Clearing Snow and Ice at Work

This is another Guest Blog, this time by Jamie (from the office).

For the Game of Thrones fans: Winter is Coming! Waith it comes the early morning frosts, soon to be followed by snow, and ice in the coming weeks. We have a guide on how to protect yourself, and your staff from slips and falls due to snow and ice on pavements.

It is a popular misconception that it is against the law to clear snow and ice from pavements.

Put simply, there is nothing stopping you from clearing ice and snow from your property, or from public pavements and areas outside your property. Heads of establishments are responsible for ensuring that the means of access to their establishment is safe for both employees and visitors and that adequate arrangements are made to ensure that the risks from snow and ice are minimised. The true position is that a company may be held liable for ‘failing to act reasonably’ in order to prevent accidents caused by snow and ice.

Be careful not to make the situation worse, and to clear snow and ice sensibly, especially from around steps, and steep slopes.

Here are a few simple tips towards clearing snow and ice safely:

• Clear snow and ice from roads and pathways on our premises.
• Avoid making pathways more dangerous by allowing them to refreeze.
• Clear snow and ice from steep slopes and steps.
• Prioritise important and well used routes over lesser used routes.
• Clear a route 1m wide on pathways.
• Apply grit or salt to keep roads and pathways from freezing.
• Checks made at appropriate intervals to ensure that roads and pathways remain clear where temperatures remain below freezing.
• Consider the needs of employees and visitors, in particular disabled and elderly visitors.
• Ensure that adequate equipment is available to clear snow and ice.