Working in the cleaning sector can be dangerous, especially in bad weather conditions. Whether you’re an employee or owner of the business, it’s important that you have the right cleaning business insurance policy in place in case of an emergency accident. So, how can you stay safe when cleaning in poor weather? Let’s take a closer look, below.
Trip Risks
During wintry conditions and bad weather, trips and slips and more likely to happen. There can be several reasons for this, including:
- Wet leaves on driveways and paths can cause slip hazards.
- Constant rainfall can make surfaces slippery and create pools of water.
- A build up of snow and ice on pathways can make the surfaces dangerous to walk on and cause problems for cleaners carrying equipment to and from properties.
- In the winter, the limited light can make it difficult for cleaners to see what they’re doing and increase risks.
It’s imperative that business organisations consider the health and safety of their employees to ensure that slip and trip hazards are reduced and eliminated. For smaller business organisations, this can be more difficult, so employees must take extra care when they access and exit properties. Additionally, employees can wear non-slip footwear and take more time carrying equipment and walking to and from properties.
Driving To Work
Another risk that cleaners can face on a frequent basis is when they drive to jobs. During poor weather, road surfaces can become slippery and dangerous, so it’s important that your business has fleet or vehicle insurance to protect your company should an accident happen on the road. What’s more, employees should be advised to drive slow and safely.
Bitter Weather
During the colder months, the wind can be very bitter and if employees aren’t wearing enough layers it can cause them to become unwell. Therefore, it’s important that you provide your employees with a variety of uniform options for all weather conditions, including snow, rain and hot days. This uniform is not only ideal for ensuring that your employees are warm enough, but also to show your business in a good light too.
Slip Hazards
In the winter, try to avoid using excess water to reduce the build up of ice, which will increase dangerous hazards. The use of ladders to clean windows in the winter can result in employees slipping over and breaking a limb. To keep your employees safe, if the weather has made conditions too dangerous, reschedule to clean your clients’ windows on another day when it’s safer to clean. If there are windy conditions, you shouldn’t clean windows, as not only is being on the ladder dangerous in strong winds, but the water and cleaning products will blow everywhere.
As you can see, bad weather can be really hazardous and cause damage to both properties and employees. Therefore, it’s important that precautions are taken, and every cleaning job is assessed in poor conditions to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. If the job cannot be carried out safely, then you should rearrange it for another day to keep everyone as safe as possible.