Quick summary
A winter site safety checklist is a simple list of the jobs a business, school or council site needs to do to stop people slipping, tripping or being hit by vehicles when it gets cold, wet, icy and dark. It covers gritting, entrances and steps, car parks and outside walkways, lighting and visibility, and what to do on the day snow or ice arrives.
Quick answer: Before the first frost, walk your site and mark the busy routes, entrances, slopes and shady spots that ice over first. Put a grit bin (from £198.46 ex VAT) or salt box (from £120 ex VAT) next to them and fill it. Name who checks the forecast and who grits. Grit in the early evening or early morning before people arrive, at roughly 10–15g of rock salt per m² to stop ice forming and 20–40g per m² once there is ice or snow. Add anti-slip tape to outdoor steps, put signs and barriers ready to close routes you can’t treat, and check the lighting. The law doesn’t say ‘grit your car park’, but it does expect you to manage the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
- ✓Slips, trips and falls on the same level caused 30% of non-fatal injuries to employees reported to HSE in 2024/25 (HSE).
- ✓HSE says grit when frost, ice or snow is forecast, or when walkways are damp and likely to freeze, ideally in the early evening or early morning.
- ✓Rock salt stops working well at around -8°C, and it can’t do much with compacted snow that has turned to ice.
- ✓Don’t take salt from council grit bins for your own site. It’s there for public roads and paths.
On this page
What the law expectsBefore the first frostGritting: when and how muchEntrances, steps & floorsCar parks & outside routesOn the day it freezesKit list & pricesBy type of siteCommon mistakesWhy buy from usFAQsWhat the law expects from you in winter
Plain English first: no UK law says ‘every business must grit its car park by 7am’. The law says you must take reasonable care, which means spotting the winter risks on your site and having a sensible plan for them.
Your staff: the Workplace Regulations
Regulation 12(3) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 says that, so far as is reasonably practicable, floors and traffic routes in a workplace must be kept free from any substance that may cause a person to slip, trip or fall. Ice and wet leaves are exactly that kind of substance. HSE’s guidance on slips and trips in bad weather tells employers to assess the risk and put a system in place to manage it, and says regularly used walkways should be tackled promptly, whatever the size of the site.
Customers and visitors: occupiers’ liability
For customers, pupils, contractors and other visitors, section 2 of the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 sets a ‘common duty of care’: to take such care as is reasonable to see that visitors will be reasonably safe using your premises for the reason they’re there. Scotland’s 1960 Act works the same way. Neither expects an ice-free site in a blizzard, just what a sensible occupier would do.
The public pavement outside
The pavement outside your front door is usually public highway, looked after by the council. GOV.UK’s guidance on clearing snow and ice says it’s unlikely you’ll be sued or held responsible if someone is hurt on a path or pavement you’ve cleared carefully. It also says not to use the salt from public salting bins, because that salt is there to keep roads clear.
The test isn’t ‘was there ice?’ It’s ‘did you know the risk was there, and did you do what was reasonable about it?’ A written plan, a filled grit bin and a gritting log go a long way.
Checklist 1: before the first frost
Do this in November. The first hard frost is the wrong time to find the grit bin empty.
Plan and people
- Walk the site and mark the routes people actually use, including shortcuts across grass and car parks (HSE specifically mentions shortcuts).
- Mark the trouble spots: building entrances, ramps, slopes, steps, and areas that stay shaded or wet all day.
- Name one person to check the forecast each afternoon, plus a back-up for days off and holidays.
- Name who grits, at what time, and which areas come first. Write it down.
- Start a simple gritting log: date, time, areas treated, who did it. It’s your evidence if someone later claims you did nothing.
Kit and stock
- Grit bins in place next to the trouble spots, lids shut and full. See our grit bin buying guide for sizes.
- Enough rock salt for a cold snap, stored dry, plus scoops or a spreader and shovels.
- Cones, signs and portable barriers ready to close off a route you can’t treat.
- Anti-slip tape or paint on outdoor steps, ramps and smooth metal surfaces.
- Entrance mats out and a plan for swapping them when they’re soaked.
Light, leaves and lines
- Check the lighting on walkways, steps and car parks after dark. HSE suggests asking staff or watching their routes for a few days; if hazards can’t be seen, improve the lighting.
- Set a regular leaf-clearing routine. Wet leaves hide hazards and are slippery in their own right.
- Repaint faded walkway and car park lines with line marking paint before the weather turns. Read more in our floor marking guide.
Checklist 2: gritting, when and how much
Most winter slips outdoors come down to gritting too late, in the wrong place, or not at all. HSE’s slips FAQ is clear on timing: grit when frost, ice or snow is forecast, or when walkways are likely to be damp or wet and freezing. The best times are early evening or early morning before staff arrive, because salt needs time to dissolve and work.
Check the forecast at 3pm
If it’s going to freeze overnight, grit before you lock up. Salt down before ice forms works far better than salt thrown on afterwards.
Treat the priority routes first
Entrances, the main walkway from the car park, ramps, steps and disabled bays. Then everything else.
Spread thinly and evenly
For prevention, councils spread about 10–15g of rock salt per m². A thin, even scatter, not a heap.
