When the weather turns in the fall and winter months, it can pose challenges for owners and property managers. During the fall season, leaves, rain and high winds can often combine to create slippery and potentially dangerous conditions. And, as for winter, statistical data shows that these months are the most dangerous time for slip-and-fall accidents.
All it takes is a little planning, vigilance and cooperation. You can take a few key actions to keep employees, occupants, and customers safe over these seasons. Use the simple checklist below for five valuable workplace safety tips for this time of year from ServiceMaster Clean.
5 FALL AND WINTER SAFETY TIPS FOR BUSINESSES
Clear walkways of leaves, debris and snow and ice
Keeping your facility’s parking lot, sidewalks, and other outdoor paths clear is crucial. Regular and consistent clearing out of leaves, debris, snow, and ice is paramount. This will help provide safe access for everyone entering and exiting the facility.
You might also ask nearby businesses to work together. This can help improve the safety and accessibility of public areas that impact both your property and your neighbours’. If the weather calls for freezing rain, snow or freezing temperatures, put down salt the night before as a precaution. Engaging a snow removal service for severe snowstorms is a wise strategy.
Put down absorbent floormats
Wet weather in the fall can cause messy and potentially dangerous and slippery conditions. Winter foot traffic will inevitably track in melting snow or ice as well as salt, sand and other snow-melt products from the outdoors.
Did you know that according to the Carpet and Rug Institute, your installed flooring needs 12 to 15 feet of entrance matting for a typical medium office building? And that’s just enough for “adequate protection” – it takes approximately 40 linear feet worth of entrance matting to remove 98% of the incoming dirt and debris from foot traffic.
Use caution signs and stay compliant with all safety regulations
The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and the various provincial occupational health and safety acts (such as Ontario’s OHSA) plus some municipal bylaws, all have guidelines, standards and regulations for maintaining safety on walking and working surfaces, as well as for the placement of warning and hazard signs.
Make sure your walkways and signage are compliant with all governmental regulations in your area. And ensure that someone puts up caution signs as soon as they identify a hazard. Make certain all signage is easily visible for everyone who walks through the area.
Remind employees to wear proper footwear
Insulated and water-resistant boots offer better grip and support in fall and winter than regular shoes or sneakers. Remind employees to wear footwear that will keep them safe from slipping and falling even indoors.
Have an emergency kit
If you are in an area that has extreme storms, having emergency supplies ready becomes important. This way, employees can stay safe if they need to shelter in place.
In such situations, a standard first aid kit is not enough, including a battery-powered or solar radio in your pack is advisable, as is including thermal blankets. Also, make sure to bring enough water and non-perishable food for everyone. Ideally there should be enough to last at least three days.
Putting these five tips into action helps to ensure your facility is properly prepared. These tips will help you to maintain a safe environment for staff, occupants and customers throughout the fall and winter seasons.
FLOOR AND CARPET MAINTENANCE IS KEY
As the fall transitions to winter, and the winter wears on, the wear on your floors and carpet will be evident. Your facility will benefit from thorough and regular carpet cleaning and hard floor maintenance from ServiceMaster Clean.
Our commercial cleaning experts will do the dirty work for you. Our skilled technicians can help fix the damage that fall, and winter weather causes to your floors and carpets with a custom designed commercial floor and carpet cleaning program to suit your business’ specific requirements and budget.