Winter obligations of the employer

Performing work in winter requires special attention from employers and employees and taking all possible measures to prevent injuries at the enterprise, taking into account seasonal factors.

The main factors that affect employees are:

• low air temperature;
• high humidity (rain, snow, blizzard);
• strong winds, etc.

EMPLOYER'S RESPONSIBILITIES
The main obligation of the employer is to create working conditions at the workplace in each structural unit in accordance with the requirements of regulatory legal acts.
Measures to organize safe working conditions during the cold season are regulated by local company acts - occupational safety and health instructions by profession and type of work.

Such measures include:

• Provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (special clothing, footwear, gloves), working tools for snow and ice removal, sand, and other anti-icing materials;
• seasonal maintenance of machines, replacement of car tires with winter tires, replacement of lubricants in machine units and components with winter lubricants, checking the serviceability of windshield wipers, etc;
• equipping the premises for heating and resting of employees;
• Providing employees with special breaks for heating and rest that are part of their working hours;
• timely re-instruction and training of employees on occupational health and safety, etc.

Important! Employers are prohibited from allowing employees to perform high-risk work without undergoing briefings, special training and testing of knowledge on occupational safety and health.

EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Employees must take care of their personal safety and health, as well as the safety and health of other employees and others while performing any work or staying on the company's premises.

The following safety rules must be followed to avoid accidents:

• comply with the requirements of labor protection regulations and relevant instructions when operating devices and equipment;
• Do not unauthorizedly interfere with the design of production equipment;
• carry out timely maintenance, inspection, and expert examination of high-risk machinery, mechanisms, and equipment.

When organizing work in winter, you should be guided by the Law of Ukraine "On Occupational Safety and Health", the Labor Code of Ukraine, the Rules for Occupational Safety in Motor Vehicles, the Rules for Occupational Safety and Health at Work at Height, etc.

Taking safety precautions will help protect the lives and health of employees in the winter.

For more information on how to avoid hidden occupational injuries, please follow the link.

The procedure for reporting an accident or occupational disease at work is available here.