Storm Goretti: Winter Site Preparedness for Businesses
Storm Goretti: A reminder of the Importance of Preparing for Winter
Last week’s severe winter weather across the country, courtesy of Storm Goretti, was a timely reminder of how quickly snow and ice can impact business operations. Across the UK, many sites experience unsafe access routes, delayed deliveries and an increased risk to staff and visitors, often with little notice.
While poor winter conditions are expected, the impact they can have on yards, access roads and service areas is often underestimated until disruption occurs. Storm Goretti highlighted the importance of planning ahead to reduce risk, avoid prolonged downtime and maintain safe working environments during unpredictable weather conditions.
The operational impact of Storm Goretti on business sites.
Storm Goretti brought a combination of freezing temperatures, snowfall and hazardous icy conditions creating immediate challenges for many business sites. Even where snowfall was relatively light, compacted snow, overnight frost and rainfall created dangerous surfaces that were difficult to manage without the right equipment already in place.
Common issues included:
- Unsafe walking and driving surfaces
- Blocked or restricted access routes
- Increased risk of slips, trips and vehicle incidents
- Delays to deliveries and collections
- Increased pressure on facilities and operations teams to respond quickly.
Why planning ahead matters
One of the clearest lessons from Storm Goretti is that reactive measures are often not enough. When snow and ice arrive suddenly, businesses are left sourcing equipment, materials and labour at short notice, often in challenging conditions, while still trying to keep operations running safely.Planning ahead allows sites to respond immediately when conditions change, reducing disruption and improving overall safety. Using forklift-compatible snow and ice management equipment, in particular enables businesses to make use of machinery already on site, helping to avoid delays and unnecessary downtime.
Preparing for the rest of winter- and beyond Storm Goretti
Although the worst of Storm Goretti may now be passing, winter conditions rarely disappear overnight and can return without warning. Freezing temperatures, further snowfall and overnight frost can continue to cause disruption well into the season.Review how your site coped during the recent storm and identifying where improvements could be made is a valuable step towards improving winter resilience. Whether that means improving snow clearance, upgrading gritting capability or simply being better prepared, forward planning and investment now will help better equip your business for future winter conditions.
Take control before winter returns
Storm Goretti showed how quickly winter conditions can impact businesses. Planning ahead helps reduce risk, avoid delays and keep operations moving when cold weather returns.Explore our range of practical snow and ice management equipment designed to support safer, more resilient sites throughout winter.
