As the seasons change so does the weather, and with it comes a number of risks to consider. The likes of storms, high winds and floods can damage buildings, while ice and snow can turn your council roads, car parks and even playgrounds into hazardous areas.
In our recent webinar, Avoiding the slippery slope, we touched upon the issues winter can bring, and how best to navigate these from an insurance perspective. Click here to see what was covered, or check out our guidance below.
Need to discuss your insurance requirements? Contact our team today.
Buildings
- Rain, snow, ice and wind can all put extra strain on buildings and increase the chances of internal and external damage
- During the winter months it is recommended that you increase the frequency of property inspections to make sure there are no problems and to identify any issues early
- You should pay extra attention to the more ‘at-risk’ areas such as roofs, gutters, chimneys and water pipes.
Protect against slips and trips
Less daylight during winter, wet leaves on the ground and the potential for ice patches all contribute to an increased risk of slips and trips. As this risk is foreseeable during the winter months, it is vital that councils take steps to minimise any accidents as much as possible.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides detailed guidance for reducing the risk of slips and trips in winters, including activities such as removing wet and decaying leaves, providing adequate lighting, dealing with rainwater and gritting key access routes.
Protecting your staff
It’s important to assess how the cold weather might affect your staff, and to take reasonable steps to manage this. Extra considerations must be made for those working outdoors, including:
- Providing suitable personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Providing a warm area for rest breaks
- Ensuring workers have a means of summoning help or assistance if working alone
- Briefing staff on the health effects of working outdoors in cold weather and what symptoms to look out for
- Gritting or clearing leaves from the premises.
Tips to help protect buildings from frozen and burst pipes
Frozen pipes are a particular risk in cold temperatures, and an escape of water can cause major damage. To help protect your buildings from the risk of burst pipes in the colder weather, consider the following:
- Insulate all pipes in unheated areas like sheds, garages, outbuildings etc.
- If you have thermostatically-controlled heating systems in your buildings, these should be left on permanently on a minimum temperature setting of 4°C
- Turn off the water supplies and drain the pipes in any building that will not be used over the winter months
- Make sure you repair any dripping taps – usually it’s as simple as replacing a washer.
What to do if you have a burst pipe
If the heating system stops working or makes a loud banging noise, then it could be a sign that a pipe is freezing. If that happens you should:
- Turn off the water supply at the main stop tap
- Contact an approved plumbing and heating engineer straight away
- If your pipes freeze over, do not use a naked flame to try and thaw them.
Winter Checklist for Councils – top tips for dealing with winter weather
A thorough winter maintenance programme is essential when it comes to risk management, and should feature:
- An equipment plan (e.g. shovels for gritting)
- Identify who is responsible for each task
- Detail the follow-up procedures for snow removal
- Layout your communications plans with the wider community.
Additionally, you should regularly review your winter programme to make sure that it evolves with the weather.
To help with this process, download our Winter Checklist for Councils now.
