When temperatures fall, the risks for businesses rise. Slippery surfaces caused by ice and frost are among the biggest hazards during winter, contributing to workplace injuries, customer accidents, and costly disruptions. For facilities managers and property owners, the challenge is about reducing risk strategically.
At OUTCO, we know that effective winter safety isn’t achieved with last-minute call-outs or generic services. Instead, it requires a proactive winter gritting strategy, tailored to the unique conditions of each site.
Why Proactive Winter Gritting Matters
Every year, UK businesses face:
- 21 million lost workdays due to snow and ice-related issues
- £1 billion in annual costs from disrupted operations
- A surge in liability claims from slips, trips, and falls. Each incident potentially costing thousands
Reactive responses – waiting until surfaces are already icy – expose organisations to unnecessary risk. By then, staff and visitors may already be in danger, and the financial and reputational costs can be significant. Proactive winter gritting, on the other hand, helps prevent hazards before they develop, keeping people safe and operations running smoothly.
The Strategic Approach
1. Site-Specific Planning
Not all sites face the same risks. A logistics hub with heavy HGV traffic requires a different approach to a retail park with high pedestrian footfall. OUTCO begins each season with a site survey, assessing exposure, surface types, and traffic flows to ensure gritting schedules are precisely aligned with the site’s requirements.
2. Data-Driven Forecasting
Accurate timing is everything. OUTCO uses advanced, location-specific forecast modelling to identify when surface temperatures will hit critical thresholds. This ensures winter gritting is activated at the optimal moment, avoiding both premature and late treatments.
3. Proven Products for Safety and Sustainability
The choice of de-icing material makes a difference. OUTCO uses white marine salt, which is both highly effective and environmentally sustainable. It prevents ice build-up while reducing staining and damage to surfaces and vehicles.
4. Full Transparency and Accountability
Through our service portal, clients receive GPS-stamped reports, photographs, and breadcrumb tracking for every visit. This not only provides peace of mind but also creates a clear audit trail for health and safety compliance.
The Benefits of Proactive Winter Gritting
- Reduced accidents and liability: Fewer slips and falls mean lower insurance claims and legal risks
- Operational continuity: Employees, visitors, and deliveries can access sites safely and on time
- Cost control: Proactive, targeted gritting prevents costly disruptions and avoids the expense of emergency call-outs
- Reputation protection: Safe, well-maintained premises reflect positively on your organisation
Turning Risk into Resilience
For many property and facilities managers, winter is a season of worry. But with a proactive, strategic approach to gritting, it doesn’t have to be. By planning ahead, aligning services to site-specific needs, and using precise forecasting, organisations can transform winter from a threat into a manageable season.
At OUTCO, we help clients take control with fully managed winter services that combine over 20 years of expertise, award-winning technology, and a 99.8% service success rate. Our focus is simple: keeping people safe, protecting assets, and reducing risk through smart, proactive gritting.
Winter risk is unavoidable but unmanaged risk is not. By investing in a strategic winter gritting plan, businesses safeguard not only their people and properties but also their reputation and bottom line.
