In any workplace, the environment needs to be safe and secure for both staff and any visitors to the site. Staff need to feel reassured that every available step will be taken to create a safe working environment and that they will be supported when raising incidents or “near-misses” for aspects of health and safety. Typically, a well-run company will have a dedicated incident management system that will allow the company to monitor risks and adverse incidents.
These will include accidents that have occurred at work and concerns that have been raised regarding the working environment. In terms of the working environment, one location that is often overlooked is the on-site parking facilities. Over time, potholes can appear in any car park (especially during the winter season when cold, wet weather can cause damage to the surfaces), and these need to be assessed, managed, and treated. This article provides information on how to repair potholes as part of an ongoing process of site safety.
Assess the site
The first step to repairing potholes is to assess the site. As previously mentioned, weather conditions can have a significant impact on the creation of potholes with cold weather, excessive rain, and changes in temperature causing damage to surfaces. A suitably trained staff member should take a thorough look at the car park’s surface. Photos should be taken of any potholes, ideally with a ruler or tape measure placed in the picture to indicate the size of the hole.
This information should be recorded as part of a risk assessment of the parking environment. Remember that large potholes have the potential to damage vehicles as they drive over them and may pose a safety risk for cyclists and pedestrians who move through the parking site. If vehicle damage or personal injury were to occur, your company may be liable to pay for any costs involved.
Choose a suitable product
Once the pothole(s) have been thoroughly assessed, the next step is to take remedial action to fix them and rebuild the damaged surface. Business owners have the choice of hiring resurfacing professionals to complete this work or purchasing products that they can use to fix the holes independently. Companies such as Seton offer pothole repair solutions that are both cost-effective and easy to apply to the affected area(s). Typically, these solutions involve the use of a ready-mixed product that can be applied directly to the site. Look for a product that can be applied in all types of weather conditions and will be sufficient (in terms of volume) to fill the hole to the same level as the rest of the parking area. Use a spirit level when applying the product to ensure that the result is flat and at the same height as the rest of the area.
Monitor the site frequently
Finally, consider that potholes can and do reappear in a car park. The site will likely need to be maintained and repaired on a rolling basis, especially after the winter months and when severe weather conditions have occurred. A health and safety team member should routinely monitor the car parking facility’s condition, alerting management when holes and cracks reappear. This will help to ensure that the space remains in perfect condition and does not pose a hazard.
