With winter well and truly here, it’s about time you made sure your office is prepared for darker days, colder weather, and the spike in avoidable accidents that inevitably occurs at this time of year. Outdoor paths and car parks are susceptible to ice and frost, the entrance to your office can become slippery from all the water and snow trudged in by daily foot traffic and, in your office itself, the chill and the wet can lead to mouldy windows.
Here are four office products that you will find it essential to stock up on, to ensure your office sees it through the winter.
Grit bins and rock salt
Whilst looking after your staff and visitors when they are in the building is, of course, of paramount importance, it’s just as important to make sure they can get into the building in the first place. Keeping car parks and outdoor pathways clear of snow and ice is an essential task during the winter months and the most efficient way to do so is by using rock salt. It comes in two main varieties: brown and white. The brown rock salt is the most commonly used, though the cleaner, more hygienic white rock salt is beginning to find favour, as it is less conspicuous when trodden into the carpet.
Of course, with all that rock salt on the premises, you’re going to need something to store it. Grit bins come in several sizes, the most common capacities being the 175-litre storage bin, and the 350-litre variety. With forklift and pallet lift channels, they are easily installed outside your office, where they are needed, being durable and resistant to even the very worst weather conditions. These days, grit bins are available in an entire range of colours, so you needn’t settle for the traditional yellow, unless by choice.
Mats
With the usual daily traffic in and out of your office, the inclement weather that winter brings with it means puddles, damp spots, and slippery patches occur more often, especially in areas with large numbers of people passing by. The main entrance to your office is particularly susceptible to this kind of thing, which is why investing in a good quality floor mat is so important. There are different varieties to choose from, of course, from stiff bristled mats that knock the dirt off your shoes, to more absorbent mats that soak up excess moisture, limiting slippage.
Mould and mildew remover
Wet winter weather often results in damp patches in the office, which soon become breeding grounds for mould. Not only is interior mould unpleasant to look at, it has been proven to be detrimental to health, exacerbating conditions like asthma, eczema, and prompting other allergic reactions in certain people.
Washing away mould with a standard cleaner is only half the job, and often only a temporary fix, as the mould soon makes its return. Instead, you should invest in specifically formulated cleaning product, such as the Mould and Mildew Remover, as it not only removes the surface mould, but sanitises the area beneath, inhibiting future growth.
’Tis the season to be jolly
Of course, winter isn’t all about gritting paths and cleaning mould. With Christmas around the corner, there are cost-effective ways to add a little festive spirit, while still getting a practical product. Why not swap the standard kitchen roll in your office tea room to something with Christmas trees, or snowmen, or Father Christmas’s on it?
Winter should be a wonderful time. With these products on hand, you can ensure that your office is a safe environment for you and your staff throughout the winter.
