The risk of workplace slips, trips and falls significantly increases in the winter.
Ice, snow, and wet conditions are common hazards that threaten the safety of employees, clients, and visitors and can cause all sorts of business issues. It is an employer’s moral and legal responsibility to protect their people from accidents in the winter, and the guidance from HSE provides an essential resource.
In this blog, we examine common seasonal hazards and discuss the steps employers can take to prevent slips, trips, and falls in winter.
Identifying Common Winter Hazards
The winter months introduce season-specific hazards that can lead to accidents. Here are some common winter hazards businesses experience that put people at risk:
- External floors: Ice and frost on outdoor pathways, stairways, and car parks can make for seriously slippery surfaces.
- Internal floors: Wet floors caused by rain or snow being tracked inside by footfall are slick and shiny, increasing the risk of accidents if not cleaned and dried regularly.
- Reduced visibility: Low light levels during darker winter days make it more difficult to identify hazards at all, meaning obstacles and ice patches are harder to spot.
Recognising these potential winter hazards is critical in preventing winter slips, trips and falls. But what action can businesses take to reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace?
Proactive Risk Assessments
Regular workplace risk assessments are key to preventing slips, trips and falls. In winter, risk assessments become even more crucial to keeping a workplace accident-free because the hazards change so quickly.
Here are Envesca’s tips for conducting effective, proactive risk assessments:
Regular Inspections
Inspect high-traffic areas, such as stairways, corridors, entrances, and carparks, every day. With a high footfall, these areas are likely to become incredibly slippery as moisture is tracked in from outside. They must be kept clean and dry to prevent incidents.
Identify Critical Surfaces
Identify any surfaces prone to ice or a build-up of groundwater, like shaded paths and spaces with poor drainage. These surfaces will need to be regularly treated with salt or grit to ensure employees, clients, and customers don’t come to any harm.
Improve Lighting
Proper lighting can help to reduce the likelihood of issues because hazards are more easily identifiable. Monitor lighting in both indoor and outdoor spaces and upgrade your systems if necessary.
Thorough, regular risk assessments highlight potential risks before they become a hazard, preventing slips, trips and falls in the winter.
Preventing Slips, Trips And Falls In The Winter Months
Preventing slips, trips and falls in the winter is key to keeping people safe and protecting your business from costly legal ramifications. Companies can take the following practical steps to minimise risks in the workplace.
Grit And Salt
Gritting and salting pathways, car parks and entrances improves the safety of external surfaces. Grit provides a textured surface to walk on, increasing friction and helping to prevent accidents. Salt melts any ice sitting on a surface, reducing the likelihood of water refreezing and creating a less slippery space.
Anti-Slip Mats And Coverings
Anti-slip mats and coverings can be placed at identified high-slip-risk locations, such as building entrances, to ensure these surfaces feature added traction.
Snow Clearing
Prompt, regular snow clearing is key to maintaining clear, accessible and hazard-free routes for employees, clients and visitors, preventing slips, trips and falls in the winter.
Creating a monitoring and maintenance plan for outdoor areas means employers can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents in the winter months.
Indoor Safety Precautions
Keeping indoor spaces safe during the winter requires businesses to employ several strategies.
Absorbent Mats
Absorbent mats can be placed inside entry points to reduce the level of water being tracked indoors. This keeps internal walkways dry and hazard-free.
Signage
Using clearly visible wet floor signs alerts people to slippery surfaces, enabling individuals to navigate carefully.
Regular Floor Maintenance
Mopping and drying floors regularly throughout the day, especially in high-traffic areas like corridors, removes moisture from the floor surface and reduces the risk of accidents.
Effective Heating
Robust heating systems help to prevent condensation on workplace floors. A business’s heating system should be maintained regularly to ensure it’s working as it should.
By implementing these proactive risk-prevention strategies, businesses can keep their people free from harm and remain accident-free during the winter months.
Training And Raising Awareness
Staff training plays an important role in preventing slips, trips, and falls in the winter. Employees who can recognise hazards and understand how to navigate them help to support the maintenance of a safe working environment.
Here are some examples of key information that can help to reduce accidents and incidents during the colder months:
- Educating staff on safe footwear choices for winter.
- Encouraging employees to report hazards immediately.
- Providing specific guidance for handling tasks in icy or wet conditions.
Incorporating these elements into staff training prepares employees for the onset of dangerous, icy conditions and ensures that everyone stays safe at work during the winter.
Legal Responsibilities And Compliance
As well as a moral duty, businesses have legal responsibilities to protect the health and safety of employees, too.
Key legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 outline employer’s responsibilities. Here’s an overview:
- Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must ensure the safety of their employees as far as reasonably practical.
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 stipulates the practice of risk assessing the workplace and implementing effective control measures.
To demonstrate compliance with this legislation, businesses must regularly assess risk and document findings and preventative measures. This means keeping clear records of inspections, maintenance schedules, and safety training. It shows that an employer has implemented appropriate measures to keep their people safe, preventing slips, trips, and falls in winter.
Create A Safe Winter Workplace
By identifying common winter hazards, conducting robust risk assessments, implementing effective preventative measures and training staff, businesses can stay safe and compliant when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Envesca can help businesses prevent slips, trips and falls in winter by providing tailored training and consultancy services. From in-person, in-house groups to remote e-learning public courses, we’ve got a solution that will meet your training needs.
Don’t let winter hazards put your team or business at risk. Contact Envesca today to learn more about our health and safety training and consultancy services.
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