As winter approaches (quickly), businesses across all industries have to start preparing. From ensuring that ice and snow is cleared effectively to making sure your site is kept at a comfortable temperature – there are several different things to think about. Here is our guide to preparing for colder, wetter weather.
Grit/salt
If you have a private roadway, pedestrian path or car park, spreading grit and/or salt is the easiest way to get rid of snow and ice and ensure that vehicle and foot traffic is less likely to slip or skid. Grit and salt bins are a convenient way of keeping these products stored and accessible, and most good quality models will be able to be left in situ throughout the year without being damaged by different weather types.
An important, but often overlooked, consideration when it comes to buying your stock of grit and salt is that suppliers are obliged to give first refusal to local government and councils – so if there is a shortage (which there often is) private businesses will miss out. Stock up early – there’s no expiry date, so store them correctly and your salt and grit will be ready to go when you need them.
Spreaders
If your outside space is particularly large, you can use a push-along or tow-behind grit and salt spreader to get the space covered as quickly as possible. For tow-behind grit spreaders, you’ll need a vehicle with a tow bar or a ride-on lawnmower with a hitching point – push-along (or walk-behind) models simply rely on the user to get them moving.
Scrapers
If you have a forklift truck on site, you can convert it into a snow plough/ ice scraper with a scraper attachment. It will let your forklift truck driver quickly make the area safe for traffic, and it has the added benefit of being a great yard scraper in other weather conditions.
Entrance mats
Use entrance matting to make sure your premises don’t become soaked with melting snow, mud or other foul weather impacts. Outside the door, use a heavy-duty rubber mat to start the shoe and boot cleaning process, and then supplement that with a more absorbent mat on the inside – great for drying off any remaining moisture. Look for slip-resistance, absorbency and size – the bigger your matting, the more footsteps people will take on it and the better their shoes will be cleaned and dried.
Ceiling leaks
Winter can be treacherous when it comes to the weather. Winter storms, heavy downpours and rapid changes in temperature can all contribute to roof, ceiling and pipe damage. Be as proactive as you can, by keeping a ceiling leak diverter on site ready for a fast response. This is essentially a large tarpaulin with a funnel and hose – you install it where the leak is and then divert the water away to a drain or container, protecting your goods, equipment and property from damage while you arrange for a more permanent fix.
Heating
Larger spaces, particularly on industrial, warehouse and distribution centre sites, will need a boost to the heating in particularly cold weather. An industrial-sized, heavy-duty fan heater (or two) will let you raise the temperature over large areas quickly, making the space more comfortable for your staff and keeping them happier and more productive.