Go heavier on ice and snow
Once ice or snow is on the ground, councils use about 20–40g per m². Clear loose snow first, then salt what’s left.
Re-treat after rain
Heavy rain washes salt away. If rain is due to turn to snow or freeze, plan to grit again once the rain stops.
Log it
Note when and where you gritted. Two minutes of paperwork saves a lot of argument later.
How much rock salt do you need?
These are the spread rates UK councils publish. We’ve used three sources so you can see they agree: Bradford Council, Manchester City Council and Cumbria’s figures quoted by Glasdon.
| Situation | Typical rock salt rate | What that means for a 25kg bag |
|---|---|---|
| Precautionary (frost or ice forecast) | 10–15g per m² | Roughly 1,650–2,500m² per bag |
| Ice already formed / light snow | 20–40g per m² | Roughly 625–1,250m² per bag |
| Very cold (below about -8°C) | Salt struggles to work | Clear by hand, close the route or divert people |
The bag figures are simple maths from the council rates (25,000g divided by grams per m²), so treat them as a rough guide. Steps, slopes and shady corners need more. GOV.UK suggests paying extra attention to steps and steep paths and using more salt there.
What salt can’t do
- ✓It loses its effectiveness below about -8°C (Manchester City Council); Glasdon puts the limit at somewhere between -8°C and -10°C.
- ✓It struggles with compacted snow that has turned to ice (HSE). Clear snow early while it’s still loose.
- ✓It can’t stop ‘dawn frost’ on a dry surface you didn’t expect to freeze. HSE flags this as hard to predict, so check exposed spots first thing.
Checklist 3: entrances, steps and floors
Entrances are where outside weather becomes an inside slip. HSE suggests a canopy of the right size in the right place where you can, and large absorbent mats or non-slip flooring where you can’t. Our guides on the best entrance mats and choosing entrance matting cover the options.
Entrances
- Mats long enough to take several steps on, not just a doormat. Swap or dry them when they’re soaked.
- A ‘Floor slippery when wet’ floor sign (£19.37 ex VAT) by the door, and remove warning signs once the hazard has gone, or people stop noticing them.
- Someone checks and mops the first few metres inside the door during wet spells.
- Doors, ramps and handrails are clear of ice, and handrails are actually usable (not blocked by bins or stock).
Steps, ramps and metal surfaces
- Conformable anti-slip tape on outdoor steps and chequer-plate (from £30.69 ex VAT for 25mm x 18.3m). It moulds to textured metal and is tested to ASTM C1028 at 0.98 wet.
- Anti-slip tape panels for quick fixes on smooth treads (from £12.26 ex VAT for 10).
- Anti-slip floor paint for larger areas such as loading ramps (£125.23 ex VAT per 5 litres, about 20m², rated R10). Paint needs dry, mild weather, so do it now.
- Step edges marked with yellow or black and yellow so they’re visible in poor light. A ‘Watch your step’ floor sign helps indoors.
Checklist 4: car parks and outside routes
Winter car parks mix ice underfoot, short daylight and drivers who can’t see as well. Sort the visibility jobs while it’s dry.
Car parks
- Grit the walking routes from parking bays to the entrance first, then disabled and parent bays, then the driving lanes.
- Make bollards and kerb edges visible after dark. Bollards with reflective bands, such as the EB300 bollard with three white bands (£183.21 ex VAT root fixed), show up in headlights. See our full bollard range.
- Use keep left bollards or highway bollards and cones to steer traffic around a problem area. Our keep left bollard guide explains the lit options.
- Check arm barriers and gates open and close properly in the cold, and that pedestrians aren’t forced to squeeze past them on an icy kerb.
Outside walkways and yards
- Close routes you can’t keep safe and send people the long way round on a treated path. HSE lists diverting pedestrians as a valid control.
- Keep a portable expanding trellis barrier (from £101.14 ex VAT) or Chapter 8 works barrier (£65.57 ex VAT) ready to block a slope or step.
- In yards and warehouses, keep pedestrian and vehicle routes separate. Our warehouse impact protection guide covers the fixed options.
- Mark trip hazards and temporary changes with hazard warning tape (£12.09 ex VAT for 66m) or reflective hazard tape (£155.91 ex VAT for two 25m rolls) where it needs to be seen in headlights.
Checklist 5: on the day snow or ice arrives
Before anyone arrives
Check the priority routes first thing, including spots that catch dawn frost. Grit or re-grit and fill in the log.
Clear snow while it’s loose
Shovel the main route early, then salt what’s left. GOV.UK warns not to use water: it can refreeze as black ice.
Close what you can’t treat
Put up barriers, cones and signs. Point people to the treated route. Take them down once the hazard has gone.
Keep checking
Re-check after rain, when the sun leaves a slope, and before close. Ice comes back.
Top up stock
Refill grit bins and salt boxes the same day so they’re ready for tomorrow.
Write it down
Times, areas, actions, and any slips or near misses.
