Winter weather tips

Were you caught out by last week’s cold snap? Whilst some companies were ready, most hadn’t expected the snow before Christmas. Businesses were hit hard with some estimates suggesting that the South East economy was losing £140m a day. It’s not all over yet. Weather forecasters are currently predicting that there is more to come so seems a good time to start making preparations for whatever winter still has in store for us all.

Some general precautions

• Undertake a building maintenance review. It is important to check that the roofs are watertight and the drains and guttering are clear of leaves and debris to avoid blockages and water overflowing.
• A check should be made that both water tanks and pipes are adequately lagged. Water tanks should have a minimum of 25mm of lagging around the tank. However, do not insulate underneath water tanks so that the warmth from below will help to prevent the water from freezing.
• Ensure that gutters, down pipes, aerials, roof equipment (such as air conditioners, satellite dishes), signage etc are all secured to avoid damage from strong winds.
• If buildings are left unoccupied, then the water system should either be drained down or the heating should be maintained at a minimum of 6 degrees centigrade to avoid burst pipes.
• Insurers must be advised if a building is to remain unoccupied for a period in excess of 28 days.
• If the building has a wet pipe sprinkler system in place, then again the heating should be maintained at a minimum of 6 degrees centigrade to avoid the sprinkler system from freezing.
• Boilers, furnaces and other heating equipment needs to be inspected and maintained in accordance with regulatory and manufactures’ guidelines. Now is a good time for these items to be inspected prior to these systems running at a higher or full capacity.

Business Precautions

• If a premises is going to be unoccupied for a long period, then the Insurer will probably warrant that an inspection of both the inside and outside of the building is undertaken at least once a week. These inspections should be increased during the winter period, to check for frozen pipes, areas which are no longer watertight etc.
• Stock that can be affected by water damage should be kept off the floor and kept a minimum of 6 inches from the floor and away from pipes to prevent water damage.
• If possible, install automatic water control valves, which are designed to detect bursts and then cut off the water supply.
• If you do suffer frozen pipes, then do not apply heat as this can cause the pipe to burst However, do isolate the affected areas by turning off the water supply feeding it.

Motor Precautions

• The following tips apply whether you are responsible for a Company motor fleet or using your own personal vehicle.
• Ensure that your antifreeze in your cars cooling system is regularly checked. A good rule of thumb is to replace your antifreeze every two years, but you need to check whether this needs topping up on a regular basis.
• The legal minimum for tyre tread is 1.6mm, but during winter a minimum of 3mm (around 3 CDs) is considered essential because the deeper tread will be more effective at clearing water.
• Batteries tend to suffer more in cold weather especially when short journeys are undertaken. Therefore either a regular long journey should be undertaken or a trickle-charge arranged to keep the battery charged.
• Screenwash needs to be topped up and kept at the right concentration to avoid it freezing.
• Keep a reasonable level of fuel in the car at all times so if you do get caught up in an accident or poor weather then you can keep the engine running to keep warm.
• Ensure any cracks in your windscreen are repairer or replaced as these are prone to cracking in cold weather.
• Windscreen wipers should be checked for damage on a regular basis as these can tear in icy conditions.
• It is advisable to keep a shovel, warm clothes and a thermos flask in the car if snow is forecast.
• In snow and ice, just do everything very slowly as it can go wrong very quickly.

Assistance for Employers

• As an Employer, you will need to consider the safety of your staff and visitors attending your premises. This could involve having adequate gritting procedures in place.
• Risk assessments will need to be undertaken to assess the risk of slips and for businesses working in hazardous areas such as construction or working at height, a decision will need to be made as to whether work should be suspended.
• An assessment should be made on whether to send staff home early if dangerous weather conditions are forecast.