The winter cold, vehicles and first aid are the topics for this first safety newsletter of 2010. Winter Weather Risk Management
During the winter months, worsening weather conditions inevitably lead to storm, frost and burst pipes damage to business and increase the likelihood of injury to employees.
The damage is likely to come from three sources:
Wind
Frost and Snow – a surprisingly prevalent feature of this winter already
Burst Pipes
Wind
In the UK we generally do not get the devastating hurricanes which regularly affect areas of the US, however many coastal areas can suffer storms, with winds gusting to over 100 miles an hour.
Protection and Preparation
Keep track of weather forecasts.
Periodically inspect roofs and flashing.
Check vents, skylights, and signs to ensure they are secure.
Check that windows, doors and their frames are securely fixed to the building.
Ensure loads are secured during transit.
Inspect all buildings after a severe storm.
Frost, Snow and Burst Pipes
Freezing conditions regularly lead to flooding from burst pipes. In addition, snow melts combined with fresh rain falls can overwhelm the drainage system and result in local flooding. In very extreme conditions heavy snowfalls can impose significant loads on roof structures although this is thankfully extremely rare in the UK. In addition to direct damage to property from the buildings, accidents and incidents are also more likely during periods of cold weather.
Protection and Preparation
Plan for safe methods of snow removal. Check all heating units for reliable operation as winter approaches. See that building insulation is in place, windows are not broken and openings are sealed.
Provide fire hydrants, sprinkler valves and fire brigade sprinkler connections with markers visible above potential snow piles.
Provide generators as back-up power supplies for critical operations.
Develop a strategy for protecting water pipes.
Ensure temperature sensitive materials are adequately stored.
Store all stock and work in progress off the floor to prevent damage by flooding.
Clean all roof gutters and down pipes ensuring they are free from obstruction.
Service heating systems regularly and ensure thermostats/frost-stats are working correctly and set appropriately.
If portable heaters are required, ensure they are adequately maintained, staff are trained to use them safely and that fire risk assessments are updated to reflect the additional hazard.
Ensure sprinkler systems are maintained; alternate systems are drained.
Ensure sprinkler pump houses are adequately heated.
Drain water pipes in areas likely to freeze. Where this is not possible ensure the pipes are properly lagged.
Ensure fire hydrant markers are kept clear of snow drifts.
Inspect your buildings after a period of freezing weather.
For employees who have to work outside or work in unheated buildings, risk assessments must be revised, taking the cold weather into account. Simple controls can be implemented to mitigate the effects of the cold weather.
Provide warm waterproof clothing where required
Ensure regular breaks where employees can rest in a warm area.
Provide regular hot drinks.
Undertake job rotation, ensuring individual exposure to the cold is limited.
The following checklist may help when determining the required actions.
Building Features
1. Building heating system repairs or annual maintenance scheduled before cold weather?
2. Heating equipment, combustion controls and safety devices tested for proper operation?
3. Heating on a frost setting when the building is unoccupied?
4. Windows and doors in good repair and properly weather-sealed?
5. Gutters, downspouts and roof drains are clear?
6. Roofs visually inspected for water pooling, structural deficiencies, etc?
7. Areas subject to freezing provided with non-freeze type fire extinguishers?
8. Designated individuals authorised to initiate a winter weather alert?
9. Procedure for monitoring snow depth on roofs and snow removal action plan established?
10. List of equipment containing water that is to be drained in the event of building heat failure?
11. List of suppliers for portable boilers and/or heating units developed?
12. Water pipes in unheated areas drained or adequately lagged
Stock
1. Is all stock likely to be damaged by water stored off the floor, on pallets and away from water pipes?
2. Is all temperature sensitive stock stored in a temperature-controlled environment, with suitable monitoring and warning systems?
Vehicles and people
1. No unnecessary journeys planned?
2. Ensure vehicles are serviced, water levels and anti-freeze are adequate.
3. Plan routes to avoid minor roads, which may not have been cleared of snow and ice.
4. Drivers trained and equipped.
5. Where employees are required to drive for work, employers also have a health and safety duty to ensure drivers are allowed extra time to complete journeys and factor in alternative routes and that they are not pressurised to complete any journeys made dangerously difficult by the weather.
Slips
To reduce the risk of slips on ice, frost or snow, you need to assess the risk and put in a system to manage it.
1. Identify the outdoor areas used by pedestrians most likely to be affected by ice, for example: – building entrances, car parks, pedestrian walkways, shortcuts, sloped areas and areas constantly in the shade or wet.
2. Monitor the temperature, as prevention is key.
3. Put a procedure in place to prevent an icy surface forming and/or keep pedestrians off the slippery surface
a. Use grit or similar, on areas prone to be slippery in frosty, icy conditions.
b. Consider covering walkways e.g. by an arbour high enough for people to walk through, or use an insulating material on smaller areas overnight.
c. Divert pedestrians to less slippery walkways and barrier off existing ones
Vehicles at Work
Workplace transport continues to be a high profile for the HSE due to it being one of the main causation factors accounting for the number of people killed or serious injured at work. The HSE have published a range of very useful and free information sheets covering a range of topics such as barriers, parking, height restrictions, reversing etc. that give some useful tips on working practices that can be adopted. The leaflets are not just relevant to those organisations that are involved in transportation. Even if you provide a car park for your employees and you have some people who are required to drive for work then it is worth looking at the relevant leaflets.
The website link is: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/publications.htm?ebul=hsegen/14-dec-2009&cr=23
First Aid Risk Assessment
The HSE have provided a useful risk assessment tool to help employers to determine the number and type of first-aid personnel for their workplace. They are designed to employers greater flexibility. The legislation remains the same but there are changes to the supporting guidance.
For further details follow the website link, which is:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/assessmenttool.htm?ebul=hsegen/14-dec-2009&cr=9
