Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: waynebarry on January 20, 2013, 09:11:36 am

Title: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: waynebarry on January 20, 2013, 09:11:36 am
for those of you that have staff, with the extreme cold weather forcast for the following week how are you going to use your staff?
As we have a forcast of minus conditions tommorrow and most evenngs next week I was thinking of sending them out leafeing but with the snow down and turning to ice I am worried about the Health & Saftey implications!
So do you have any ideas on how you will use your team next week?
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: colin purewater on January 20, 2013, 09:18:22 am
Buy them some spikes to go on there boots
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: brianbarber on January 20, 2013, 09:41:15 am
If you have wages to pay, crack on


Mr B
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on January 20, 2013, 11:42:56 am
i was just wondering are there laws about making people work outside for lengths of time at extreme low temperatures?
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Smudger on January 20, 2013, 11:52:01 am
do you know any postmen?

if they are out delivering then you could be ok - but they may have a contract of employment and PO most likely
supply coats, clothing and boots suitable for this weather.

look at schools who close because it's too dangerous in the playground or even to get to school.

do you think delivering leaflets in ice is safe ? is it part of thier normal work or are you leafleting because
it's to 'dangerous' to clean windows ? are you paying wages if some1 falls breaks an ankle and needs 10 weeks
off work ?

it's a tricky area

Darran
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on January 20, 2013, 11:56:08 am
do you know any postmen?

if they are out delivering then you could be ok - but they may have a contract of employment and PO most likely
supply coats, clothing and boots suitable for this weather.

look at schools who close because it's too dangerous in the playground or even to get to school.

do you think delivering leaflets in ice is safe ? is it part of thier normal work or are you leafleting because
it's to 'dangerous' to clean windows ? are you paying wages if some1 falls breaks an ankle and needs 10 weeks
off work ?

it's a tricky area

Darran

yes my thoughts too, i dont employ was just wondering about not only the health & safety but the extreme cold as its not nice to work in & it could be argued that cold is pain?
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: SPE on January 20, 2013, 11:57:37 am
Buy them some spikes to go on there boots
or if you want to be really cheap go to poundland and buy knitted leg warmers, stretch them over soles of boots, work just as well  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: PoleKing on January 20, 2013, 01:21:22 pm
The health and safety brigade in our country are slowly ruining everything!
Common sense should prevail.
A bit of snow and the whole country wants to grind to a halt.
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Crystal-clear on January 21, 2013, 02:15:55 pm
This is a good topic , would like to hear input for others who employ too , some places it's been bad 2 weeks
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Carl@Cwc on January 21, 2013, 03:07:42 pm
i employ.
is it safe to work in? i think not ,
so the vans will stay where they are till it alters.

i would think that you were mad if i had a windie and he turned up in this weather.
also gives the custies a really good opportunity to cancel . " can you come back when the weathers better in march".  january is the worst month for this. (credit bills ,xmas etc etc)

if i were on my own i still would not go and work in these conditions.
not really safe for driving in neither. u can be the worlds best driver but you cannot discount the poor quality or luck of others on the road.
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Neil Jones on January 21, 2013, 03:37:44 pm
All I know is that when I was in college and used to work at Tesco on the trolleys, there was a certain temperature that if it fell below meant we had to go inside for 15 mins every hour and warm up with a drink. Worth checking out.
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Ian101 on January 21, 2013, 05:06:34 pm

So do you have any ideas on how you will use your team next week?

set fire to them to keep myself warm  ;D
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: TomCrowther on January 21, 2013, 08:22:44 pm
I worked at Tesco on the trolleys too but it was 1980 and Health and Safety was almost non existent. Spent hours on the roof pushing the things around in all weathers. On Saturday's we would all go on "the area", which was going around the local area collecting the trolleys others customers had taken off site, however we all went to the pub/wimpey for an hour or too. never did get caught.
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Crystal-clear on January 23, 2013, 07:18:28 pm
so what do you do if u have people on paye do you just tell them to take holiday or do you pay them for doing nothing and still take holiday i guess it wint fair to force them holidays cos it suites you?
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: waynebarry on January 23, 2013, 08:23:48 pm
On the rare occasion (twice in three years snow) I give my staff the option of 1. taking the day off still getting paid and owing the hours. 2. Taking it as holiday. 3. Talking the day off and Being paid SGP. These days staff ain't stupid they know businesses are struggling and there is a lot of unemployment if you can give them full time work 99.9% of the time with good rates of pay they don't mind helping you out when things are against you like the weather!
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: pdale on January 23, 2013, 08:40:44 pm
Quote
i was just wondering are there laws about making people work outside for lengths of time at extreme low temperatures?

Bradford v Robinson Rentals (1967) ... a famous case that no win no fee solicitors love ... A radio engineer was sent out in sever cold winter weather in a lorry that had no heater and a cracked window. He suffered frostbite and successfully sued the company for negligence due them not providing adequate equipment for the degree of risk, as it was foreseeable the employee may suffer harm in the severe cold.

Moral of the story ... if you're going to send your employees out delivering leaflets make sure they're wearing thermals and gloves :)
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Pro-Poler on January 24, 2013, 05:37:20 pm
for those of you that have staff, with the extreme cold weather forcast for the following week how are you going to use your staff?
As we have a forcast of minus conditions tommorrow and most evenngs next week I was thinking of sending them out leafeing but with the snow down and turning to ice I am worried about the Health & Saftey implications!
So do you have any ideas on how you will use your team next week?
See if you can make paper aeroplanes out of the leaflets and fly them to the doors should be ok if you turn auto pilot on
Title: Re: staff and the extreme cold?
Post by: Darran Smith on January 24, 2013, 05:48:12 pm
Just tell them to Bat on.................