Ice, cold hands and outdoor work
A winter toolbox talk on ice, grit, cold hands and working outside.
This is a DRAFT for a competent person to review before anyone uses it in a talk. It is not legal advice and it does not make a workplace compliant.
What happened
Paths, steps and yard edges ice over, often before anyone has walked them. Cold hands lose grip. People hurry between buildings and forget the ramp that was fine yesterday.
Why it matters
A fall on ice is a common winter injury, and it often happens in the first minutes of the day, before anyone has gritted. Cold also makes people skip gloves and then lose control of a load.
What we do differently
The first person in checks the pedestrian routes and grits them, or reports that grit has run out. Wear footwear with a grip, and gloves that still let you hold the work. Carry less when the ground is icy. If a route is not safe, close it and say so.
Discussion
- Who is actually responsible for gritting on the days we open early?
- Where did someone nearly go over last winter?
- Which gloves do people refuse to wear, and why?
SafeMonday helps a workplace keep a record of near-miss reports, toolbox talks and who attended. That record can support evidence of instruction and consultation. It does not, by itself, make a workplace compliant with the health and safety law that applies where you operate.