Snow and Ice Removal Advice for Risk Management

Snow and Ice Removal Advice for Risk Management

When the snow begins to fall, commercial property managers are responsible for keeping their areas safe. For many property managers, there are plenty of reasons to dread this time of year. However, you can be proactive and create a plan to handle ice and snow removal. Before winter hits the area, you should address your property needs with the right risk management plans.

Snow Removal Is Serious Business

Wintertime is a critical time of the year for many property owners. You need to develop a snow preparedness plan that will provide a safe and non-disruptive environment for your employees and clients. Winter can bring a variety of problems, and you must be ready to take on those challenges. With a comprehensive winter management plan, you can stay one step ahead of the ice and snow.

At the top of every plan, you need to focus on risk management. For example, you never want to overlook any part of your property in the winter. If you forget to shovel a particular area and someone falls, you can be held legally responsible for injuries and damage. In turn, these accidents can cost you a significant amount of money. You want to keep these risks to a minimum at your site. As you prepare a plan for ice and snow removal, there are several factors that you will need to consider.

Winter Hazards

For a property owner, winter can be the trickiest of all the seasons. You are at the mercy of Mother Nature as you try to keep your operation running during the hazardous weather. From employees getting hurt to the equipment being damaged, many things can go wrong at a moment’s notice. With all these vulnerable areas, you need to know your risks with a comprehensive snow and ice management plan.

Reduce Your Risks Before Snow and Ice Removal

Thinking ahead is a great way to eliminate those risks before they can happen. When you proactively think about risk management before winter, you can protect your business and your employees. First, you will need to perform preventative maintenance on all your snow removal equipment. You should test out the equipment in the fall of the year. With these tests, you will know if a part needs to be repaired or replaced. At the very minimum, you will want to test the snow removal equipment a few days before an anticipated snowstorm. Once the snowstorm hits, you don’t want to be left with malfunctioning equipment. If you plan to hire an outside removal team, you should sign a contract in the summer.

With your risk management plan, you need to develop standard operating procedures for your entire staff. They must be adequately trained and educated about your snow removal plans. Even if you hire a professional snow removal team, your employees should know how to contact them for any services.

You always want to have open communication lines with your subcontractors and employees, especially if they are managing the snow removal. These individuals should know about incoming storms and be prepared for snow removal. You never want to wait until the last minute to contact employees or snow removal contractors.

As you create your plan for your property, you should know about those trouble spots in the area. You must keep a list of the priority areas, such as sidewalks and entryways. A good snow removal plan will also designate regions to put the snow piles. As a property manager, keep a lookout for some problem areas. Low spots, potholes, and poor lighting should be repaired before the winter weather settles in the area. Along with your snow removal management plan, keep specific documentation about any professional snow removal crews that you use at your site so you can contact them in an emergency.

Manage Your Risk During Snow Removal

Once the winter storm has hit, it is time to put your plan in place. You always want to be informed of the weather. There are many online websites and phone apps that will keep you ahead of the changing conditions. If you have your own in-house snow removal team, you should consider assigning crews to certain areas. When the snow hits, you want your crew members to avoid unnecessary travel to the property. At this time, there needs to be an open communication line between your work crews and property supervisors. If you hired a professional team to remove the snow, you want to be informed when they are on the property.

Risk Management After Snow Removal

After the job is done, you can relax. However, you want to ensure that the removal was done correctly. If you are paying for outside services, you should inspect the site after the snow removal is completed. You want to make sure the property is safe from ice and snow. You also want to verify that all the services are delivered as promised. For those with an onsite crew, this is the time to match the workers’ hours with payroll. By doing this, you can avoid any issues with payroll in the future.

Prepare for Those Winter Storms

In the winter, you are at the mercy of nature. However, there are several steps that you can take to eliminate your risk and keep everyone safe. With these few extra steps, you can create a snow and ice removal plan that will work best for your property.

Hire a Professional Team for Your Snow Removal Needs

If you need help with snow removal this winter, you should contact the experts at Charlestown Landscaping. We have the experience and equipment to handle all those tough snow and ice removal jobs. Our team is available throughout the day and night to clean up after a storm, and we will not leave until the job is completed. We can help with all your residential and commercial property needs. If you would like to learn more about these services, please take a few minutes to fill out the contact form.

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