Health & Safety is no doubt something that you will have heard many times before but it is certainly one of the most important considerations for any business as well as being an area that is heavily regulated.
Certain times of the year, particularly colder months, can pose a bigger threat to the health & safety of employees, customers and visitors to your premises than others. For instance, the Winter months, when there may be icy conditions, both road users and pedestrians are in danger. One obvious reason for this is the limited hours of daylight and the increased potential for slippery surfaces.
In fact, data released by Hospital Episode Statistics for England shows that in 2014 – 2015 there were 2,919 admissions to hospitals as a result of people falling over on snowy or icy surfaces. At Ambius we are very focused on ways that we can help to reduce this number through the services we offer as well as some general advice on how to stay safe!
Here is our six top tips for preventing injuries during the colder Winter months:
- Ensure your footwear has grip – As obvious as it may sound, many people tend to ignore basic advice. During the winter months, something as small as your footwear can protect you from a serious or even fatal injury. Please make sure that your footwear has sufficient grip before you walk on slippery outdoor surfaces.
- Use handrails – Make sure that you use all available handrails in order to remain stable if a slip does occur (especially while using outdoor steps)
- Use gritting services/tools – If you haven’t done so already, we strongly advise that all businesses book a professional gritting service. To ensure that icy surfaces around their premises are cleared and dealt with properly. We have been gritting and snow clearing for over 15 years, so we know what our customers’ expectations are and how to meet them, efficiently. We are able to supply all of our clients with grit bins, bags of salt and snow shovels if required.
- Watch where you’re walking – Most people will have heard of the term ‘Black Ice’, when venturing out into icy conditions, please take into account the fact that some icy patches may not be as visible as others, so make sure that you are always looking where you are going.
- Take things slow – We know that sometimes people may be in a rush, and you may need to get somewhere quickly – but we advise that you refrain from running on icy surfaces and take things slowly.
- Assist the elderly and less mobile – Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to falling during times when conditions are icy. Therefore, if you know of any elderly neighbours or notice an elderly person who seems to need help or support getting from A – B, then please provide them with assistance if possible.
If you have spent all year investing in your employee health & safety, why not protect them further during the Winter season? Otherwise, you’re potentially risking injuries and a slight rise in absenteeism.
