In brief
In winter, accidents mostly come from four sources; icy walkways, prolonged exposure to cold, roofs loaded with snow and temporary heaters. Gather these risks into a single winter plan in November, assign an owner and a time, then enter them into the risk assessment and the emergency plan. The Regulation on OHS in Construction Work gives a concrete basis on construction sites, and the Regulation on Workplace Buildings and Annexes does so in fixed workplaces.
Why does winter workplace safety need a separate plan?
Winter workplace safety is less about individual measures than about them all landing on the same morning. On the morning of the first hard frost, the loading ramp may be iced over, a team may have gone up on the roof to clear snow, and a gas heater may have been burning all night in a site container. Each looks like a separate risk, but they are all part of the same shift plan, the same maintenance team and the same emergency arrangements.
In Bursa and the surrounding provinces, winter conditions vary from district to district. A warehouse on the coast and a workshop in inland and higher areas can see very different weather in the same week. That is why businesses with more than one site need to write their winter plan site by site.
The legal framework is clear. Art. 4 of Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety obliges the employer to take all kinds of measures and to carry out a risk assessment. Winter measures are part of this general obligation; there is no separate "winter regulation", but two regulations contain concrete rules.
Winter preparation: workplace checklist
In the first weeks of November, complete the list below by walking the site. The aim is that, when the first snow falls, it is clear who does what.
| Area | Point to check | Owner and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Walkways and ramps | Map of icing points, stock of salt and grit, shovels, drainage and gutter run-off | Maintenance team; early November and before the shift on every frosty morning |
| Lighting | Lighting in the car park, staff entrance and loading area during the early-dark hours | Electrical maintenance; November |
| Roof and gutters | Gutter cleaning, marking of rooflights and fragile sheets, snow load information | Building manager; before snowfall |
| Heaters | Inventory, positioning, distance from combustible materials, flue and cable checks | Maintenance and OHS; before first use |
| Fire installation | Lines at risk of freezing, keeping the area in front of extinguishers and fire hose cabinets clear | Site manager; November |
| PPE and clothing | Shoes with slip-resistant soles, cold-environment gloves, layered workwear | Purchasing and OHS; November |
| Yard traffic | Forklift and lorry routes, ramp speed limits, pedestrian separation | Logistics manager; November |
| Emergencies | Clearing snow from the assembly point and in front of emergency exits, transport disruption scenario | Emergency team; November |
Once the list has been completed, enter the dates in the OHS renewal calendar; next year's winter preparation will then be reminded automatically.
Ice and slip prevention: walkways, ramps and loading areas
A significant proportion of winter accidents happen while walking. To reduce the risk of slipping, consider measures in this order:
- Prevent water from collecting. If gutter overflows, downpipe outlets and air conditioning drains run onto walkways, water that freezes overnight is a sheet of ice by morning. Redirect the water first.
- Improve the surface. Consider slip-resistant coatings or gratings on ramps and stairs that ice up regularly.
- Act before the shift. Salt and grit must be spread before the first shift arrives. Do not leave this to a "whoever sees it spreads it" principle; assign it as a task to one person, with a time.
- Organise footwear and walking routes. Shoes with slip-resistant soles, taping off short cuts, and an alternative route around icy areas.
Mistakes often seen on site: salt has been spread, but the melted water freezes again overnight; there is no mat at the building entrance and the floor inside gets wet; forklifts and pedestrians use the same lane on the loading ramp. Lorry drivers and visitors also pass through these areas; give the icing warning at the entrance gate.
The accident of a worker who falls at the workplace because of ice is an occupational accident and is notified to the Social Security Institution (SGK) within 3 working days after the accident under Art. 14/2 of Law No. 6331. We explained which events count as occupational accidents in our article on situations counted as occupational accidents.
Working in the cold: breaks, clothing and health monitoring
The legislation does not set a numerical temperature limit for working in the cold. The Regulation on Workplace Buildings and Annexes requires protective measures to be taken if working in a very cold environment is unavoidable. The risk assessment determines what the measures will be. Open construction sites, outdoor yard logistics, security huts and loading areas with doors permanently open are priorities.
Break arrangements. For work done in the cold, set aside a heated, enclosed rest area. Set the frequency of breaks not by a single time but according to temperature, wind, wetness and how heavy the work is. In windy and wet weather, the same temperature feels much colder. Access to hot drinks and the possibility of changing wet clothing are part of this arrangement.
