Running a business is more than a full-time job; you must wear many hats to succeed. There is stiff competition and slim margins, so you must work hard and smart while avoiding anything that can disrupt business or jeopardize your operation.
Accidents can happen on your premises, resulting in injuries and potential litigation. While you try to mitigate the hazards regularly, cold weather brings ice and snow, making the walking surfaces slippery.
Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to keep your place safe and secure despite the weather conditions. This is how to prevent a slip and fall on ice at a business.
Prepare Before the Ice Comes
It is impossible to stop the cold weather and resulting ice, but you can prepare for it to lessen the chance of buildup.
Start by inspecting your building when it rains. You can perform This simple survey by walking around your building and common areas to spot any potential hazards.
Where the water flows, and forms puddles is where your ice will be in winter. This could be from a leaking eaves trough or downspout as well as cracks and leaks in the roof overhang on the building. Make repairs now to stop the accumulation of ice and redirect and downspouts near your entrance and front of the building so water can’t build up.
Having water redirected into a grassy area will be better for the landscaping and save you from icy paved areas in front of your business. You may also need to install a canopy or other covered structure in front of your building to add protection from the extreme weather.
Ice Melt Salt
Ice melt salt is a great method for removing ice as it shows up at your business. This is a chemical blend of salts, often including:
- Sodium chloride
- Calcium chloride
- Magnesium chloride
Ice melt salt packs a powerful punch to get rid of ice by rapidly melting it and remaining on the surface for a long-lasting solution. It is also a preemptive application before a storm or cold weather event occurs.
If snow is on the ground, shovel it off first to expose the ice hiding below. Sprinkle the ice-melt salt around the affected areas and reapply as needed. It works by lowering the freezing point of water so the ice melts, and as the salt dissolves, it separates and disrupts the water molecule bonds. You can then shovel or use a floor squeegee to disperse the slushy melted ice from your traffic areas.
This is how to prevent a slip and fall on ice at a business. For best results, implement all these methods for a comprehensive attack on those solidified, crystalline water droplets that can cause much damage.
Prevent Drifting Snow
When the winter weather hits, snow can blow towards your business location and accumulate in front of your entrance. Snow is slippery but can get packed down from walking on it or melt during the day, only to turn to ice when the temperature drops.
You can prevent the buildup of snow with strategic landscaping and design. This can be with hedging trees or a small berm with planted shrubs. Another method is installing a snow fence to keep away blowing snow and buildup around your walkways and front entrance. Consider the elevation changes around your building and the general direction of the wind before building your barriers.
You should also choose an area around your business to properly store snow that you have plowed. Have this far away from the parking area and entrances, and be at a lower elevation so any melting snow during the day doesn’t refreeze in your pedestrian areas.
Close Off Hazardous Areas
During the warmer months, you may have a large area around your building where people can gather or walk through. Once the cold weather arrives, consider barricading some of the more hazardous zones to prevent slip-and-fall accidents.
This includes:
- Overflow parking
- Outdoor patios
- Extra stairways and entrances
You still need to maintain good access to your business and emergency exits. Still, if there is unused outdoor space you can do without during icy conditions, close it off temporarily so you don’t have to maintain it.
Invest in snow-melting mats
This is a way of rapidly melting ice around your walkways and entrances to ensure you don’t have a slippery hazard that your customers and clients could face.
Snow melting mats are portable and easy to use. You can place them in trouble spots and move them around to heat the ground surface and melt away ice. There are different types and sizes, so you should be able to deal with ice as it accumulates.
