Take care in winter
October 2014
Reduce your risk this winter
This pack includes advice to protect you, your team and your
site or office this winter.
Keeping healthy and safe in winter
•
We see more slips and trips incidents and injuries
during the winter months than the rest of the year, due
to fallen leaves, reduced light and rain and ice.
•
Take care when working outside and remember to use
the zero compromise card where you see unsafe acts
or conditions. If you see something unsafe which
needs further investigation, raise it on safeguard and
inform your manager.
•
Make sure you wrap up warm in the cold to avoid
hypothermia, frostbite and immersion foot.
•
Low temperatures can affect concentration, resulting in
increased incidents and injuries. Be aware of how the
cold is affecting you and take regular breaks to warm
up.
Working outside
•
Make sure you have the right PPE to stay safe
while working and speak to your manager if you
don’t.
•
Consider wearing a winter liner under your hard
hat to avoid heat loss, or overshoe grips to avoid
slipping.
•
Keep your clothing clean as dirt reduces its
insulating properties.
•
Remember the PPE minimum standards and wear
gloves while handling chemicals. This is
particularly important with chemicals that
evaporate quickly, such as petrol, alcohol, antifreeze and ether. These are particularly hazardous
in cold weather as they take heat out of your skin
as they evaporate.
Winter proof yourself
•
Check whether your work environment is well lit, including pedestrian walkways
and car parks. Report any lighting that isn’t working properly and check there
aren’t any hazards that could be hidden by shadows.
•
Check there is a sufficient supply of grit available to keep paths and roadways
safe.
•
Check emergency showers to make sure they are working, not leaking and not
frozen. If the weather is freezing make sure the header tank is full and the shower
is working before accepting a chemical delivery.
•
Make sure your site provides heated welfare facilities, with facilities for storing,
drying and changing clothes, as well as making hot drinks.
Stay safe on the roads
•
Whether you’re a cyclist or a driver, see our top
tips to keep you safe on the road (available on the
health and safety hub).
•
Fully charge your mobile phone in case you get
stuck and save important numbers, including a
contact who can help if you’re involved in an
incident or get a puncture.
•
Check the treads and pressure of your tyres
before a journey.
•
Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to arrive and keep in
regular contact with people where possible.
•
If the weather is really bad, consider whether you need to make the journey at
all. Could you have a conference call instead of travelling?
•
Reduce your speed and allow yourself extra stopping distance between you and
the car in front.