Snow and ice advice for businesses
Snow and ice can disrupt your business in many ways. According to HR Magazine, during the January 2010 cold weather spell, “… almost half (48%) of British workers felt under pressure to get to work and maintain ‘business as usual’, 11% couldn’t get to work but worked from home, while 12% were not able to work at all.”
The following suggests ways you can minimise the impact of a prolonged period of snow and ice affecting your business:
- Review your Business Continuity Plan; think about how you’ll continue to operate for your customers; how you’ll maintain contact with suppliers and your employees.
- Check local weather reports regularly and give early warnings of any problems to your customers, suppliers and employees. Tune in to local radio or check the Met Office website (www.metoffice.gov.uk).
- Keep safe the telephone numbers of the people you may need to contact if your premises are affected, e.g. emergency repair contacts (insurance company, plumber, electrician, etc).
- Encourage employees to plan alternative routes to work in the event that their usual route is disrupted.
- Consider and improve the level of employees that could work from home, if applicable to your business.
- Consider and communicate any changes to working hours to accommodate employees that may be affected by school closures and/or travel disruption.
- Encourage employees to follow good hygiene practice and ensure they are clear about when you would expect them to stay at home to prevent spreading coughs, colds or flu.
- Check the Birmingham City Council Highways Authority web pages for information on the winter maintenance arrangements at www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/gritting. These webpages give details of salt (gritting) routes, priorities and criteria for public roads and footpaths.
- Private roads and footpaths salting (gritting) is the responsibility of individuals / businesses – inspect private access routes regularly and consider the use of temporary signs to denote safe routes. Keep a small supply of salt/sand to spread on icy paths and steps.
- Remind employees to wear appropriate footwear when coming to work in severe weather conditions and encourage them to think about winter preparedness both at work and in their home.
- Ensure employees adhere to health and safety requirements in relation to appropriate workwear if they work outdoors and working practices.
- When severe weather is predicted/experienced consider whether any of your work related car journeys are essential. Monitor the traffic and weather conditions and plan your journeys. Useful contacts are www.help2travel.co.uk/mattisse/index.htm or www.highways.gov.uk or Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
- Travelling to and from meetings by car could be replaced by public transport and/or consider a teleconference/video conferencing instead of face to face meetings.
- Where employees are required to travel by car as part of their work, ensure they know to check it is ready for winter: check your vehicle before setting out, e.g., oil, water, lights, etc.; keep useful items, e.g., ice scraper and de-icer; torch; warm clothes; blanket; boots; first-aid kit; battery jump leads; a spade if it’s likely to snow; food and drink, etc.
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