Post by Madhatter on Nov 23, 2010 16:54:50 GMT
With snow forecast for the next few days I thought I'd pass on the following advice.
Warwickshire County Council's County Highways Team grits 1,700km, or 46 per cent of the county's road network.
During a cold snap, it has 29 vehicles out gritting the roads and keeps drivers on round-the-clock standby from the end of October until the end of March.
The county council advises members of the public that there is no law stopping people from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside their property, pathways to your property or public space.
If an accident occurs, it is highly unlikely that an individual would be sued as long as you take care and use common sense to make sure that you do not make the pavement or pathway clearly more dangerous than before. People using areas affected by snow and ice also have responsibility to be careful themselves.
Tips and advice on clearing snow and ice:
1. Start early - it's much easier to clear fresh, loose snow compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people walking on it;
2. Don't use hot water - this will melt the snow, but may replace it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury;
3. Be a good neighbour - Some people may be unable to clear snow and ice on paths from their property;
4. If shovelling snow, think where you are going to put it so that it doesn't block people's paths or drainage channels;
5. Make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on;
6. Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming - table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it;
7. Pay particular care and attention to steps and steep gradients;
8. Use the sun to your advantage - removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath; however you will need to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight;
9. If there's no salt available, sand or ash are good alternatives.
My advice is wrap up well, and wear sensible footwear with good grip, but be aware even then you can still slip on ice.
Warwickshire County Council's County Highways Team grits 1,700km, or 46 per cent of the county's road network.
During a cold snap, it has 29 vehicles out gritting the roads and keeps drivers on round-the-clock standby from the end of October until the end of March.
The county council advises members of the public that there is no law stopping people from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside their property, pathways to your property or public space.
If an accident occurs, it is highly unlikely that an individual would be sued as long as you take care and use common sense to make sure that you do not make the pavement or pathway clearly more dangerous than before. People using areas affected by snow and ice also have responsibility to be careful themselves.
Tips and advice on clearing snow and ice:
1. Start early - it's much easier to clear fresh, loose snow compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people walking on it;
2. Don't use hot water - this will melt the snow, but may replace it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury;
3. Be a good neighbour - Some people may be unable to clear snow and ice on paths from their property;
4. If shovelling snow, think where you are going to put it so that it doesn't block people's paths or drainage channels;
5. Make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on;
6. Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming - table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it;
7. Pay particular care and attention to steps and steep gradients;
8. Use the sun to your advantage - removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath; however you will need to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight;
9. If there's no salt available, sand or ash are good alternatives.
My advice is wrap up well, and wear sensible footwear with good grip, but be aware even then you can still slip on ice.
