Are you ready for the ‘big freeze’? A checklist for warehouse managers

It won’t have escaped your notice that winter is here: a new year has begun, the weather has turned cold, and the days are shorter.

Is your business ready and prepared for the months ahead? Are you confident you have everything in place to keep your operations running smoothly and safely during the cold weather and darker mornings and evenings? Could there be anything you’ve missed?

To make sure you’ve left nothing to chance, we’ve put together a checklist that should guarantee you have everything you need to keep everyone warm, comfortable, protected – and productive – all winter long.

Preparing for winter in the workplace

Cold, wet weather and shorter daylight hours mean increased risk of slips, trips and falls both inside and outside the warehouse, of accidents involving moving vehicles, and of cold-related injuries and illnesses.

It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been in the business, it’s always possible to get caught out – especially if peak season has left you running to catch up or if there’s a chance you’ve become complacent. The change in seasons can quickly creep up on you before you realise.

Are you ‘big freeze’ ready?

Checking the following will help ensure your business is ready for whatever winter brings.

STOCK ROOM

Do you have plenty of the winter essentials in stock, including:

• Grit salt to treat walkways and pedestrian areas in freezing temperatures
• Anti-freeze screen wash for vehicles to ensure good visibility for drivers in all weathers
• Warning signs to place in potentially hazardous areas during wet and icy conditions to encourage people to take extra care under foot

SITE SAFETY

Outside:

• Is there sufficient lighting around your site for people to see and be able to avoid any hazards that may be on the ground?
• Do you know which areas pose the biggest risk for pooling water or harbouring snow and ice? Where are the shaded and sloped areas of ground, walkways, car parks and entrances that will need to be gritted in freezing temperatures?
• Are walkways clearly marked, lit and signposted to avoid people taking potentially dangerous short cuts?
• Have you checked and cleared drains of any blockages or obstructions that could stop water draining away and cause flooding in very wet weather?

• Do you have absorbent mats at all building entrances to prevent slipping and to stop rainwater, snow and ice being walked into the warehouse?
• Have you double-checked all level changes, hidden obstructions and other hazards are clearly marked and well-lit at all times?
  
  

WORKWEAR AND PPE

• Are all your employees equipped with and wearing at all times the correct safety footwear for their role?
• Do they know how to clean and maintain safety footwear in good condition, especially during the winter months when dirt and wear can increase the risk of slipping on wet and icy surfaces?
• Do all workers have good quality thermal underwear, hats or helmet liners, and gloves to prevent cold-related injuries and illnesses?
• Do those working outside have appropriate waterproof trousers, jackets and safety boots?
• Do you insist everyone wears hi-vis clothing over or as their outermost layer at all times when working around moving vehicles or outside in the dark?
  
  

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Do your employees know how to keep warm during cold weather by layering and protecting their extremities?
• Do they fully understand the risks of not dressing appropriately for the weather conditions?
• Do they know about alternative workwear and PPE that is available to them if their needs differ from those of their colleagues, e.g. second pairs of gloves to pull on during breaks for those performing tasks requiring levels of dexterity incompatible with thermal glove wear.
• Would they recognise the symptoms of hypothermia, frostbite and chilblains in themselves and other people?