Workplace Winter Essentials: Your Seasonal Checklist

Winter can be a challenging time for both workers and businesses.

It's easy to underestimate how quickly colder weather can affect your workplace.

Preparing early can help improve safety and comfort, maintain productivity, and keep operations running smoothly.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy checklist.

Here, we’ll cover the essentials to consider when preparing your workplace for the colder months. But first…

Why Winter Requires Careful Planning

The winter season brings several hazards for businesses to manage, especially where employees work outdoors.

You could be dealing with wet weather, snow, ice, fog, cold temperatures, and dark evenings.

These aren’t just inconveniences. They can create serious safety risks and operational issues.

These include:

• Security risks
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Workplace accidents caused by poor visibility
• Cold stress and other cold-related health risks
• More frequent vehicle and machinery breakdowns

That’s why it’s important to update your risk assessment to include seasonal hazards. Careful planning can help you manage the risks and keep workers safe through the changing seasons.

Your Winter Essentials Checklist

Start preparing for the colder months by ticking these essentials off your checklist.

WINTER WORKWEAR

Layering is key to staying warm. Make sure that workers have suitable base, mid, and outer layers during extended periods of outdoor work.

Remember that outer layers may also need to provide more than just cold weather protection.

Waterproof outer layers can help protect against wind, rain, and snow. Meanwhile, hi-vis outer layers can help keep workers visible during darker mornings and evenings.

Make sure you consider:

• Thermals
• Waterproofs
• Insulated jackets or stormcoats
• Mid-layers (fleeces, sweatshirts, or hoodies)

WINTER PPE

Outdoor workers can be exposed to low temperatures and harsh weather, making suitable PPE particularly important.

Thermal gloves, face coverings, and waterproof boots can help shield against snow, rain, and cold winds.

Shorter days can also mean more work takes place in low-light conditions. Hi-vis clothing can help make workers more visible during darker hours and poor weather conditions, including heavy fog and rain.

Our dedicated blog has further advice on preparing for the darker nights.

Make sure you consider these items:

• Balaclavas
• Hi-vis clothing
• Hats or helmet liners
• Hand or foot warmers
• Thermal or waterproof gloves
• Thermal or waterproof safety boots

WORKPLACE ESSENTIALS

Keeping indoor areas comfortable is particularly important during colder weather.

In office areas, central heating will usually do the job. But in areas such as garages, outbuildings, and other less-insulated spaces, maintaining suitable temperatures can be tricky. This is where having an indoor heater can make all the difference!

Outdoor workers should also have suitable opportunities to take breaks and warm up indoors. A well-stocked canteen with hot drinks can provide some welcome respite on colder days.

Review stock of these essentials:

• Fan heaters or portable radiators
• Hot drinks (tea, coffee, or hot chocolate)
• Kitchen appliances (kettle or hot water urn)

WINTER SAFETY

Winter hazards can be easy to overlook but potentially dangerous.

Regularly spreading rock salt and grit on pathways can help prevent slips and falls in the icier months.

Plus, always check your first aid supplies and make sure kits are fully stocked. This is important throughout the year but even more so during winter, when additional hazards can increase the risk of workplace accidents.

See our guide to winter site inspections for more things you should check before winter sets in.

Stock up on:

• First aid supplies
• Instant road repair
• Winter safety signage
• Torches and floodlights
• Snow shovels or ploughs
• Reflective cones and barriers
• White de-icing salt or brown rock salt

WORKPLACE AND VEHICLE SECURITY

Shorter days can create additional security risks, giving thieves more opportunities under the cover of darkness.

Ensure tools and equipment are stored securely to help protect them against theft and damage.

Enhancing security can help keep your workforce operational and improve safety for employees working after dark.

Review these items:

• Key storage
• Secure tool storage
• Vehicle tool storage
• Security padlocks and chains

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE

Give your fleet some extra attention during winter to help keep teams operational.

Prepare for unexpected challenges by stocking up on vehicle maintenance essentials and making sure every vehicle has a suitable first aid kit.

We’d also advise regularly checking vehicles for wear and tear to help identify potential problems before they lead to breakdowns.

Pressure washers can also help remove rock salt and grit, which can lead to rust or damage to your vehicles.

Ensure you review:

• De-icer
• Antifreeze
• First aid kits
• Ice scrapers
• Winter driving kits
• Traffic film remover
• Screen washer fluid
• Emergency warning triangles

When to Stock Up: Your WINTER Ordering Timeline

Don’t wait for the first icy morning to stock up on essentials.

Ordering early gives you more time to source the right products and reduce the risk of last-minute shortages.

