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Winter Weather Facilities Management

by Chris Stites, Safety Engineer, Safety Engineering & Claims Management

Winter weather conditions present unique opportunities for catastrophic incidents that cost our members not just property but time and unnecessary aggravation. Many injuries are attributable to winter conditions. Now is the time to ensure we are prepared! Do we have enough de-icer, salt, and shovels on hand to address winter precipitation? Are there new employees that are unaware of their duties in the event of winter weather? Tennessee Risk Management Trust has compiled a list of “to do’s” to minimize the likelihood of avoidable occurrences.

FREEEZING TEMPERATURES

  • Utilize preparation checklist at each location
  • Closely monitor weather reports
  • Check your procedure for restoring electrical services on an item-by-item basis
  • Make sure all appropriate staff know locations of ALL water cutoffs in ALL facilities
  • Water should be cut-off for buildings/ areas without appropriate heating
    • Field houses
    • Concession stands
    • Irrigation systems
    • Press boxes
    • Batting cages
    • Storage facilities
    • Mobile units
    • Unoccupied Rooms or Wings
10

Leaking Gym Roof – Remove outer boards and notifiy TNRMT ASAP

13

Stopped up Scupper

3

It may be necessary to clear scuppers every few hours

INTERIOR

  • Check that ALL heaters are in working condition
    • Portable Heaters should be unplugged at the end of each work day
  • Temperature settings should be adjusted higher as needed for freezing temps
  • Open water faucets slightly to let them drip in order to keep water flowing through the pipes that are vulnerable to freezing. Ice may still form, but the open faucet helps prevent the pipe from bursting by allowing relief for any built up pressure
  • Use water management devices that detect falls/ increases in pressure that could alert in cases of burst pipes
  • Open cabinet doors to allow more heat to get to un-insulated pipes
  • Leave open doors to rooms without heat/ vents
  • Adjust HVAC time clocks as needed
  • Remove ceiling tiles below fire sprinkler pipes/ keep doors open to allow heat in these areas

EXTERIOR

Assign Supervisors/ Managers/ Administrators and/ or others to make checks of facilities (breaks, weekends, during times of weather closures, etc.)

  • Insulate pipes (as needed) paying special attention to areas of previous break or those in locations receiving coldest temps
  • Check/ Clear gutters and drains
  • Protect/ Insulate external taps and pipes
  • Install catch pans around wall or other method around water tanks to catch leaks
  • Assure that each site has an appropriate amount of de-icing material for walkways
  • During extreme temps, consider plans for maintenance and/ or other assigned personnel to make periodic visits to sites
  • Drain all idle pumps and compressors, making sure jackets are vented
2

Even bleeder/ air relief valves can become frozen

4

De-icer could have freed the door

PROTECTION OF COUNTY OR DISTRICT VEHICLES

  • Anti-freeze checks
  • Plug-ins for diesel vehicles
  • Stranded Vehicle Assistance, Help Line
  • Adequate fuel Levels
  • De-icer on hand
  • Initial Startup brake check

UTILITIES

  • When reconnecting water service, please ensure there is no free flow of water in the absence of an occupant.
5

Frozen Sprinkler Lines

6

Periodic gutter cleaning could have stopped this

11

Nets should be lowered in times of forecast ice

FROZEN PRECIPITATION

  • Assure that each site has appropriate amount of de-icing material for walkways
  • Have personnel in place to manage de-icing
  • Check objects that the weight of snow/ice could cause them to collapse (i.e. canopies)
  • Clearing of gutters and drains
  • Relocate vehicles/buses to level ground
  • Snow/ Ice removal equipment available as needed

Please contact your Loss Control Specialist with any questions on this or any other safety and/or loss prevention topic:

East TN
Jason Baggett – (865) 850-4995
jbaggett@tnrmt.com

Middle TN
Chris Stites – (615) 289-4101
cstites@sectn.com

West TN
Mark Bilyeu – (615) 210-7827
mbilyeu@sectn.com

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