Cold Weather Risk Assessment
The Cold Weather Risk Assessment folder contains the forms that will enable businesses to carry out assessments and ongoing monitoring of severe winter weather hazards in the workplace. The forms range from the Cold Weather Risk Assessment Form through to the Cold Weather Risk Assessment Action Plan. The folder also includes a worked example of a Winter Weather Risk Assessment.
Each year the UK experiences a variety of winter weather related problems, frequently caused by snow, falling leaves, and icy conditions. Slips and trips are the single biggest cause of injury at work, and injuries increase significantly during the winter months. Along with the Blank Cold Weather Risk Assessment Form, is a detailed but non-exhaustive list of common slip and trip hazards. For each hazard, simple but effective actions are suggested that a business can take to help reduce the chances of anyone suffering slips or trips.
Under Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer has a duty of care both to employees and to any others who may be affected by business activities. This includes any professional/trade visitors, contractors carrying out maintenance or repair work, and the general public. Therefore, prior to periods of cold weather it is important to review potential weather related hazards, and complete a Winter Weather Risk Assessment and Cold Weather Risk Assessment Action Plan. Once these have been done, if extreme weather is forecast, the employer is in a position to implement appropriate action plans in order to keep working areas safe, thereby reducing the chances that staff and visitors will be exposed to cold weather related hazards.
These templates can help to provide evidence that steps have been taken to prevent a breach of legislation, and to prevent accidents resulting from negligence in relation to severe weather hazards.
- Cold Weather Risk Assessment Form (Blank)
- Cold Weather Risk Assessment Form (Example)
- Cold Weather Risk Assessment Action Plan
Cold Weather Risk Assessment is part of Health and Safety Documents. Just £35.00 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Health and Safety Documents for 1 year.