Rank: Forum user 
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Good morning
As of most of the country this morning, we have woken up to a white blanket of snow everywhere. We are now working to clear the snow from our external walkways to avoid any accidents and potential claims from our employees.
I have heard that if we clear the snow, but someone still has an accident we are more liable for this than we would be if we had just left the snow alone....
Fact or myth???
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Rank: Moderator 
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It might get a better airing in the correct forum.
Fasten your seatbelts for take off.
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Rank: Guest
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Might be correct, but there again it might not.
Hope that is a help.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I'm fairly sure that not interveaning doesn't hold up anymore.
And there isn't a snowflake in sight where I am! :-(
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Rank: Guest
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Not a snow flake to be seen in Liverpool either.
Jack, bet your overwhelmed with the advice you are getting!
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Rank: Forum user
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If I remember correctly this was up for discussion last year and the general consensus of opinion was you were better doing something than nothing at all.
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Rank: Forum user
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I sure am Sean, you guys have certainly put my mind at rest
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Rank: Guest
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Jack
Thats what we are here for, anytime.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Myth myth & myth. Workplace regs, HASAWA, access from and egress to a place of work, pedestrian walkways in good condition and so on. It's not about liaility, it's about stautory duty of care. Do what's reasonably practicable to keep external walkways clear and you have discharged your duty.
Bit of snow here; and one of our Care Centres dahn sarf has three-quarters of a mile of drive, and (today at least) a very great deal of snow. Fortunately they have a snow plough :-). Can't shut up shop, people need care, life must go on,
John
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Rank: Forum user
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Latimer v AEC Ltd : Practicability of precautions
Mr Latimer slipped on oily floor after freak flooding of the factory.
A defendant does not have to totally eliminate the risk but must do as much as the reasonable person would do in the circumstances.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I Wouldn't class snowfall as a freak event. It's been doing it for a very, very, very long time!
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Rank: Guest
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Jack
Be careful, i have noticed some H&S advice has been posted on this thread, be wary.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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No snow falling up in Fife, still some left from yesterday though. Makes a change the south getting hit (no doubt everything has ground to a complete halt as the first flake landed). I agree with previous statement, you are better taking action and trying to make the walkway safer - use signs to warn of the hazard too. So long as you are not using hot water to melt the snow I can't see how it can make things worse by using salt etc to clear a footway. That's my common sense theory anyway.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Sorry, but nothing would make laugh more in a snow covered landscape than seeing a sign that said;
WARNING!
SNOW!
:-)
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Rank: Forum user
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No snow in the part of Cornwall where I live either.
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Rank: Guest
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Adrian, you come from Cornwall, that explains a lot!!
Jack, you also have a full weather report from the uk and Ireland, told you this is the place for advice!
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Rank: Forum user
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Right, it's off to the plank for ol' captin ticklefoot Sean - har har
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Rank: Guest
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Adrian, Thats the least i deserve, i have walked many a plank, in fact i think i am a plank today!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Safety Smurf wrote:Sorry, but nothing would make laugh more in a snow covered landscape than seeing a sign that said;
WARNING!
SNOW!
:-) I was thinking more along the lines of wet floor signs when entering buildings etc :-)
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Rank: Forum user
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Well I couldnt find anywhere to buy some 'Snow' signs, so having to make my own.
I was thinking on 'Warning Snow is slippy'
Any other suggestions?
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Rank: Guest
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How about White Lettering on a White Background?
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Rank: Forum user
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No snow falling today in fife yet I still had an accident report today through somebody slipping on ice even though walkways had been gritted due to re-freezing. It was -6 deg at 9am.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Whereabouts are you based? Was only -1C on my way into Kirkcaldy this morning at 8am.
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Rank: Super forum user
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'Snow Falling - Compulsory Hard-Hat zone'? And there's always Zappa's words of wisdom.....
John
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Rank: Forum user
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Out near Cupar. Colder further inland I think.
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Rank: Forum user 
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So where do i stand?
I gritted the junction at the bottom of the street. There is a school further up the street so it is a busy junction at 9am.
There has been a number of near-misses in the past as cars slide down the hill and out of the junction onto a main road, thus i thought i was doing the right thing by using the grit bin contents to clear the snow and ice.
Because i have done this i am now liable for any incident that occurs there??
What a farce. To discharge my responsibility i am suppose to inform the highways agency of what i have done. Why? i have possibly prevented an accident occuring and there were quite a lot of people stopping in their cars to thank me for de-icing the road, even the childrens teachers sent thanks via the kids.
There (in my opinion) needs to be a change that allows good deeds like this to be carried out without the possibility of the person being liable.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Safety Smurf wrote:Sorry, but nothing would make laugh more in a snow covered landscape than seeing a sign that said;
WARNING!
SNOW!
:-) I was in Plymouth on Saturday night, a well known chain of pubs had a sign up saying WARNING - Slope may be slippery due to SNOW! - ice maybe, but not a flake in sight :) I think this old argument is much like the first aid argument - I might be liable if I try and help - Stop for one second and think how you would feel if due to possible risk of being sued you didn't help grit and then watched a child die! I'll take my day in court anyday :)
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Rank: Forum user
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Now if only somebody had put a warning sign by the stairs down to my flat in icy cold Galashiels on Friday I might not have slipped on ice and landed on bottom step - to make matters worse I then stood up still gripping the wee wine bag with a gifted bottle in it glanced in and thought oh good bottle still intact. Carried on towards flat door and noticed trail of redc wine behind me.
That was nothing compared to stick at work this morning when admitting slip as then told 'You're the H&S bod - you don't have accidents' At least they now know I'm human
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