Is there anything extra employees need to do in winter?

Working outdoors during the winter months brings additional challenges to safety. Cold weather and shorter periods of daylight mean there is a greater potential for accidents to happen but, if companies already have their basic health and safety in place, they can be avoided. During the winter when visibility is reduced, it is even more important for operators of construction plant, such as diggers, telehandlers or cranes to regularly clean their windows so they can safely see all around. This should be combined with constant use of mirrors and a banksman where appropriate.

Lights on all vehicles will need to be cleaned regularly to ensure vehicles are visible at all times, and vehicle depots should be well lit to avoid slip and trip hazards – workplace transport accidents account for many of the deaths and injuries we investigate every year.

Another dimension, that is becoming more apparent year on year, is the need for businesses to have contingency plans in place for the British weather. The heavy snowfalls and flooding, which we have experience in recent years, left many businesses empty while workers were stranded at home.

There may be implications on the safety and health of workers if there is no one to relieve them from shift, or the first aider is stuck in a snowdrift.

For the staff that made it in, companies have a responsibility to provide adequate welfare facilities: In winter it is important to ensure that water supplies do not freeze and that any gas heaters provided are safe and have adequate ventilation – Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer.

Where appropriate, provision should be made for drying rooms for wet clothing; and hot water for washing is even more important than usual.

Portable chemical toilets should only be used to support workers for short durations People who are exposed to vibration from power tools should improve their blood circulation by keeping warm and dry, where necessary wearing gloves, a hat, waterproofs and heating pads if available.

Further advice is available from: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns /indg244.pd

HSE INFOLINE
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