The cold weather is coming and, with it, a whole new host of concerns when it comes to the wellbeing of your team. It’s a business owner’s responsibility to maintain health and safety in the workplace and this includes those seasonal worries that come with winter. Here, we’re going to look at some changes you should make to ensure that you are fulfilling your responsibility.

Lighting becomes more crucial than ever

People become a lot more accident-prone when they can’t see as well. Given that the days are shorter, there is going to be a lot less natural light, meaning that slips, trips, and falls, as well as other accidents, become more likely. As such, you should ensure that you invest in workplace lighting where you need to in order to keep workplace visibility high.

Mind the ground’s conditions

Slips, trips, and falls are going to become even more common thanks to the conditions of the ground. Slippy entrances, walkways, and car parks are all big risks.

Make sure that you grit these areas when it gets particularly cold. Do it in the evening or morning before the staff come in.

Fallen leaves are a big tripping hazard, themselves, so be sure to have them removed, whether personally or by a groundskeeping service.

Make sure your heating is working fine

A cold workplace is going to be a major cause of concern, stress, and can exacerbate illnesses, not to mention leading to a real chance of hypothermia.

It’s a good idea to get your boiler or heating system serviced ahead of time. If you need a replacement sp20303d gas valve, it’s better to find out now rather than when your team really needs the heat. Be prepared to budget for higher energy bills to cope with the cold.

Be careful of those icy roads

Pay attention to road conditions, especially the roads that your employees are likely to use. You can grit roads on your own property to try and prevent slipperiness. However, if the weather is really that bad, then you may need to rely on remote working a little more often during the winter. You don’t want to try and force employees to drive into work only to find they get into an accident.

Mind stress levels in the office

It might not seem as crucial as the others, but the mental health of your team can start to take a hit thanks to the shorter days and darker skies this season. As such, you must do what you can to prevent burnout and relieve stress. This can include using the season to give bonuses or rewards for hard workers and paying more attention to symptoms of overworking so you know who to be easier on.

You can’t prevent every injury or illness, but you can make sure that your business is not directly responsible for it. Invest the time and money necessary to keep your workplace safe and to make employees aware of the risks they might face this winter.