Snow clearing and frost gritting policy
Purpose
This policy establishes procedures in the event of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and or ice accumulation.
The policy includes responsibilities, communication and priorities for snow and ice removal of all steps, entrances, disabled accesses, fire escapes, footpaths and roads in the College.
Objectives
Maintain the safety of staff, student and visitor pedestrian, cyclist and wheelchair users to College on footpaths, disabled accesses, fire escapes and roadways.
Maintain access for emergency vehicles.
Responsibilities
Head Gardener
-
Orders and stores salt supplies and snow clearing equipment before winter.
-
Monitors the weather and conditions to anticipate frozen conditions.
-
Distributes salt and equipment to the Porters, Maintenance and Accommodation for use at the College Entrance, Keatsu bank and fire escapes.
-
Carries out snow clearing operations.
Head Porter
-
Liaises with the Head Gardener about salt stocks at the Porters’ Lodge.
-
Liaises with the Head Gardener about conditions in College or any accidents caused by the freezing weather.
-
Clears and salts the steps outside the Porters' Lodge in freezing conditions especially at night and early morning.
Maintenance
-
Salts and clears Keatsu bank in the mornings and when necessary.
-
Liaises with the Head Gardener about conditions in College.
-
Liaises with the Head Gardener about fire escapes.
Accommodation Manager
- Salts and clears the spiral external fire escapes on Huntingdon Road frontage from the inside.
Snow removal and frost salting procedures
Principles
To carry our snow clearing and frost gritting, so that staff and students can walk, cycle or use a wheelchair safely in the College grounds, and maintain access to all entrances, disabled access and fire escapes. Maintain access for emergency vehicles.
On regular workdays
Snowy conditions
-
Gardeners to clear and salt all entrances and fire escapes starting at the College entrance including the steps leading to the bike store.
-
Gardeners to clear and salt the fire escapes on the roofs from the Dome to the Library along the line of paving.
-
Gardeners to clear and salt all footpaths to a reasonable width, starting with the College entrance and the Library entrance and working outwards.
-
Gardeners to clear and salt pedestrian access to all College gates.
-
Gardeners to salt and clear slopes in the road at the Storeys Way entrance and Storeys Way car park.
-
Maintenance to clear Keatsu bank and help with the fire escapes on the roof.
-
Accommodation to clear the Huntingdon Road spiral fire escapes from the inside.
In freezing conditions or when snow or frost is forecast
- Gardeners to pre-salt all entrances, steps, fire escapes and footpaths in freezing conditions or when snowstorms are forecast.
-
Porters to pre-salt the steps to the College entrance especially at night and out of hours.
-
Maintenance staff to pre-salt Keatsu bank when necessary and help with the fire escapes on the roof.
At weekends and Bank Holidays (excluding those days when the College is closed) in snowfall (gardeners will not frost salt at weekends)
-
Porters to clear and salt entrance.
-
Gardeners to clear and salt entrances, fire escapes and footpaths to entrances and steps as before.
-
If snowfall prevents staff coming to College, snow clearing to be done by Porters and Housekeeping as much as possible.
When College is closed
- No snow clearing or frost salting will take place.