Question 1

Clearing Snow

Accepted Answer

Clearing Snow Q: 1. We have several pathways and outdoor stairs in the communal gardens. We employ no staff. We do not grit pathways and stairs in the winter. If someone slipped could we the Directors be liable for any injury? If so we employ no staff. Should we have a grit bin or two? We have five blocks, 22 flats in total. 2. Should we paint the edges of stairs to make them more visible? We have no lights on the estate but the estate is lit with street lighting apart from two garage courtyards. FPRA Committee Member Mary-Anne Bowring replies: 1. YES AND NO Here is an advice note - that Ringley Property Managers use internally Clearing snow and ice from pavements yourself There's no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your home or from public spaces. It's unlikely you'll be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if you have cleared it carefully. Follow the snow code when clearing snow and ice safely. The snow code - tips on clearing snow and ice from pavements or public spaces Prevent slips Pay extra attention to clear snow and ice from steps and steep pathways - you might need to use more salt on these areas. If you clear snow and ice yourself, be careful - don’t make the pathways more dangerous by causing them to refreeze. But don’t be put off clearing paths because you’re afraid someone will get injured. Remember, people walking on snow and ice have responsibility to be careful themselves. Follow the advice below to make sure you clear the pathway safely and effectively. Clear the snow or ice early in the day It’s easier to move fresh, loose snow rather than hard snow that has packed together from people walking on it. So if possible, start removing the snow and ice in the morning. If you remove the top layer of snow in the morning, any sunshine during the day will help melt any ice beneath. You can then cover the path with salt before nightfall to stop it refreezing overnight. Use salt or sand - not water If you use water to melt the snow, it may refreeze and turn to black ice. Black ice increases the risk of injuries as it is invisible and very slippery. You can prevent black ice by spreading some salt on the area you have cleared. You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt - a tablespoon for each square metre you clear should work. Don’t use the salt found in salting bins - this will be needed to keep the roads clear. Be careful not to spread salt on plants or grass as it may cause them damage. If you don’t have enough salt, you can also use sand or ash. These won’t stop the path icing over as well as salt, but will provide good grip under foot. Take care where you move the snow When you’re shovelling snow, take care where you put it so it doesn’t block people’s paths or drains. Make sure you make a path down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on. Then shovel the snow from the centre of the path to the sides. Offer to clear your neighbours’ paths If your neighbour will have difficulty getting in and out of their home, offer to clear snow and ice around their property as well. Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are alright in the cold weather. If you’re worried about them, contact your local council. • Find your local council (contacts section) Road gritting and snow clearance by your council Your local council will add grit to roads and pavements in your area and clear snow in winter. For information about where and when your council is gritting local roads, check its website. More useful tips Health and Safety Minister Lord Freud has since emphasized the need for a common sense approach to clearing snow from footpaths and pavements; there are no health and safety regulations that prevent people from clearing snow at their home, their business or at their neighbours’ homes. Lord Freud said: “People need to be aware that they will not be reprimanded for doing a good deed by clearing ice and snow. The truth is very simple: you can clear ice and snow from footpaths and pavements but always be careful that you don’t put yourself in danger. Countless lives have been saved and injuries prevented because of robust health and safety practices. But bogus excuses give real safety laws a bad name and stop people from taking action”. Chair of the Health and Safety Executive Judith Hackitt said: “Anyone can clear ice and snow from public spaces, so don’t be put off because you’re afraid someone will get injured. Remember, people walking on snow and ice have a responsibility to themselves to be careful. • Find out about road gritting from your local council • Find out about your council's snow clearing service

o Staying warm in winter (home and community section) o Safety in extreme weather (travel and transport section) o Cold Weather Payment (money, tax and benefits section) o Get local information on services disrupted by severe weather o UK severe weather warnings o The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) encourages a common sense approach. For more information on gritting and dealing with winter conditions generally, see: http://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/slips-trips-bad-weather.htm o Assess the development’s risks and put a simple system in place. o Develop, as a result of the health and safety risk assessment, procedures for snow/ice clearance and/or gritting, always recognising that this cannot deliver 100% protection and that in some localities, it may be difficult or impossible to make effective arrangements. Options are to arrange contractors, provide grit for residents to use, do nothing. o If you decide to grit or your client wants it, identify essential paved areas to be cleared (where clearance can be achieved) o Use best endeavours to protect staff, residents, contractors and other visitors from possible injury arising from attempts to clear snow/ice or to grit pathways. o Advise staff and residents of any local arrangements. o Obtain and maintain suitable safety warning notices. o Ensure that appropriate safety notices are clearly displayed on all normal exit routes (or those identified through the risk assessment) o Ensure that all safety notices are removed when conditions improve. o Employ contractors to clear snow/ice and spread grit or sand, provided this can be achieved in a cost effective manner and your client wants it. o Develop and maintain emergency contact listing for contractors on the approved list. o Ensure that adequate stocks of salt and grit are available and located within a suitable storage container. o Provide some grit bins – there is no reason why residents cannot help by spreading grit around the main door areas etc. - they should not be prevented from helping for fear of being sued. o Do everything that is reasonable-from using residents, cleaners, gardeners etc. to help when on site.

