Locations Safeguards for Ice (/Snow) Slips and Falls

Identify and deal with high-risk areas. Use the Mapping tool to help identify high-risk areas

Many accidents involved walkways and carparks

Walkways

• Provide clearly marked safe walkways
  • Divert pedestrians to less slippery walkways
  • Provide a slip resistant surface - grit or salt may help
  • Use warning signs as required - consider smart signs that warn of changing conditions
• Cordon off hazardous areas/walkways
• Identify and take precautions at walkways where the ground may not thaw
  • Consider shade patterns, cloud cover, direct sunlight, air temperature

• Monitor weather forecasts for freezing conditions and weather warnings
• Identify and take precautions at level changes, bodies of water that workers may try to walk on

Car parks

• Provide clearly marked safe walkways
• Ensure proper precautions (clearing, salting, gritting) before pedestrians use the car park
• Communicate precautions when exiting vehicles - "Open the door, Check the floor"
• Ensure the car park is properly maintained, e.g. no potholes, no areas where puddles form, a sufficient slope and drains
• Highlight kerbs or other hazards under snow
• Ensure adequate lighting
• Reduce and signpost reduced speed limits as required
• Consider smart signs that warn of changing conditions

Entrances

The safest approach may be to ensure the floor areas inside and outside the entrance are slip resistant when wet

• Implement a wet weather protocol as needed
  • Provide clearly marked safe walkways
  • Deal with moisture that may be brought into buildings on umbrellas, raincoats, e.g. umbrella stores / covers
  • Have procedures to remove ice, snow, sleet from footwear, clothing, umbrellas
• Provide drains, additional mats at entrances
• Provide additional staff to monitor entrances at peak times

Third-party premises

• Implement Dynamic Site-Specific Risk Assessments
• Empower workers to be responsible for their own safety
• Have a general rule that workers don't walk on ice unless they can do so safely
• Consider communicating with those responsible for work premises
• Dairy UK Guidance (August 2015) noted a company reduced delivery slip and trip accidents with a new LED cap with hands-free light in the brim

Ice slips can be an important part of Slip Risk Assessment and Prevention

A risk assessment approach to Ice and Snow slips (trips and falls) should consider

1. Weather
2. Activities
3. Locations
4. Communication
5. Sample Dynamic Risk Assessment

See Ice, Snow Further Information