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Risk Alerts

Winter Weather is Upon Us!

Cold winter weather has arrived. Have you prepared your buildings to handle it?

Here are a few important items to consider when preparing you building for winter and cold weather events:

Ensuring that your heating system is up and running properly is the most important factor to consider before winter weather occurs. 

Properly insulating pipes, as well as leaving the heat on while away, will help prevent pipes from freezing. If wrapping pipes, make sure to do it carefully, with the ends butted tightly and joints wrapped with tape. 

Regularly inspecting your facilities, especially over the weekends and holidays when buildings may be left unoccupied for extended periods of time, helps to ensure losses are caught before substantial damage occurs. 

When inspecting your buildings be sure to get in all the nooks and crannies to verify that water pipes are insulated and that doors or openings leading to the outside are properly secured. 

During these inspections make sure to note the locations of shutoff valves. This will help if staff needs to shut off the water supply in an emergency. 

Before winter weather and during cold weather checklists provide a more in depth look at what steps are necessary to winterize your facilities. Being prepared can mean the difference between having your facilities up and running in good condition versus showing up to work and seeing water running out of the front door and having to scramble to determine the problem.

Employee safety is of primary concern during winter weather events. Tasks that usually are easy to perform now become more difficult, even impossible, to do when winter weather occurs. Driving on snow or ice covered roads is very much different that the normal dry pavement. Are your District vehicles prepared to drive in such conditions? Read the recently released OR-OSHA publication regarding employee safety during winter weather. 

Remember to take extra time and use caution when working and traveling during winter weather events!!!