Easy Steps You Can Take to Prevent Potholes from Becoming a Problem

Potholes are an ever-present headache, and National Pothole Day (15th January) looks to highlight this problem.

It’s our freezing night-time temperatures combined with warmer daytime conditions that make this time of year the perfect recipe for potholes to appear.

What causes a pothole?

Potholes are caused by the expansion and contraction action when water seeps into the surface and freezes. This process creates cracking to the surface and over time these cracks deteriorate leaving behind open voids. The deterioration process is then accelerated when vehicles are driven over the compromised surface (due to their weight), which is why we regularly see potholes appear in high traffic locations.

How to protect your sites from the problem of potholes

It’s critical that your roads, carparks and surfaces are monitored for signs of cracking and potholes.

When it comes to potholes, our advice is simple: be proactive rather than reactive. Regular site inspections and the immediate repair of any defects will keep you one step ahead of potential problems.

Potholes must be correctly repaired to avoid increasing the size of the problem. Simply filling a pothole is not the solution, as the surrounding area must also be attended to, ensuring a good repair is achieved.

Keeping people safe and sites compliant

Employers must ensure workplaces are safe and without risks to either workers or visitors on the site and if incidents occur, employers place themselves at risk of legal action.

In England last year, around a quarter of all claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes were successful, which equated to over £2m being paid out in compensation!

OUTCO provides pothole repair and resurfacing services

We provide numerous solutions to potholes and can assist you with producing site condition reports and recommendations. In addition to repairs, we also provide a complete resurfacing and refurbishment service.

• Pothole and minor surface repairs
• Patch repair (covering a larger area)
• Full surfacing asphalt works
• Specialist coatings: waterproofing, aesthetic asphalt and street art services

As some sites are seeing a reduction in footfall and vehicle traffic, now is an ideal time to review your car park condition and maintenance needs.

Keep your customers safe and book your pothole repair services

Our advice couldn’t be simpler: be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to potholes

To find out how we can work together, or to obtain a free quote or site inspection, please contact us today.