Winter safety kit list and prices
Everything below is in stock on our site. Prices are ex VAT; the site shows ex and inc VAT, and over 90% of our products come with free delivery.
| Product | What it’s for | From (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Ratcliffe Grit Bin 200L / 400L | Bulk salt store beside routes; lockable option | £198.46 (400L £246.15) |
| Ratcliffe Salt Box 21L / 63L / 90L | Dispensing salt store for doorways and forecourts | £120 (63L £140, 90L £160) |
| PROline Conformable Anti-Slip Tape 18.3m | Outdoor steps, chequer plate, ramps | £30.69 (25mm) |
| PROline Anti-Slip Tape Panels x10 | Quick grip on smooth treads | £12.26 |
| PROline Anti-Slip Floor Paint 5L | Ramps and larger areas (about 20m², R10) | £125.23 |
| Floor sign: Slippery When Wet | Indoor entrance warning | £19.37 |
| Two-part traffic cone | Mark or close a hazard | £8.23 |
| Portable Expanding Trellis Barrier | Close a step, slope or path | £101.14 |
| Chapter 8 Works Barrier (HDPE) | Block off a route or works area | £65.57 |
| Reflective hazard tape (2 x 25m) | Edges and obstacles seen in headlights | £155.91 |
| Line marking paint 750ml | Refresh walkways and crossings | £15.77 |
| EB300 bollard with white bands | Visible car park and walkway edges | £183.21 |
Browse more in our street furniture, floor marking and repairs and safety barriers ranges.
What to focus on by type of site
Shops and retail parks
Entrance mats and wet-floor signs, gritted routes from parking to the door, and visible bollards. Busy Christmas trading makes this the worst time for a slip. See our Christmas retail guide too.
Warehouses and yards
Loading ramps, dock edges and pedestrian routes. Anti-slip paint on ramps, grit by every pedestrian door, and separated walkways. See our warehousing range.
Schools
Playground routes, steps and drop-off areas, gritted before pupils arrive. Agree who grits on snow days.
Councils and parish sites
Public routes, car parks and community buildings. Keep council road salt for roads, and use your own stock for your premises. See our councils range.
Common winter safety mistakes
Gritting after people arrive
Salt needs time to work. Grit the evening before or first thing, not when the first person has already slipped.
An empty or wet grit bin
Check bins in November. Keep lids shut so salt stays dry and free-flowing.
Forgetting the shortcuts
People cut across grass and car parks. Treat the routes they actually use, or close the shortcut.
No record
If you can’t show you gritted, it’s harder to show you did what was reasonable.
Why buy winter safety kit from Store Fittings Direct
- ✓A wide range across many categories: grit bins, salt boxes, anti-slip tape and paint, barriers, bollards, signs and floor marking in one place.
- ✓Prices shown ex VAT and inc VAT, so you can budget properly.
- ✓Free delivery on over 90% of our products.
- ✓Over 30 years’ experience supplying retailers, the NHS, councils, warehouses and construction.
- ✓ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, and a SEDEX member.
- ✓Every one of our Google reviews is five stars.
- ✓Straight advice on 0116 318 4182.
Get your site winter-ready now
Grit bins, salt boxes, anti-slip tape and barriers, with free delivery on most orders. Order before the first hard frost.
Shop grit bins & street furnitureCall 0116 318 4182Winter site safety FAQs
Do businesses have to grit their car park in the UK?
There is no specific law saying you must grit a car park. But employers must keep workplace floors and traffic routes free from slippery substances so far as is reasonably practicable (Workplace Regulations 1992, reg 12), and occupiers owe visitors a duty to take reasonable care for their safety. HSE expects you to assess the risk and have a system to manage ice, which for most sites means gritting the main walking routes.
When is the best time to grit?
HSE says grit when frost, ice or snow is forecast, or when walkways are damp and likely to freeze. The best times are early evening or early morning before staff and customers arrive, because salt needs time to dissolve and start working.
How much rock salt do I need per square metre?
UK councils spread about 10–15g of rock salt per m² to stop ice forming, and about 20–40g per m² when ice or snow is already on the ground. As rough maths, a 25kg bag covers around 1,650–2,500m² at the lower rate and 625–1,250m² at the higher rate. Use more on steps and slopes.
At what temperature does rock salt stop working?
Rock salt loses most of its effect below about -8°C. Manchester City Council gives -8°C, and Glasdon puts the limit between -8°C and -10°C. Below that, clear ice by hand where you can, close the route or divert people to a safer path.
Can I use salt from a council grit bin for my business?
No. GOV.UK says not to use salt from public salting bins, because it is there to keep roads clear. Keep your own stock in a grit bin or salt box on your premises.
Can I be sued if someone slips after I’ve gritted?
For the public pavement, GOV.UK says it’s unlikely you’ll be sued if you cleared it carefully. On your own premises, the question is whether you took reasonable care. A written winter plan, gritting at sensible times and a log of what you did are the best evidence that you did. This isn’t legal advice; speak to your insurer or a solicitor about a specific claim.
What size grit bin do I need?
For a single entrance or small car park, a 200 litre grit bin (from £198.46 ex VAT) or a 63–90 litre salt box is usually enough. Larger car parks, schools and multi-entrance sites tend to choose 400 litre bins or several smaller bins placed by each route. Put bins where the salt is needed, not round the back.
