Safety Standards

During extreme weather, an array of potential risks can develop. It is important to be aware of your responsibilities as an employer, so you can be prepared to react quickly and effectively to mitigate the risk of accidents, injury and damage on site. These include general duties of care and standards specific to extreme weather events.

Extreme weather events can be unpredictable. They can also have an impact on the health of employees and visitors to the site or premises. If the effects of extreme weather are not taken into consideration, and correct actions to prevent or control these effects are not put in place, then the impact can be serious.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the UK. It is sometimes referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA.

It sets out the duty of the employer to ensure employees, visitors and others that use or enters the premises are protected from the risk of harm.

This expansive and overarching piece of legislation means that the health and safety of people who work and use the site should be considered all year round, including and especially during extreme weather.

Occupiers Liability Act 1984

The Occupiers Liability Act 1984 extends an employer's duty of care beyond visitors and employees. It comes into play when the owner or operator of the site is aware that there are dangers on the property. The more serious the risk, the greater the responsibility to everyone, including trespassers.

To ensure people do not come into harm, measures such as clear signage should be used to highlight potential hazards.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

This code of practice stipulates the minimum health and safety requirements for a workplace. As far as it is reasonably practicable, employers must keep entrances and exits to sites clear of snow and ice.

It is often unclear who is responsible for areas surrounding a site. In this instance, where there is the risk to people, both employees and other people using the premises, companies need to carefully consider their actions. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health indicates that best practice should always be considered, so although the access to a property might not actually be within the boundaries of the site, it would be preferable to grit the area anyway to help staff and visitors arrive and leave safely. If they fail to grit the surface and as a result, someone had an accident, they could incur some liability. It is sensible therefore to consider the risks in and around a site and take reasonable steps to prevent accidents and injuries occurring.