Chris Budd, Head of UK Sales at Watco, the UK’s leading manufacturer of industrial strength flooring products, gives advice on staying safe as winter approaches Slip and fall accidents are one of the top causes of injuries in the workplace and they are far more prevalent in the winter.
Make a plan and assess your workplace risk
The first step is to make a plan and assess your workplace risk. A good way is to start outdoors and work your way inside.
Put your plan into place
After you have discovered the potential problem areas, put your plan into place. Cover walkways if possible to prevent snow from accumulating or ice forming, place warning cones, keep adequate supplies of snow and ice removal tools in readily accessible areas.
Overhead risk
Often forgotten is the overhead risk from falling ice and melting snow. If the building has a flat roof, it is easy enough to shovel the rooftop. Because the roof may be slippery, we suggest Roof Walkway Matting. If the roof is sloped, the safest way to remove ice and snow is with a snow rake.
Underfoot risk
Asphalt and tarmac is an increased risk because ice tends to be invisible.
One preventative measure is adding Anti Slip Traffic Paint to any pedestrian walkways. Watco’s Anti Slip Traffic Paint provides a textured non slip surface, is available in multiple colours, and can be used on concrete or asphalt surfaces.
GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) is also an excellent winter safety product, available in many different styles, so it will fit any need.
Watco’s Roof Walkway Matting also works well on pedestrian walkways, indoors or out, and is stable in hurricane-force winds.
Emergency repairs
Watco’s Road Patch Rapid is ideal for immediate pothole repair. It can be applied from -20°C. If you want to make repairs at low temperatures for concrete, both inside and out, we recommend Concrex® Cold Set. It is ideal for cold rooms and temperatures between 0°C and 10°C.
Indoor maintenance
Keep your floors clean, dry and free of obstructions. Limit walking to designated walkways as much as possible.
Concrete becomes extremely slippery when wet, an anti slip coating will help prevent slips. Watco’s Safety Coat Plus® anti slip floor coating has a very coarse formula for extreme traction.
Constant inspection
Constantly inspect for problem areas as the winter season continues.
Keeping the premises in top condition is an essential part of running any successful business.
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