FORECASTERS are already predicting that temperatures this winter could drop below the seasonal averages. This, compounded by the extreme and somewhat unpredictable past winter, serves as a chilling reminder to all businesses of their responsibility to protect people from the risks of slips and falls in icy conditions. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around five million days are lost each year through workplace injuries, costing the UK economy billions of pounds. Slips, trips and falls account for over a third of employee injuries - making up more than half of all reported major/specified injuries and almost 29% over-seven-day injuries - and more than 50% of such accidents take place during the coldest months of the year. Worryingly, many businesses may be ill prepared to face these risks. Research by the British Institute for Facilities Management found that almost a quarter of its members said that their organisation doesn't actually have a winter maintenance plan in place - and of those that do, 26% fail to review it annually. But how prepared do businesses need to be when the bad weather hits?
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