Last week I asked Why were our pavements not gritted? and it was suggested in the comments that there was a possibility of getting sued if you did this and someone fell over on the part you had ?cleared?. This viewpoint was also supported by news items in the Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday who reported that the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the leading body for health and safety professionals, had warned businesses not to grit public paths and that would leave them liable to prosecution.
It turns out this information is completely false and so IOSH have released a statement explaining their viewpoint. Of course if the job is done incorrectly then they could be liable but rather than instructing business not to grit they actually said:
?This is not the IOSH position on gritting public areas. Neither has IOSH issued this as guidance.?
“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.”
IOSH have now issued a second statement and is ?urging businesses and communities to do the right thing by clearing snow and ice from public areas.?
So if the bad weather continues then be aware that you can clear snow and ice but just make sure you do the job properly.
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