WEATHER PLANNING
Taking no chances with winter readiness Whether it’s proactive maintenance of drains and grounds, or readying your plan for snow and ice clearance, Brendan Aherne, Winter Services Director at OUTCO explains that now is the time to prepare for winter
E
states management is ultimately all about risk. Wear and tear on assets risks reducing their value. Leaving small problems unresolved risks greater costs down the line that may have a material impact on an organisation’s bottom line. Beyond the risks to the fabric of buildings or car parks, there is of course the human dimension: Hazardous conditions such as
30 | Autumn 2021 | CAMPUS
slippery surfaces or broken paving onsite risk injury to site users, which in these litigious times carries the heavy risk of legal action, liability claims and even imprisonment for breaches of the Health & Safety at Work Act, which fall under criminal rather than civil law. Perhaps more than any other time in the year, winter is when these multiple overlapping risk factors coincide: On the one hand,
extreme weather conditions such as storms, flooding, snowy or icy conditions present direct hazards, while on the other, limited daylight hours or access to sites caused by weather conditions conspire to make it more challenging to resolve issues. As a result, it’s vital to take a comprehensive and early approach to assess and plan for the winter months that encompasses areas such as grounds maintenance, drainage,
