While it’s typical to wait until the real winter weather hits before putting precautions in place, your business property and your employees will both be safer if you plan ahead. While not all states have to contend with major snow during the winter months, ice and cold temperatures could still be a threat.
Here are some tips to prepare your business and property for winter:
Protect your property
Roof
- Repair damage to the roof (shingles, gutters, flashing)
- Clean all gutters and downspouts
- Develop a plan for removing heavy snow from the roof – this could mean contacting a qualified contractor for roof snow removal
Plumbing/Pipes
- Repair and caulk/insulate windows and doors to stop potential heat loss
- Turn off water supply to exterior spigots and drain pipes that won’t be used
- Put insulation around pipes that are exposed to freezing temperatures like in basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages
- Insulate or caulk exterior walls to prevent drafts
- Ensure key personnel know where the main water shut-off valve is in case a pipe bursts
HVAC
- Have boilers and furnaces serviced by qualified technicians
- Remove any combustible materials near the heating units
- Replace system filters
- Properly shut down the cooling systems that aren’t used in the winter
Prepare your vehicles
Inspect/Test
- Tires for inflation and wear
- Batteries, lights, braking systems and wiper blades
Emergency Kits
- Make sure all work vehicles are equipped with emergency kits that include:
- First aid supplies
- Jumper cables
- Blankets
- Water and non-perishable food
Training
- Winter driving means different driving tactics than in the summer. Review safe winter driving behavior so they’ll be prepared for winter road conditions.
- Amerisure’s Loss Control Consultants can assist you further with fleet training and safety tips.
Protect your employees
Worksite
- Review your jobsite snow removal strategy with your employees
- Keep heavy traffic areas clean and use salt/deicer
- Ensure supervisors inspect the jobsite frequently when the weather gets bad
Clothing
- Have employees upgrade their gear for the colder temperatures including coveralls, gloves, boots and helmet liners
- Review proper winter apparel with staff and have supervisors monitor that proper clothing is being worn
Contact your agency or Amerisure Loss Control Consultant at (800) 257-1900 or [email protected] to help your business get prepared for winter.