• Health and safety legislation is designed to protect people where there is a genuine danger that someone could be killed or seriously injured, not to stop people from getting on with their lives and certainly not to stop people from reducing the risk for themselves and others by clearing snow and ice.” For more information see https://www.gov.uk/clear-snow-road-path-cycleway 2. Should we paint the edges of stairs to make them more visible? We have no lights on the estate but the estate is lit with street lighting apart from 2 garage courtyards. this would be a good idea [Submitted January 2019]

Question 2

Clearing Snow

Accepted Answer

Clearing Snow Q: 1. We have several pathways and outdoor stairs in the communal gardens. We employ no staff. We do not grit pathways and stairs in the winter. If someone slipped could we the Directors be liable for any injury? If so we employ no staff. Should we have a grit bin or two? We have five blocks, 22 flats in total. 2. Should we paint the edges of stairs to make them more visible? We have no lights on the estate but the estate is lit with street lighting apart from two garage courtyards. FPRA Committee Member Mary-Anne Bowring replies: 1. YES AND NO Here is an advice note - that Ringley Property Managers use internally Clearing snow and ice from pavements yourself There's no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your home or from public spaces. It's unlikely you'll be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if you have cleared it carefully. Follow the snow code when clearing snow and ice safely. The snow code - tips on clearing snow and ice from pavements or public spaces Prevent slips Pay extra attention to clear snow and ice from steps and steep pathways - you might need to use more salt on these areas. If you clear snow and ice yourself, be careful - don’t make the pathways more dangerous by causing them to refreeze. But don’t be put off clearing paths because you’re afraid someone will get injured. Remember, people walking on snow and ice have responsibility to be careful themselves. Follow the advice below to make sure you clear the pathway safely and effectively. Clear the snow or ice early in the day It’s easier to move fresh, loose snow rather than hard snow that has packed together from people walking on it. So if possible, start removing the snow and ice in the morning. If you remove the top layer of snow in the morning, any sunshine during the day will help melt any ice beneath. You can then cover the path with salt before nightfall to stop it refreezing overnight. Use salt or sand - not water If you use water to melt the snow, it may refreeze and turn to black ice. Black ice increases the risk of injuries as it is invisible and very slippery. You can prevent black ice by spreading some salt on the area you have cleared. You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt - a tablespoon for each square metre you clear should work. Don’t use the salt found in salting bins - this will be needed to keep the roads clear. Be careful not to spread salt on plants or grass as it may cause them damage. If you don’t have enough salt, you can also use sand or ash. These won’t stop the path icing over as well as salt, but will provide good grip under foot. Take care where you move the snow When you’re shovelling snow, take care where you put it so it doesn’t block people’s paths or drains. Make sure you make a path down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on. Then shovel the snow from the centre of the path to the sides. Offer to clear your neighbours’ paths If your neighbour will have difficulty getting in and out of their home, offer to clear snow and ice around their property as well. Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are alright in the cold weather. If you’re worried about them, contact your local council. • Find your local council (contacts section) Road gritting and snow clearance by your council Your local council will add grit to roads and pavements in your area and clear snow in winter. For information about where and when your council is gritting local roads, check its website. More useful tips Health and Safety Minister Lord Freud has since emphasized the need for a common sense approach to clearing snow from footpaths and pavements; there are no health and safety regulations that prevent people from clearing snow at their home, their business or at their neighbours’ homes. Lord Freud said: “People need to be aware that they will not be reprimanded for doing a good deed by clearing ice and snow. The truth is very simple: you can clear ice and snow from footpaths and pavements but always be careful that you don’t put yourself in danger. Countless lives have been saved and injuries prevented because of robust health and safety practices. But bogus excuses give real safety laws a bad name and stop people from taking action”. Chair of the Health and Safety Executive Judith Hackitt said: “Anyone can clear ice and snow from public spaces, so don’t be put off because you’re afraid someone will get injured. Remember, people walking on snow and ice have a responsibility to themselves to be careful. • Find out about road gritting from your local council • Find out about your council's snow clearing service

o Staying warm in winter (home and community section) o Safety in extreme weather (travel and transport section) o Cold Weather Payment (money, tax and benefits section) o Get local information on services disrupted by severe weather o UK severe weather warnings o The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) encourages a common sense approach. For more information on gritting and dealing with winter conditions generally, see: http://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/slips-trips-bad-weather.htm o Assess the development’s risks and put a simple system in place. o Develop, as a result of the health and safety risk assessment, procedures for snow/ice clearance and/or gritting, always recognising that this cannot deliver 100% protection and that in some localities, it may be difficult or impossible to make effective arrangements. Options are to arrange contractors, provide grit for residents to use, do nothing. o If you decide to grit or your client wants it, identify essential paved areas to be cleared (where clearance can be achieved) o Use best endeavours to protect staff, residents, contractors and other visitors from possible injury arising from attempts to clear snow/ice or to grit pathways. o Advise staff and residents of any local arrangements. o Obtain and maintain suitable safety warning notices. o Ensure that appropriate safety notices are clearly displayed on all normal exit routes (or those identified through the risk assessment) o Ensure that all safety notices are removed when conditions improve. o Employ contractors to clear snow/ice and spread grit or sand, provided this can be achieved in a cost effective manner and your client wants it. o Develop and maintain emergency contact listing for contractors on the approved list. o Ensure that adequate stocks of salt and grit are available and located within a suitable storage container. o Provide some grit bins – there is no reason why residents cannot help by spreading grit around the main door areas etc. - they should not be prevented from helping for fear of being sued. o Do everything that is reasonable-from using residents, cleaners, gardeners etc. to help when on site.

• Health and safety legislation is designed to protect people where there is a genuine danger that someone could be killed or seriously injured, not to stop people from getting on with their lives and certainly not to stop people from reducing the risk for themselves and others by clearing snow and ice.” For more information see https://www.gov.uk/clear-snow-road-path-cycleway 2. Should we paint the edges of stairs to make them more visible? We have no lights on the estate but the estate is lit with street lighting apart from 2 garage courtyards. this would be a good idea [Submitted January 2019]

Clearing Snow

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