[Mike_G]

you do know if you are talking about domestic houses, they employ you, they cannot make a claim against themselves. same goes if you hut yourself at there property you are there resonsibility (did you know that?)   Why would they make a claim against themselves?  They would surely make it against us, why else would we need public liabiliity insurance?

[Davew]

so......... if your an electrician who electrocutes the customer they can't claim because they employed you? Sounds odd to me.

[TVCS]

I salted last year and had no complaints.  And suprise suprise I dont work in the scrubby areas mentioned above. 
But at the end of the day if you are worried about it you can trad, or run it past the owners. 
I use road salt from out of the yellow roadside bins and you dont need to cover the whole patio or drive, a little goes a long way. 

Before long there will be a post appear on her  complaining about the freezing weather and not being able to work.

[Paul Coleman]

What's going to happen when we get freezing conditions?

All the water left on peoples driveways and patios is going to create an ice-rink.
I really don't want to have a phone call from an irate bloke after his wife had broken her leg.

I assume it's just a day or two off then?
Won't hurt because we only get a few days below zero.

But what do you do?
Please don't say "put salt or grit down" :

You can't pour that on people's property.
We didn't do it before wfp, so that's a surefire way to get sacked.

I have used rock salt and may do again.  Another method I use isd to have an alcohol based liquid in a spray bottle which I apply after dragging water aside with a floor squeegee.

[macmac]

I see what your saying squeeks, the road rock salt will look a little messy on someones path.
what I did was to go to tesco's and buy a large bag of cooking salt, lightly sprinkle this on the path, no ice and no mess to look at.

Proper answer.
I know what you're on about squeeks & i agree, it's a big problem. if someone threw rock salt round my house i'd sack him, it makes a mess when you trail it inside. If a custy slips & breaks themselves on ice you have created I would expect to be in deep s**t. I remember last year i was cleaning a house & the water was solidifying on contact with the ground- stone patio & path, it was lethal to say the least. I try to avoid the problem ones on the very coldest days now & will carry some salt this year as jeff1 says above.

P.S. there's nothing wrong with this post IMO.

tony

[mark dew]

What's going to happen when we get freezing conditions?

All the water left on peoples driveways and patios is going to create an ice-rink.
I really don't want to have a phone call from an irate bloke after his wife had broken her leg.

I assume it's just a day or two off then?
Won't hurt because we only get a few days below zero.

But what do you do?
Please don't say "put salt or grit down" :

You can't pour that on people's property.
We didn't do it before wfp, so that's a surefire way to get sacked.

If i worried that much I would wfp everything and wipe the front door with a damp cloth.
Couldn't see anyone going out on the patio in that extreme cold anyway. Except us window cleaners.

[Sanity]

I am sure if you asked your customers if they wanted their driveway / path gritted, they would say yes and you could even charge for it!!!

Traditional methods did not use the quantity of water that wfp uses, therefore this problem did not arrise.  Explain this to the customer prior to doing the job, and explain that if they wish you can grit the areas that have the excess of water.  If they refuse then the onus is on them to be careful of ice.  If they say yes, I am sure they will be appreciative of your responsible precaustions and your thoughts for their safety.

Dunno if anywhere does biodegradable 'caution, slippery' signs that can be left?

[Sir Squeaky]

Another method I use isd to have an alcohol based liquid in a spray bottle which I apply after dragging water aside with a floor squeegee.

Gentlemen, we have a winner.

Alcohol based liquid, or I suppose some sort of antifreeze.
Great idea Shiner.

Wonder if vodka would work?

[Pj]

If your mouth freezes over...

Just grit your teeth!


As Mr Giles said, just use a little road salt.  I use it a little way back from entrances to give people a chance to wipe it off before they go back inside, oh and point it out to them, not had a problem in 2 years, but have had one or two complaints if I didn't put something down.
Alcohol solution not very good, melts soles of some shoes slightly.

