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Employers 'must account for winter weather'
General News |
04/11/2011
Employers and employees need to take into account the weather hazards brought about by winter, it has been claimed.
Phil Bates, senior policy and technical adviser at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said steps must be taken to mitigate the threat of slips and trips in the workplace.
Other key health and safety issues such as travel to work, thermal hazards from cold environments, manual handling and carbon monoxide emission from heating appliances should also be considered, he claimed.
"It's important not to get complacent over the risk of injury to workers and customers from slippery ice and snow," Mr Bates stated.
"With the onset of winter, now is the time for businesses to evaluate the implications of a change in weather to their operations, whether this is increased slip-risk [because of] wet floors in premises, or in ensuring that risk assessments are adjusted to take account of seasonal changes."
He said that "sensible precautions" can be implemented to reduce these risks, such as staff allocating more time to their commute, and the employer ensuring outside areas are well lit.
Staff should be encouraged to use designated pedestrian routes rather than shortcuts, Mr Bates added.
"Mats could be provided so people can wipe their shoes before walking across tiled [or] smooth walkways and people should shake umbrellas outside to reduce water in corridors," he suggested.
"Businesses could check to make sure they have grit for icy conditions and a plan to remove snow if there is a large build up."
Logistics companies or businesses that operate largely outdoors usually have their own adjustments for winter working conditions, the health and safety expert noted.
According to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, a third of all major injuries are due to slips and trips.
Some 20 per cent of injuries incurred result in absence of more than three days, costing employers around £520 million a year.
Posted by Jon Aspinell
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