Winter Hazards in the Workplace 

From falls and slips on icy pathways to low visibility in poorly lit conditions, discover the main Winter workplace hazards and learn how you can keep your workplace safe during the colder months.

The main Winter hazards in the workplace are;

1. Falls, slips & trips
2. Low light conditions 
3. Cold stress 
4. Illnesses spreading among employees

1. Falls, Slips & Trips

While slips are a common injury all year round, they are significantly more common in the Winter months, with all the additional snow and rain on surfaces, not to mention slippery wet leaves. 

Unfortunately, you can’t prevent all falls, but you can take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of them occurring in your workplace. According to the UK’s HSE’s Workplace Regulations 1992 Code Of Practice: “arrangements should be made to minimise risks from snow and ice. This may involve gritting, snow clearing and closure of some routes, particularly outside stairs, ladders and walkways on roofs.”

How to Manage Falls, Slips & Trips in the Workplace

To lessen the risk of these hazards, we highly recommend gritting and salting the car park, footpaths, steps and all main entrances/exits to the building. Find out how to properly use a salt spreader here.  

De-Icing Rock Salt Spreader

This handy rock salt spreader is the perfect tool if you’re looking to de-ice a large surface area quickly. A 25kg capacity allows for easy distribution and an even coverage of your salt.

It’s also a good idea to place anti-slip tape or large, anti-slip mats at every entrance to prevent slips once employees are inside the building. 

You should also ensure that any snow and ice brought in on shoes is mopped up straight away and displayed with a wet floor sign so people can be extra careful when walking around that area. 

Caution Wet floor Stand

This highly visible, bright yellow, hard wearing plastic wet floor sign is an essential piece of equipment to ensure the safety of employees and visitors in your workplace. The Integral handle makes carrying easy and messages are displayed clearly on both sides of the stand, ensuring full visibility. 

At Morsafe, we stock everything your workplace needs to prevent slips and falls, including salt, grit bins, salt spreaders and shovels, just to name a few. 

2. Low Light Conditions

Another serious workplace hazard is working in low light conditions. With reduced daylight hours, many construction and industrial workers are going to be working in lower light levels where they might not be seen or be able to see.

Dark, foggy and wet conditions significantly increase the possibility of accidents, such as being hit by moving vehicles or heavy falling objects. In fact, the HSE reports that on average, 163 employees are struck by a moving vehicle each year, with this risk increasing as visibility is reduced.

How to Manage Low Light Conditions Outdoors

To ensure employees are visible, they must be supplied with the correct high-visibility protective clothing that they wear at all times. For maximum safety, workers should wear fluorescent high-vis clothing with strips of reflective material on. These two materials react differently in sunlight and artificial light, reflecting in as many conditions as possible.

If working around machinery or other high-risk areas, it is also recommended to invest in either fixed or portable outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting will further improve visibility of workers but will also contribute towards employee safety by keeping them alert and awake, which can help with perception of potential risks.

3. Cold Stress

If employees are required to work outside for long periods of time, there is risk that they develop symptoms of cold stress. Cold stress is a condition when your skin becomes so cold that body temperature goes down drastically, and as a result, can lead to serious cold-related illnesses such as trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia.

How to Manage Cold Stress in the Workplace

To reduce the risk of your employees developing cold stress as a result of their working environment, it is your duty to ensure they are kept warm and dry when working outdoors. 

Providing them with correct clothing such as waterproof boots, gloves, a waterproof and windproof coat and a hat is essential and will help protect them from the elements.

Where possible, work should be scheduled to ensure employees are not spending large periods of time outside without the opportunity to take a warm break (recommended at least every 2 hours).

4. Illnesses Spreading Among Employees

The cold Winter months are a hotbed for the spread of respiratory infections, especially in close busy spaces such as the workplace. But while this spread can’t be stopped completely, there are a number of things you can do in the workplace to reduce the spread among employees. 

The first is providing employees and visitors with necessary PPE, designed to protect the user from harmful substances in the workplace, such as infectious agents. PPE can also help to prevent the transmission of infection, such as COVID-19 between staff and patients. 

You can find all the PPE you need here at Morsafe, from safety goggles, gloves, face masks, and so much more. 

For more tips from our experts, check out our blog page or get in touch with any questions you may have about winter safety at your workplace. 

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Written by Kate, for Morsafe Supplies.