Member Article

Businesses advised to do winter risk management check

Business owners are being advised by Henderson Insurance Brokers Teesside to make sure their risk management policies are up to date in the wake of the wintry weather conditions.

The insurance broking business is dealing with a 100 per cent increase in insurance claims related to the wintry weather compared to the same period last year.

Since the severe cold weather set in at the end of last week, Henderson, based in Stockton, has been handling calls from clients about accidents involving both commercial vehicles and company cars.

Jonathan Willett, a director of Henderson Insurance Brokers Teesside, said business owners not only have a responsibility to employees, but also people visiting their premises.

He said: “All businesses should make sure that they have a comprehensive risk management policy in place to deal with potential hazards associated with bad weather, such as the snow and icy conditions that we currently are experiencing.”

Mr Willett said the risk management checklist should include:

Which staff could work from home in wintry conditions rather than drive in to work.
Ensuring that company car drivers are made aware of what equipment, such as a shovel, or items, such as a flask with a hot drink, it is advisable to carry in their vehicle during spells of snow.
Telling staff to check in regularly to let their managers know when they are leaving meetings or if there are likely to be any weather situations that could affect their journeys.
Drivers being told not to drive their vehicles without clearing snow off the roof. Police can class this as a driving hazard as the snow could slip onto the windscreen obscuring their vision as it melts or when the driver brakes. Failure to clear the snow off the vehicle could lead to a £60 fine and three penalty points.

Mr Willett points out that companies are required by law to assess risks associated with slips and trips and taken preventative action.

He added: “This also includes circumstances where snow and ice can make both workers and visitors to the business more at risk of falling.

Preventative measures can include:

Gritting areas such as car parks and walkways.

Formalising in what circumstances gritting certain areas should take place and who is responsible for implementing this.

Cordoning off areas and putting up warning signs if icy areas have not been gritted.

Winter weather policies should encompass the documentation of when and why gritting or blocking off areas such as pathways has been taken and by whom.

Monitoring and accident reporting procedures need to be formulated.

Mr Willett said: “Accidents will happen in such weather, but by making sure that risk management strategies are robust and up to date will help keep them to a minimum.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .