IOSH sets the record straight

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is urging businesses and communities to do the right thing by clearing snow and ice from public areas following reports in the papers which claimed it was warning businesses not to grit public paths.

The Sunday Telegraph stated that, “in guidance to its members”, IOSH said: “When clearing snow and ice, it is probably worth stopping at the boundaries of the property under your control” and that clearing a public path “can lead to an action for damages against the company.”

IOSH says this is not its position on gritting public areas. Neither had it issued this as guidance. The words were taken from a Croner contribution to SHP magazine, in February of last year.

IOSH suggests:“Deciding whether to grit beyond the boundaries of their property needs to be carefully considered by companies. If access to the premises is covered in ice, companies may choose to grit the access to help their staff and visitors arrive and leave safely, even though it's not their property. However, in this instance, if they failed to grit the surface properly and someone had an accident as a result, then they could incur some liability.

“As a general rule, though, it's sensible for firms to consider the risks and take reasonable steps to prevent accidents from happening. If this means gritting outside the boundaries of your workplace, then it's better to do that than to have people slipping over or involved in car crashes on your doorstep.”