Keeping the community safe this winter
11/20/2024
With the temperature dropping, the arrival of winter is no longer a distant prospect. Ensuring the safety of your community becomes more challenging, as the likelihood of slips and trips tend to rise during the colder months. With the impact of reduced daylight, build-up of fallen leaves, and presence of ice and snow, precautionary steps should be considered.
Make a plan and keep a record
Having a suitable inspection regime and action plan, allows you to keep a record of changes and remedial action that needs to be taken. A quick rule of thumb should be:
- Have a written plan of action ready for adverse weather conditions.
- Carry out regular checks of the building, and surrounding areas to confirm everything is working correctly and safe for your users (before and after harsh weather).
- Record your findings (good and bad) and any action you took to remedy problems.
Lighting in outdoor areas
Is there enough lighting in and around your community building for you, your volunteers and service users to see and avoid any potential hazards? The best way to find out is by talking to people regularly and seeing if they’ve experienced any difficulties or foresee any issues in the future. If your lights are timer controlled, it is recommended that you adjust the schedule to reflect daylight saving hours. Remember, on the shortest day of the year (Winter Solstice, 21st December) the sun rises at 8am and sets at around 4pm.
Restrict access to certain areas
Lock play areas during the worst of the winter. Though it may feel unkind to lock away the community’s playgrounds, it’s worth bearing in mind that slippery surfaces combined with cold fingers could be a recipe for disaster. If you’d prefer, you could make a point of locking these areas at dawn and dusk to reduce the risk of injury in the dark. If an area is prone to flooding/becoming boggy, make sure you do regular checks of the area, especially after extreme weather, and if necessary, place warning signs and restrict access.
Long-term, you could consider making improvements to the drainage system of these areas, meaning they stop being a safety problem in the future.
Prepare the ground
Sweeping leaves can feel like a thankless task, especially when the very next day a new flurry of leaves make it look like the job was never done. But, fallen leaves that become wet or have started to decay can create slip risks in two ways, they hide any hazard that may be on the path or they inherently pose a slip risk.
Decking
Wooden decking is notorious for becoming slippery in the winter. When it comes to making decking safer, there are several solutions available. One approach could be to use chicken wire, which can be secured to the deck and provide extra traction. Another option is to apply grip tape, a specially designed adhesive material that offers a firm grip even in icy conditions. Non-slip paint is another popular choice, as it contains special additives that create a rough texture, enhancing grip. It’s also worth noting that non-slip coatings can wear away over time. It is recommended to confirm the ongoing suitability of any non-slip surfaces and reapply coatings as required.
Pavings, blocks & concrete paths
Ensuring the safety of paving, block, and concrete paths during the Winter is crucial, and there are many ways to minimise the risk of slips. One effective method is using salt, grit or sharp sand. Salt can be sprinkled on icy surfaces to encourage melting and provide traction, while grit and sharp sand can be spread over paths to enhance grip and stability.
Having stores of winter supplies ahead of time means you can react quickly and aren’t at the mercy of winter shortages.
Muddy footpaths
One reliable solution to muddy footpaths is the use of wood chips. A good 3-inch layer will not only provide a stable surface but will also add to the aesthetic of the area. You will have to replenish the chips yearly to maintain their effectiveness, as the wood chippings will decompose.
Inside your Building - Entrance to community buildings
Most community buildings and halls have hard-flooring, which is generally speaking, very practical. It’s hardwearing and can be wiped clean. However, when wet, it can become very slippery. Here are a few simple tricks you can employ to counter this:
- Invest in quality door mats as well as a good mud scraper at the entrance of the building. Some entrances also require an outside and an inside door mat to really banish the dirt. It is important to choose an outdoor mat that will allow water to drain away.
- Put signs outside, asking people to stick to the allocated footpaths. A ‘keep off the grass’ sign can go a long way to reducing mud and preserving your lawn.
- Have coat hooks and a place for people to leave wet umbrellas etc. This can make a big difference to how far water gets into your building. Remember, puddles will form under drying outerwear, so consider a drip tray or matt underneath.
- Consider whether water ingress can be reduced by considering installing cover over/at the entrance of your building e.g. a canopy or similar.
Of course, you’ll never be able to keep the floor bone dry, especially by the entrance. So, you should invest in and use safety signage to let people know of the potential danger.
