NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
THE WINTER WEATHER WATCH
There is never a better time to ‘love thy neighbour’ than when the snow sets in, check on the elderly and see if they need anything, and from an FM point of view, work together to keep each other safe on-site. Snow clearance and gritting specialists GRITIT have embraced this mantra, hoping to increase safety in schools.
Whenever we can’t get to work or school, or our hospitals and airports need to shut because of heavy snow and ice, this is usually followed by the complaint of: “Why can’t we be more like the United States or Canada?” Indeed, where people have been living with the cold for a very long time, winter preparedness becomes part of the national psyche.
As the UK experiences less predictable weather extremes, only in 2010, following the chaos of the previous extreme winter, did the UK government publish the fi rst offi cial ‘Snow Code’. Ministers wanted “to encourage a more common sense approach to clearing snow and reassure people they are unlikely to be sued if someone slips”.
Yet, in a growing claim culture where a West Midlands pupil recently won £35,000 after slipping on ice in a playground, it is clear that accidents caused by snow and ice on walkways, car parks, and common areas can be extremely serious. And, for facilities managers, there is a duty of care to protect staff, visitors and customers.
For winter risk management, snow clearance and gritting experts GRITIT, winter maintenance should be an education process, and not just about shoveling salt on pathways, especially where there are vulnerable groups. Through a partnership with Housing & Care 21, they are piloting a proactive gritting and snow clearance service with 40 schemes to enhance the safety of the residents, staff and visitors and to help mitigate the hazards posed to older people by ice and snow.
12 | TOMORROW’S FM
With a strong commitment to supporting the communities they serve, over the last four winter seasons, schools around the UK have helped to keep students and staff safe through GRITIT’s Safe Steps campaign, with one of the company’s 150 free grit bins. Selected schools also receive a visit from polar explorer Mark Wood, GRITIT’s Education Ambassador. This winter pupils at schools, from Stockton-on-Tees to Torquay, heard about staying safe in snow and ice, and how climate change affects the species that rely on cold weather. “I hope to reach out to a wider audience, encouraging all ages to take personal responsibility for the environment,” commented Wood.
PUPILS AT SCHOOLS, FROM STOCKTON- ON-TEES TO
TORQUAY HEARD
ABOUT STAYING SAFE IN SNOW AND ICE.
Especially from an environmental point of view, it is important too for FMs to understand where their salt and grit comes from, and we are calling for greater understanding of the substances used to prevent slips and skids.
Nikki Singh-Barmi, Managing Director for GRITIT, explained: “We talk about gritting, but it is salt that we typically use in the UK. Salt is effective for
surface temperatures of up to -8 to -9 degrees, lowering the freezing point of moisture on the ground surface to stop ice forming, and causing existing ice or snow to melt.
“Ideally salt should be spread prior to ice formation or it will need to work harder on an already frozen surface, leaving a degree of risk present whilst the salt is taking effect. When salt is on the ground it gradually dilutes and becomes less effective, and so, for optimum performance, the timing, frequency and quantity of salt used should be based on expertise and triggered by accurate meteorological data. It’s a case of knowing how and where to use it.”
The brown salt used to melt ice and add traction on UK roads largely comes from mines in Cheshire and County Antrim. The extraction process leaves insoluble impurities in this salt and, said Singh-Barmi: “when it is used in commercial settings, it washes into drainage and causes blockages. Also, when it is carried into buildings, it takes considerable time and effort to restore soiled and damaged carpets. If white marine salt is used, it can leave some residue but most of the stains will wash easily away with water.”
FMs should also understand where their salt and grit comes from: brown salt is a mined fi nite resource, whereas marine salt is a renewable resource which, when used correctly by trained professionals, can add value to an organisation’s sustainability policy.
www.gritit.com
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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