Are you ready for Winter? Don’t leave it too late.
Summer is fading fast and across the UK, millions of families are preparing for the big return to school in September. Uniform, shoes, sports kits, stationary and books all need to be organised so students can get the best out of their education. A teacher once told me that failure to prepare means preparing to fail, yet this is exactly what happens every year, when parts of the UK become completely paralysed by snow and ice. It’s not as if it is unexpected. We don’t know exactly when winter weather will strike, but every year it is inevitable. The cost of waiting until it’s too late can be substantial.
Winter costs UK £1 billion annually
It is estimated that severe weather disruption costs the UK around £1 billion every year. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures increase the risk of accidents and reduce accessibility to workplaces. This means costly downtime for businesses. Don’t wait until winter is around the corner, early preparation is essential to avoid winter woes.
Lost Productivity
Millions of workdays are lost every year when workers are unable to travel to work due to snow and ice blocking roads. There is also the issue of increased liability as workplaces become unsafe. Slips and falls rise dramatically during icy periods, with claims costing thousands per incident. Businesses that fail to act promptly risk insurance spikes and legal costs. Severe weather also disrupts logistics and deliveries resulting in supply chain problems. Stock shortages and delayed operations become all too common without proper planning.
The Magic of Salt
The UK produces most of its own rock salt, in mines such as Winford in Cheshire or Boulby in Cleveland. National Highways advise that salt should be spread ‘before the road surface drops below zero degrees to minimise the risk of frost or ice forming. Our roads are also treated prior to any expected snowfall. Salt will not stop snow from settling on the road surface; however it does act as a debonding layer, making it easier to plough snow off roads.’
Gritting surfaces is the most effective method to prevent accidents on icy paths and roads. Spreading either dry or pre-wetted rock salt (sodium chloride) on roads melts the dangerous ice, by lowering its freezing point. By lowering the freezing point of moisture, salt prevents ice from forming on road surfaces, especially when applied before temperatures drop. Amazing and simple. Now weather data is at our fingertips on every smartphone, there is no excuse not to get the gritters out at the optimum time so the magic of salt can do its vital work.
Lincoln Cleaning Technology – your winter maintenance partners
Here at Lincoln Cleaning Technology in Wakefield, we can not only supply the best-in-class equipment for winter maintenance we can also offer full national coverage: service, call-outs, spare parts and more. We can promise tailored solutions to your specific needs and you can see our winter maintenance range in action, in our free demonstrations. Is the 800 tug towed salt spreader perfect for your needs? With a hopper capacity of 1000kg of salt it can certainly spread a little magic this winter. We also offer the 1200 model; a speedy tractor-towed salt spreader, perfect for winter contractors and local authorities. It’s available in different sizes too.
Contact our friendly team to find out more.