Clothing. Layered clothing protects better than a single thick jacket: a base layer that keeps the skin dry, a mid layer that retains heat and an outer layer that keeps out wind and water. When choosing gloves, balance thermal protection with dexterity; a worker handling small parts in thick gloves will take the gloves off. Select PPE following the steps in our article on choosing PPE.
Health. Ask the workplace physician whether workers with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases can do heavy work in the cold. Teach teams to recognise these signs: shivering that does not stop, numbness and whitening of the fingers, impaired speech and coordination. A worker showing these signs is taken to a warm place, their wet clothing is changed and a first aider is called; an area showing signs of frostbite is not rubbed.
Permanently cold environments such as cold stores require separate planning; we covered this in our article on working in cold storage.
Snow load on roofs and snow clearance
In production and warehouse buildings with lightweight steel roofs, heavy snow can strain the structure. The snow load a roof can carry is the value set in the building's structural design. Find out this information from the building manager or the engineer who designed it before winter arrives. If the following signs appear after heavy snowfall, evacuate the area and have it inspected by a civil engineer: visible sagging of the roof, creaking sounds, doors and windows sticking, bending of services suspended from the ceiling.
Snow clearance is work at height. Where possible, remove snow from the ground with long-handled tools. If it is necessary to go up on the roof:
- Put the work under a permit to work; no one goes up in windy weather or in the dark.
- Rooflights and fragile sheets become invisible under snow. Mark them before it snows and fit protective grilles over them.
- No work without a lifeline and anchor point; no one goes up on the roof alone.
- Tape off the area under the eaves. Masses of snow sliding off the roof and icicles can fall on pedestrians.
You can find the general rules for working at height in our article on working at height. On construction sites, scaffolding, edge protection and formwork are also affected by snow; add a post-snow check row to your construction site checklist.
Temporary heaters and fire risk
In winter, heaters added afterwards to workshops, warehouses, security huts and site containers increase fire risk. Put heaters on an inventory before first use and answer these questions for each one:
- What is the type and energy source? Electric fan heaters, gas cylinder heaters and stoves carry different risks.
- Where has it been placed? No heater goes near wood shavings, cardboard, textiles, foam or solvents. It must not block the escape route or the area in front of an extinguisher.
- Is the electrical supply suitable? Powerful heaters running on extension leads and multi-socket adaptors overheat. Have electrical maintenance check whether the socket and cable can take the load.
- Who switches it off at night and at weekends? Add heaters to the closing-up check.
- Are there combustion products in an enclosed space? Fuel-burning heaters and stoves produce carbon monoxide. They are not used in rest and sleeping areas without ventilation, flue checks and a carbon monoxide detector.
Linking winter measures to the risk assessment and emergency plan
If winter measures remain just an announcement, they are forgotten in the first busy week. Link them to permanent documents:
- Risk assessment. If icing, cold stress, snow on roofs and heaters are not headings in your risk assessment, add them. If a new heating system or piece of equipment has been brought into use, this is a change requiring an update regardless of the validity period. For the method, see our risk assessment page.
- Emergency plan. Write scenarios such as an emergency exit door blocked by snow, an iced-over assembly point, a prolonged power cut and disrupted transport into the plan. For details, take a look at our emergency plan service.
- Start-of-shift talk. Throughout the winter, remind people at the start of each shift, in a couple of sentences, of the day's weather and icy spots.
Winter conditions are even more decisive in construction work; you can find site-specific planning notes on our construction sector page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a legal temperature limit for workplace safety in winter?
No. The Regulation on Workplace Buildings and Annexes requires thermal comfort to be at a level that does not disturb workers and states that standard TS EN 27243 may be used for measurement, but it does not set a numerical limit. The risk assessment determines under which conditions breaks, a warming area or changes to working hours are needed.
When should salt be spread against ice?
Before the first shift arrives. If a night frost is expected, preventive treatment can also be applied in the evening. Assign the task to a person and a time, and record it on a simple chart.
Can our own workers clear snow from the roof?
They can, but this work is work at height. First check whether the snow can be removed from the ground. If someone is going up on the roof, a work permit, a lifeline, marking of fragile surfaces and a trained team are needed. No one should go up on the roof alone.
Can a stove be used in a site container?
Open fires such as braziers and charcoal stoves cannot be used in accommodation; the heating system must also be installed so as not to cause fires. If a fuel-burning heater is to be used, it must not be placed in a sleeping or rest area without a flue, ventilation and a carbon monoxide detector.
A risk assessment that identifies and scores hazards on site, links each measure to an owner and a date, and has a clear renewal schedule.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.