Winter Hazard – Snow Accumulation
January 20, 2015 No CommentsI live in northern Wisconsin USA. During January we had allot of snow fall. Factories up here in the snow belt need to promptly remove snow from certain areas soon after a heavy snowfall. Below are a few photos showing they types of hazards accumulations of snow can cause.
Exit doors opening to the outside can be blocked by snow. If not removed promptly, the snow can turn to ice, making it nearly impossible to open the exit door!
Snow and ice on roofs can build up. On a warm day, it can slide off the roof and strike an employee who might be walking below. Periodically remove ice build up from the edges of roofs and overhangs, especially where they are adjacent to entrances or walkways.
What’s that little black knob sticking out from the above snow pile? It’s a fire hydrant. Keep all fire hydrants on your property free and clear of snow. If there is a fire at your company, the fire department will need immediate access to the hydrants. Also, put posts or barricades around the fire hydrant to protect them from vehicular traffic.
Where the main natural gas line enters your building there is usually a master gas shut off valve. Believe it or not, in the above photo, the gas shut off valve for this factory is located in the middle of the above photograph under about two feet of ice and snow. If a natural gas pipe line inside the plant were struck and broken by a fork truck, it would be critically important to be able to immediately locate this main gas shut off valve.
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