As winter approaches, facilities managers across the UK face increasing pressure to maintain safe, operational sites despite challenging conditions. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures pose serious risks – not just to operations and infrastructure, but also to legal liability and employee safety. Understanding these winter risks and how to mitigate them is essential to protecting your organisation during the colder months.
The True Cost of Winter Hazards
Each year, winter weather is responsible for an estimated £1 billion in losses for UK businesses. These costs are driven by a combination of factors:
- Lost productivity: Over 21 million workdays are lost annually due to inaccessible workplaces and travel delays.
- Legal liability: Slips and falls on untreated surfaces are one of the most common causes of personal injury claims in winter, each potentially costing thousands in legal fees and compensation.
- Operational disruptions: From delayed deliveries to customer complaints and closed sites, the consequences of failing to act can ripple throughout your organisation.
For facilities managers, these winter risks translate into increased pressure to plan ahead, document actions, and respond quickly when conditions deteriorate.
Understanding Liability: Who Is Responsible?
As a facilities manager, you’re responsible for ensuring outdoor areas such as car parks, footpaths and site entrances remain safe and accessible. Failing to implement reasonable preventative measures, such as gritting or snow clearance, can lead to claims of negligence.
Even with the best intentions, without the proper systems in place to track actions and conditions, proving compliance can be difficult. That’s why a proactive, evidence-based winter maintenance strategy is critical not just for safety, but for protecting your organisation from legal exposure.
Risk Reduction Awareness: Taking Proactive Control
Reducing winter risk starts with awareness. Here are the core components of a robust winter risk reduction plan:
1. Conduct Site-Specific Risk Assessments
Every site is different. Carry out a pre-season survey to identify high-risk areas, such as sloped car parks or shaded paths that may freeze faster. Work with a trusted provider like OUTCO to establish tailored service requirements based on your site’s usage and risk profile.
2. Establish Trigger Temperatures and Action Plans
Agree in advance on the road surface temperature at which action is required. OUTCO uses location-specific forecast data to automatically activate services when these agreed conditions are met, ensuring timely intervention and consistency across all sites.
3. Keep Records for Full Liability Protection
Documentation matters. OUTCO’s technology platform provides a full audit trail of every service, including GPS-stamped photos and breadcrumb tracking, giving facilities managers the evidence needed to demonstrate duty of care and regulatory compliance.
4. Communicate with Stakeholders
Ensure your team, tenants and visitors are aware of winter protocols and communicate clearly when areas may still be hazardous. The OUTCO Client Portal enables real-time updates and supports clear internal reporting.
5. Maintain Your On-Site Winter Resources
Stock grit bins, prepare snow-clearing equipment, and ensure that all access routes are ready to be treated. OUTCO supplies a full range of winter equipment and eco-friendly de-icing products for sustainable and efficient site management.
A Partner You Can Trust
With over 20 years of experience and a 99.8% customer satisfaction rate, OUTCO is the UK’s trusted name in winter maintenance. Our fully-managed services are built on precision, reliability, and compliance. Whether you manage one site or a national portfolio, we tailor services to your needs giving you peace of mind and helping you stay ahead of risk.
