As a harsh winter is forecast for the UK a supplier of crucial bad weather equipment and products is urging organisations to get ready for what lies ahead in order to protect vulnerable members of society.

“Long term weather forecasters such as Exacta Weather and Netweather are suggesting that the period from November to February will feature below average temperatures and inevitably snow,” explains managing director Marcus Palmer of DMMP Limited which imports and distributes machinery such as salt spreaders to everyday winter items such as de-icers. Marcus has always been interested in long range weather forecasting and remembers only too well the misery of last winter’s snow.

“We were inundated with organisations wanting spreaders right in the middle of the drama but roads were closed and conditions treacherous so we couldn’t make urgent deliveries,” continues Marcus. “We are urging organisations to buy now as we are looking at a winter as hard as the last one, if not worse.” At the peak of the bad weather last year which saw much of the UK crippled by snow, the DMMP team was fielding panicked phone calls constantly, only to tell people that due to high demand and prevailing conditions orders would be delayed. “Organisations need their equipment ready before, not when the snow is falling and the public is injuring itself,” adds Marcus.

Footpaths, carparks, shopping centres and access areas are just a few of the public places at risk from ice and snow related accidents this winter alongside rural businesses such as pubs and village shops. RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) figures show that falls on snow and ice rose five-fold from 1,306 to 7,832 over the past few years.

“Walkways such as those at schools, hospitals and nursing homes cannot be ignored as they are needed regardless of the weather,” concludes Marcus. “But if a harsh winter to rival last year’s is forecast then we’re recommending our customers act sooner rather than later. The news was full of reports of hospitals ‘bulging at the seams’ with increased levels of patients who had fallen on untreated areas, some of which must have been preventable. ”

New products being distributed this season to help fight the ice and snow include the Magnum salt-spreader range. This hardy, no-nonsense range can be fitted to vehicles, trailers, forklift or even quad bikes; with prices from just £799 for the spreaders and £150 for accessories no contractor need be left in the cold this winter. Coming from Ohio where a third of the year is below freezing, the Magnum range can make short work of a British winter. Also, the CSK61808 Chapin Pre-treat & De-icer Knapsack SprayerBackpack, which has a 15.1 litre capacity, continuous spray feature and easy pumping action (£90 plus VAT & carriage per unit) is available.

Existing products include salt, de-icers, salt bins and snow shovels.