[Paul Coleman]

I put down a light sprinkling of road salt, we are not talking about shovel fulls of the stuff for goodness sake!!
And you only need put it down on areas that are likely to be walked upon.
Roger is talking complete cobblers, I can only assume he's doing it to try and wind up people.

you really do only need a light spread of the stuff too, and I really do mean a light spread. I've never had a single complaint from any customer, commercial or domestic over it's use.

Ian

The only time someone queried it with me was when they wondered what it was.  They were really pleased that I had their safety in mind.

[Paul Coleman]

Another method I use isd to have an alcohol based liquid in a spray bottle which I apply after dragging water aside with a floor squeegee.

Gentlemen, we have a winner.

Alcohol based liquid, or I suppose some sort of antifreeze.
Great idea Shiner.

Wonder if vodka would work?

Dunno.  I can't remember.   Hic !!

[Paul Coleman]

If your mouth freezes over...

Just grit your teeth!


As Mr Giles said, just use a little road salt.  I use it a little way back from entrances to give people a chance to wipe it off before they go back inside, oh and point it out to them, not had a problem in 2 years, but have had one or two complaints if I didn't put something down.
Alcohol solution not very good, melts soles of some shoes slightly.

Didn't know that about the soles.  It is diluted and I do drag it away with the floor squeegee too if practical.

[Captain Scarlet]

Well I have a control flow on my hip so I dont get water anywhere on paths, some people must be using too much water, Luke

[Neil271052]

you do know if you are talking about domestic houses, they employ you, they cannot make a claim against themselves. same goes if you hut yourself at there property you are there resonsibility (did you know that?)

What  a load of rubbish.  :

So if you cause any damage to a person or their  property you are not to blame?

There is in law a "duty of care" which goes both ways.

Otherwise there would be no point to having public liability insurance would there?

[john tomkins]

Well I have a control flow on my hip so I dont get water anywhere on paths, some people must be using too much water, Luke

There you go lads, we're all doing it wrong

[windowwashers]

you do know if you are talking about domestic houses, they employ you, they cannot make a claim against themselves. same goes if you hut yourself at there property you are there resonsibility (did you know that?)

What  a load of rubbish.  :

So if you cause any damage to a person or their  property you are not to blame?

There is in law a "duty of care" which goes both ways.

Otherwise there would be no point to having public liability insurance would there?

I never said about damaging people property that I remember, duty of care yes, they employ you again yes

[twt]

im pretty certain if some slipped and injured them self on water you had left on the ground which had frozen you would be vulnerable to a claim just because it is on there property probably wont exempt you from liability i am not saying this is fact.

we should protect others from our actions anyway weather that means starting later,  mopping up, putting salt down or even just warning them about the chance of ice forming because it is the right thing to do.

[windowwashers]

im pretty certain if some slipped and injured them self on water you had left on the ground which had frozen you would be vulnerable to a claim just because it is on there property probably wont exempt you from liability i am not saying this is fact.

we should protect others from our actions anyway weather that means starting later,  mopping up, putting salt down or even just warning them about the chance of ice forming because it is the right thing to do.

I agree Philip, was should take care, I would anyway what anyone said on here, I would rather they moan about salt than hurt themselves, claiming agaist slipping on ice would be very hard to prove that this was down to you as ground frost is also very slippery.

[Sir Squeaky]

I agree Philip, was should take care, I would anyway what anyone said on here, I would rather they moan about salt than hurt themselves, claiming agaist slipping on ice would be very hard to prove that this was down to you as ground frost is also very slippery.

You want to hope they don't slip on the gravelly salt then.
I have in the past, it's pretty skiddy.

If they step out the house expecting firm ground and step on those little marbles they're going to get a shock.

[windowwashers]

I agree Philip, was should take care, I would anyway what anyone said on here, I would rather they moan about salt than hurt themselves, claiming agaist slipping on ice would be very hard to prove that this was down to you as ground frost is also very slippery.

You want to hope they don't slip on the gravelly salt then.
I have in the past, it's pretty skiddy.

If they step out the house expecting firm ground and step on those little marbles they're going to get a shock.

SO SQUEAKY: What is you answer to water on the floor ? we all have given areas and you dont like them, what will do you? maybe a blow torch to dry it off a hairdryer ?