Every site will have different requirements, so there’s no single right time to order. However, this timeline can help you plan and prepare for changing conditions.

August to September

Now’s the time to start planning for the colder months. Review your requirements and order key essentials.

• Review first aid supplies
• Audit winter workwear and PPE requirements
• Review vehicle maintenance kits and secure tool storage
• Check sizes, condition, and quantities of winter workwear and PPE

September to October

Stock up on weather protection and site safety supplies.

• Order hi-vis clothing, winter workwear, and PPE
• Check torches, floodlights, reflective cones, and barriers
• Stock up on de-icing salt, grit, snow shovels, and winter safety signage

According to SMI data, orders of winter supplies typically start to increase in September.

One example is our LED head torch. Historically, orders of LED head torches have increased consistently through September before peaking in October.

October to November

Check that your sites and vehicles are ready and order any final supplies.

• Top up first aid kits and winter driving kits
• Check heaters, canteen supplies, and hot drinks
• Confirm that security measures are in place for darker evenings
• Check antifreeze, screenwash, de-icer, and other vehicle essentials

SMI data shows that de-icer orders tend to double from September to October, before doubling again in November.

December to February

Keep winter supplies topped up.

• Inspect equipment, pathways, and lighting regularly
• Replenish salt, de-icer, and vehicle supplies as needed
• Monitor stocks of gloves, thermals, and other frequently used PPE
• Adjust orders as weather conditions and operational needs change

Looking at historic SMI ordering data, we can see that rock salt demand reached its highest average level in December, after rising by more than 200% from October to November.

Meanwhile, screenwash orders more than doubled from October to November, with the highest typical demand occurring in January.

This shows that winter preparation isn't about replacing one large order and forgetting about it for the rest of the season.

Instead, regularly review your requirements based on usage, stock levels, and changing weather conditions.

Tick Off These Winter Essentials

Looking for somewhere to start? Here are two practical winter essentials worth adding to your checklist.

DE-ICER AEROSOL SPRAY 600ML

Keep de-icer in your work vehicles so teams are prepared when frosty conditions arrive.

HEAVY DUTY SNOW SHOVEL

This heavy-duty snow shovel can clear up leaves in autumn and snow during winter.

How to Store Your Winter Products

Ordering winter supplies ahead of time is only half the job. Correct storage helps keep products in good condition and ready to use when temperatures drop.

Keep these storage tips in mind:

Workwear and PPE

Store clean, dry clothing in a well-ventilated area, following the manufacturer's care and storage instructions.

Our workwear and PPE lockers offer a secure way to store clothing and equipment, both before and during use.

De-icing Salt

Keep supplies dry and covered to help prevent moisture ingress and caking.

Our winter product range includes grit bins of various sizes, offering a watertight place to store supplies like white de-icing salt and brown rock salt.

Vehicle Maintenance Products

Store fluids and chemicals in accordance with their labels and safety data sheets, paying particular attention to temperature requirements.

Browse our range of chemical and fuel storage solutions to find the right fit for your workplace.

Tools and Equipment

Keep winter tools, torches, snow shovels, and safety equipment in an accessible, secure location so they're easy to find when needed.

You can shop for secure tool storage solutions here at SMI.

Heaters and Electrical Equipment

Store heaters and electrical equipment safely when not in use and check equipment carefully before use, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Our range of padlocks and chains can help keep equipment secure.

Winter Essentials Replenishment Planning

Winter readiness isn’t just about placing one big order ahead of the season.

Essentials can be used quickly when temperatures drop, especially during cold spells or severe weather.

You’ll need to continue reviewing your requirements, monitoring usage, and replenishing where necessary to avoid stock-outs.

Here are our top tips:

• Account for lead times - Factor supplier delivery times into your ordering plans.
• Set minimum stock levels - Set minimum quantities for essential products to trigger reordering before supplies run out.
• Monitor usage - Track how quickly your teams use consumables like de-icer and grit to identify replenishment patterns.
• Review stock regularly - Increase checks during particularly cold weather, when demand for winter essentials may rise.
• Plan for multiple sites - Monitor stock across locations to identify shortages and redistribute supplies where appropriate.

Our procurement portal, MY-SMI®, can help support replenishment planning.

Real-time reporting allows you to track usage and stock across multiple sites, while the MY-CATALOGUE feature makes it quick and simple to reorder supplies when you’re running low.

GET YOUR WORKPLACE READY FOR WINTER

At SMI, you can source workplace winter essentials for your teams, sites, and vehicles.

From winter workwear and PPE to secure storage solutions and workplace safety products, we help you improve safety, comfort, and security throughout the year.

Are you prepared for the cold, dark, and wet months? Shop our winter products today.