financially vulnerable, since a single claim after an accident could potentially threaten the viability of your business, as well as meaning that a great deal of time will be spent dealing with legal matters.
The best solution is to ensure that you have gritting contractors in place before cold weather strikes, so that you can be sure of an expert service. Ice Watch offers gritting services and snow and ice removal in all areas of the UK including Ipswich and Suffolk, Luton, London, Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Our service includes everything from monitoring to record-keeping.
Gritting Services – Get in touch now to find out how Ice Watch can protect your business.
This means that businesses need to be vigilant well into the spring to ensure they are not caught out by a sudden cold snap. In arranging for car park gritting and ice clearance, organisations tend to take one of 3 approaches.
Snow and Ice Removal – Follow the link to find out how we can help you.
Strategy 1: Do It Yourself
Many businesses, especially smaller companies, take a DIY approach to cold weather. This means arranging for the existing workforce to deal with ice and snow clearing as and when required, rather than using specialist staff.
However, there are a number of potential problems with this approach. One is that you can't be confident that staff whose skills lie in other areas will know how to deal with icy conditions. Will your employees know how to do a risk assessment, monitor site conditions and attend with snow gritters at 3am if necessary to ensure your business is safe to open at the start of the working day?
Even if your workers do have the requisite expertise, they might not be able to get to your site at the right time, especially if they live some distance away. Also, while DIY snow and ice removal tends to be chosen as a cheaper option, it may prove more costly than you imagine. If staff have to spend a lot of time gritting car parks or on snow clearance, this will mean that they are not available to carry out the normal duties they are being paid for, and the business will lose out as a result. Another risk is that, if they don't carry out the work adequately, your whole company may have to close during a spell of cold weather, losing money and potentially also driving away customers who decide you can't be relied on.
Strategy 2: Use a Professional Snow and Ice Removal Service
Using this strategy will give you peace of mind, because you can be sure that your business is fully equipped in advance of any icy weather. Using a specialist gritting contractor such as Ice Watch means your site will constantly be monitored, using our highly-localised weather reports. It will be gritted in advance whenever icy conditions are forecast for your specific location, which helps to prevent ice from forming.
We use locally-based contractors with the right equipment, who will find it easier to make it to your premises than your own staff during cold weather, and will be able to undertake snow and ice removal much more quickly and efficiently. Our teams are able to carry out full risk assessments, and will also take the record-keeping and paperwork involved out of your hands.
Using expert gritting services also means you will have liability insurance and financial protection in event of any claim against you from a member of staff, visitor or customer, since you will be able to prove that you have done everything possible to guard against risks posed by icy conditions. Another financial advantage is that your workforce can get on with their usual job of keeping business running.
Strategy 3: Hope it Doesn't Happen and Muddle Through
This approach doesn't really deserve to be described as a strategy at all. Too often, instead of making preparations for the worst, companies prefer not to think about ice and snow until they happen. Such weather is treated like an unpredictable “Act of God" that people cannot do anything about.
However, shutting your eyes to the risk makes no more sense than failing to fit fire extinguishers, or forgetting to check that your roof and guttering are in good repair. Freezing weather is a real risk, as recent winters have shown only too clearly, and a responsible business needs to guard against the dangers it poses.
Making no preparations in advance means you risk disruption to business for an unpredictable length of time during icy weather. There is also a risk to the safety of employees, customers and other visitors to your site, who may skid on untreated black ice, with potential damage to vehicles and injury to themselves. Another danger in this approach is that you could be making yourself financially vulnerable, since a single claim after an accident could potentially threaten the viability of your business, as well as meaning that a great deal of time will be spent dealing with legal matters.
The best solution is to ensure that you have gritting contractors in place before cold weather strikes, so that you can be sure of an expert service. Ice Watch offers gritting services and snow and ice removal in all areas of the UK including Ipswich and Suffolk, Luton, London, Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Our service includes everything from monitoring to record-keeping.
Gritting Services – Get in touch now to find out how Ice Watch can protect your business.
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Winter Readiness Survey Says Local Authorities "Well Prepared" for Winter – Are You?
Local authorities are better prepared than ever for the predicted snow this winter, but they won't be carrying out car park gritting and snow clearance for your private business or organisation. This could mean that customers and employees who have been able to travel to your premises because of timely action from local authorities, may not be able to park or safely get into your buildings because car parks, walkways and steps are covered in snow and ice. As well as posing a danger to workers and visitors, this also lays organisations open to liability claims if injury occurs because car park gritting has not been carried out.
With winter 2013/14 well and truly here and many areas of the UK already experiencing some snow flurries and overnight hard frosts, local authorities are on full alert, and it seems that the lessons of the past few years have been learned. Here we take a look at how well prepared local authorities are for the anticipated ice and snow, and what private companies and organisations can do to keep their operation up and running safely this winter.
Valuable Lessons Learned
The past few winters have shown that severely cold weather can be expected throughout the UK, and is no longer a "one off" as it used to be. In 2009/10, many people in the UK were caught out by the unexpected severity of that winter, with local authorities facing criticism about shortages of salt, grit and vehicles, resulting in a failure to keep main routes open.
It seems that this year local authorities are well prepared, with good stocks of gritting supplies and machinery and, more importantly, with clear plans in place to deal with snow. All authorities have clearly identified and published the main routes they will be targeting, making it easier for businesses and residents to predict which roads are likely to be gritted – and where they need to take action themselves.
