Preparing your business for the cold snap

It’s been pretty mild over the last few weeks in the UK, but with a cold snap predicted, businesses of all sizes should start to think about how best to prepare. Health and safety can be a real issue at this time of year, so what should you be stocking up on to protect staff and customers?

Some winter safety essentials

You may want to invest in a salt spreader if you have any outdoor areas that are prone to nasty ice spots. These can be lethal if not treated with care and you don’t want to have someone to have an injury to find you liable for. Of course, you can’t prevent all accidents, but you can get a first aid kit together in case someone has a fall that needs immediate attention.

Assess your workplace risk

A risk assessment can sound like a scary task to undertake, but it really doesn’t have to be. Apart from anything else, it’s an essential that needs to be looked at when the weather takes a change for the worst. Ask yourself some questions about your premises; what areas are most prone to ice? Will people need access to snow shovels? Can you do anything to prevent a slip?

Put up some safety signs

One of the best ways to draw people’s attention to potential safety hazards is to get some clear signage sorted out. There are all kinds available, but whether they are designed to sit permanently in one place or be moved around according to where they are needed most, they could help prevent someone from slipping over and suing you for negligence.

Training can help

Health and safety training is your responsibility as an employer, but what many people don’t think about is how this training needs to incorporate seasonal change. The workplace can be a very different place when the temperature drops, so incorporate as much about this as you can into any induction processes you have.

The winter can be a pretty miserable time for people, but it can be so much worse if they have an accident. However, with preparation and the right equipment there’s no need for anyone to feel unsafe.