Winter hasn’t shown its face yet, but it will be here before we know it. We can’t control the winter weather like most of us would like to, but being prepared for winter is one thing we can, and should, have control over. Now is the perfect time to address how your workplace will run during the cold, snowy winter months approaching. Here’s how you can reduce the impact of winter.
Prevent accidents – Winter weather can be dangerous, and Ohio has seen some of this dangerous weather. It is important to make your workplace grounds a priority by maintaining them. This includes finding a de-icer to remove snow and ice from walkways, parking lots, and roads near your building without harming surfaces, animals, and people. You can apply the de-icer early in advance to reduce risk and improve safety.
Enforce a telecommute policy – The dangerous winter weather can affect the commute to work, so having a telecommuting policy is important. Telecommuting may not always be possible, but if it is, make sure your employees have everything they need to work from home to make sure they can do their job effectively. If a telecommute policy is already in place, remind your employees to utilize it this winter.
Keep your data safe – Along with snow, ice, and frigid temperatures, winter also gives us the occasional power outage. You can protect your important company data by regularly backing it up and checking that your backup is working properly before a storm is due to hit.
Not all de-icers are the same – Know what’s in your de-icer before you use it. Know the chemistry of all your winter products and consider its impact on the grounds around your workplace. It is also important to learn how to store, handle, dispose, and use these products. Proper usage of all chemicals minimizes damage.
Train your employees – Educate your employees on cold stress injuries – such as hypothermia, trench foot, and frostbite – and the dangers of cold stress injuries. Teach your employees to recognize the signs, what to do when it occurs, what cold stress is, and the risk factors of cold stress.
Enforce safe work practices – Regularly check the weather forecast, and if your job requires work outside, save it for the warmest part of the day. Encourage short rest periods in warm areas to avoid exhaustion or fatigue. Make warm beverages available to raise body temperature.
Be careful when using space heaters – Space heaters are great for those cold winter months, but if you aren’t safe with them, you can start fires. Make sure you keep a safe distance between the space heater and anything else in the workplace.
Have an emergency action plan – Do you have an exit strategy implemented in your workplace in case of an emergency? Making a plan will ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to emergencies. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Get started on these things now so you will have one less worry when the first big storm of the season hits. Make this winter your best one yet by enforcing safe winter workplace practices and stay warm, cozy, and happy this winter.