Local Authorities Prepared for Winter 2013/14
According to the Winter Readiness Survey for 2013/14, carried out by the Local Government Association, 94% of local authorities have secured required levels of salt supplies before the beginning of the gritting season, with good confidence that these levels are adequate for a long and severe winter. Authorities also have adequate numbers of vehicles, with an average of 9 full sized gritters, either owned or leased, and 1 mini-gritter each.
Councils have also made arrangements to cooperate with neighbouring areas to ensure efficient coverage, making arrangements, for instance, to share salt supplies as necessary. And they are also well up to speed in terms of using technology to improve gritting activities (e.g. using GPS to help manage gritting routes more effectively) and communications with the public (e.g. using their website, Twitter or even Facebook to keep residents and businesses well informed about gritting activities).
One of the best prepared local authorities is in the Scottish county of East Renfrewshire, whose plan involves the gritting and/or clearing of 65% of roads – more than any other local authority. In addition, they have made good arrangements for plenty of salt bins for use by local residents and businesses on smaller roads or other critical areas.
On average, local authorities have plans to grit or clear 43% of their road networks. Understandably, this consists primarily of major routes, followed by selected other routes, especially where these involve access to key public institutions such as hospitals and schools. Smaller residential roads, as usual, may not be gritted at all – but many will be in reach of a local authority provided salt bin, enabling members of the public to treat roads and pavements in their area. However, private roads, driveways and car parks belonging to businesses, such as store and hotel car parks, delivery yards and so on, do not fall under local authority responsibility and it is up to business owners to organise gritting and clearing of these areas.
Private Road & Car Park Gritting – The Missing Link
A large number of organisations depend heavily on the ability of employees, visitors or residents to be able to easily access their premises in order to function. This includes:
Fortunately, the issue can be taken care of quite easily and reliably by using a professional car park gritting company such as Ice Watch. Not only do we monitor local weather conditions to ensure you don't get caught out, but we ensure attendance at your premises at whatever time of day or night is necessary to ensure gritting is carried out in good time and/or snow is cleared in readiness for your employees and customers.
Winter Gritting - Find out more about how Ice Watch can keep your business moving this winter.
With winter 2013/14 well and truly here and many areas of the UK already experiencing some snow flurries and overnight hard frosts, local authorities are on full alert, and it seems that the lessons of the past few years have been learned. Here we take a look at how well prepared local authorities are for the anticipated ice and snow, and what private companies and organisations can do to keep their operation up and running safely this winter.
Valuable Lessons Learned
The past few winters have shown that severely cold weather can be expected throughout the UK, and is no longer a "one off" as it used to be. In 2009/10, many people in the UK were caught out by the unexpected severity of that winter, with local authorities facing criticism about shortages of salt, grit and vehicles, resulting in a failure to keep main routes open.
It seems that this year local authorities are well prepared, with good stocks of gritting supplies and machinery and, more importantly, with clear plans in place to deal with snow. All authorities have clearly identified and published the main routes they will be targeting, making it easier for businesses and residents to predict which roads are likely to be gritted – and where they need to take action themselves.
Local Authorities Prepared for Winter 2013/14
According to the Winter Readiness Survey for 2013/14, carried out by the Local Government Association, 94% of local authorities have secured required levels of salt supplies before the beginning of the gritting season, with good confidence that these levels are adequate for a long and severe winter. Authorities also have adequate numbers of vehicles, with an average of 9 full sized gritters, either owned or leased, and 1 mini-gritter each.
Councils have also made arrangements to cooperate with neighbouring areas to ensure efficient coverage, making arrangements, for instance, to share salt supplies as necessary. And they are also well up to speed in terms of using technology to improve gritting activities (e.g. using GPS to help manage gritting routes more effectively) and communications with the public (e.g. using their website, Twitter or even Facebook to keep residents and businesses well informed about gritting activities).
One of the best prepared local authorities is in the Scottish county of East Renfrewshire, whose plan involves the gritting and/or clearing of 65% of roads – more than any other local authority. In addition, they have made good arrangements for plenty of salt bins for use by local residents and businesses on smaller roads or other critical areas.
On average, local authorities have plans to grit or clear 43% of their road networks. Understandably, this consists primarily of major routes, followed by selected other routes, especially where these involve access to key public institutions such as hospitals and schools. Smaller residential roads, as usual, may not be gritted at all – but many will be in reach of a local authority provided salt bin, enabling members of the public to treat roads and pavements in their area. However, private roads, driveways and car parks belonging to businesses, such as store and hotel car parks, delivery yards and so on, do not fall under local authority responsibility and it is up to business owners to organise gritting and clearing of these areas.
Private Road & Car Park Gritting – The Missing Link
A large number of organisations depend heavily on the ability of employees, visitors or residents to be able to easily access their premises in order to function. This includes:
- Shops, supermarkets and retail parks – customer car parks and delivery yards
- Warehouses and distribution centres – heavy goods deliveries, loading and unloading
- Hospitals – patient and visitor car parks, emergency vehicle loading/unloading areas
- Hotels and restaurants – staff and customer car parks
- Offices – car parks, walkways and delivery areas
- Private estates and apartment buildings – private access roads and communal car parking areas
- Sheltered housing and care homes – parking areas for care staff, visitors and residents
Fortunately, the issue can be taken care of quite easily and reliably by using a professional car park gritting company such as Ice Watch. Not only do we monitor local weather conditions to ensure you don't get caught out, but we ensure attendance at your premises at whatever time of day or night is necessary to ensure gritting is carried out in good time and/or snow is cleared in readiness for your employees and customers.
Winter Gritting - Find out more about how Ice Watch can keep your business moving this winter.
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
5 Problems You Could Face If You Don't Organise Car Park Gritting
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.
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.
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.
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