Bad weather, such as storms, high winds, snow, ice, or flooding, can disrupt travel, affect workplace safety, and lead to staff absences or business closures. While you are not legally required to have a specific adverse weather policy, it is good practice to include clear procedures within your health and safety policy and absence and sickness policy. This helps protect your employees, maintain operations where possible, and ensure fair treatment.
All businesses should take into account the impact of adverse weather on safety. You should plan to reduce disruption – for example, by identifying alternative working arrangements or cover at short notice. It is also a good idea to include a dedicated section on adverse weather so that you and your staff know exactly what to do when these situations arise.
What should your adverse weather policy include?
- Your general approach to health and safety during extreme adverse weather, including how you will carry out risk assessments to identify hazards (such as working at height, falling debris, damaged trees or unstable structures) and the steps you will take to protect employees, visitors and the public.
- Clear guidance on when employees should travel to work, when they may work from home or remotely, or when it is not safe or practical to attend (particularly for roles involving outdoor work, driving, or operating machinery).
- Communication arrangements, such as how you will notify staff of any business decisions, for example, temporary closure, delayed opening, or remote working requirements, and how employees should report inability to attend or lateness.
- Rules on pay and leave during adverse weather absences – for example, confirming that you are not normally required to pay employees who cannot get to work unless this is stated in their contract, a collective agreement, or has become established custom and practice.
- Options for flexibility, such as allowing later start/finish times, using accrued holiday or time off in lieu, or enabling remote working where the job role permits (for instance, where most work is computer-based).
- How any absence or lateness will be managed fairly, including the disciplinary procedure that will apply if issues arise, while ensuring decisions are consistent and non-discriminatory.
To support your policy, you must comply with health and safety law by carrying out suitable risk assessments and taking appropriate precautions. Particular care is needed in higher-risk sectors such as construction, agriculture, transport, or any work involving heights, scaffolding, cranes, or electrical equipment.
You should consult employees (or their representatives) when developing or reviewing the policy and make sure it is clearly communicated to all staff. Regular reviews will help keep it up to date.
