5 IMPORTANT WINTER WORKPLACE SAFETY TIPS

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

Some view winter weather as a welcome excused absence from work or school. Others must still find their way into the office. What they don’t want to encounter on their way are slick sidewalks, power outages, or the worst – inching your way through icy gridlock only to learn after they’ve battled the weather that the office is, in fact, closed. “Sorry,” simply won’t suffice.
Reduce your risk for injuries and dissatisfied employees by doing your part to protect and inform them on bad weather days. You may not be able to stop the snow, rain, and wind, but you can ensure every employee has a safe way to an office that is in working condition.

1. Get Them There Safely

You can’t make the roads to your office building safe, but you can inform your employees which roads are passable. This isn’t always easy, especially if you have employees on different devices and in various locations.
Geotargeting is a great way to focus communications within particular areas that are affected by weather. When integrated into your mass communications system, you instantly have a simple and quick way to send impacted employees a push notification or text, notifying them of the safest route. You can even see issues (like road closures) on a map, so you can notify employees of relevant travel issues.

2. Prepare Mobile and Outdoor Employees

If you have personnel who must drive for their job, it’s your duty to properly train and equip them. Employees who work outdoors are also vulnerable to weather conditions. Many times, these workers will need to halt their duties until the weather clears. On the other hand, some (like electrical repair crews) are even busier during bad weather. When these workers are in the elements, they can have a heightened danger of injuries and accidents. Equip them with a way to call for immediate help.

3. Fortify the Office

Did you know that falls involving ice, sleet, or snow are one of the biggest risks people face during the winter months? In fact, in 2014, there were 42,480 workplace injuries involving snow and ice that required at least one day away from work to recuperate. And those are just the falls that people reported!
You can’t prevent all falls, but you can salt the parking lot, sidewalks, and steps ahead of time. You can also place large, absorbent mats at every entrance to prevent slips once employees are inside the building.

Ask your building’s superintendent to check the heating and electric systems, as it is common for power lines to go down in ice storms or high winds. These power outages can last for days, crippling operations for any business. Should power go down while employees are at work, be sure you have a plan as to if and how employees are expected to continue to work, as well as a communication plan in place to notify employees of the outage and their instructions.

4. Communicate Effectively and Often

Your employees are going to expect some type of communication when they know a big storm is coming. Don’t leave them hanging! A mass communication system with geotargeting capabilities is a perfect solution to ensure the right messaging is getting to the right employees. Don’t rely on email or voicemails. Those can get lost in the shuffle, if they are ever checked at all.
An emergency alert system is designed to reach every employee, despite their physical location, on multiple communication channels. This means your employees can receive alerts and notifications on their mobile device via texts, push notifications, email and/or voice calls that can either provide all of the relevant information or direct them to a link to a comprehensive web page. No matter where they are, what they do, or what mobile device they are using, they will receive the information they need. You can also use the geotargeting system to segment your audience by location so that only the employees in the affected area receive the notifications.

5. Don’t Dismiss Other Winter Threats

Bad winter weather isn’t the only thing companies and employees must grapple with during the winter months. Colder temperatures often come with a rise in illnesses, such as the flu. According to the CDC, influenza often begins to increase in October and November, peaking from December through February. Beyond illnesses, winter often brings a higher risk for fires. People turn up the heat, using space heaters, fires, and even ovens to warm a home. If you allow space heaters in the office, be sure to educate your employees on proper use, such as not placing anything within three feet of the heater.

What Your Employees Want to Know

It’s easy to assume employees will be watching the news and weather reports, but many won’t. Be sure you have a way to communicate with all of your employees about the weather and its disruptions in the schedule.

What do they most need to know?

• Whether commutes have become impossible
• Whether power outages or surges will impact their work
• Emergency contact information
• Status of any delivery delays
• Any modifications to work hours and/or shifts
• Where they can find updates
• Whether they can work from home
The most important thing you can do is let your employees know you have their best interest at heart. This means keeping them informed before, during, and after the weather event. The fortunate part about most winter weather storms is that they are predictable, and therefore plannable. Be sure your emergency plan is current and relevant to each location. Ensure every employee understands the intricacies of the plan.
Do what you can now to prepare and be sure you have a communication system that will help you get the word out fast. It will make these cold winter months more tolerable for you and your employees.

About SERVPRO of Morton Grove/East Niles

SERVPRO of Morton Grove/East Niles specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.