Planning for snow management is a crucial part of commercial property management and maintenance. In the spring and summer, snow is probably the furthest thing from your mind. If you don’t know how to start planning your commercial snow management, it’s important to think about snow management since, as the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm. It may be challenging to schedule reliable snow management in the winter months as companies tend to secure their contracts during the off-season.
Municipalities Have Regulations In Place — and It’s Important to Know Yours
Some individuals may decide to handle snow management for your property on their own. In this case, there are a few essential items to consider. Generally, these regulations will pertain to how quickly snow must be removed from your property following a snowstorm, how wide walkways must be, and the best practices for plowing a parking lot and other high traffic areas.
Failure to adhere to these regulations may result in fines from your local municipality, but snow management should also be a priority to maintain the accessibility of your property during all weather. When your customers, clients, and business partners know that you pay extra attention to detail and that your efforts will extend to the quality of service you provide.
If you are planning to do snow management on your own, it’s important to document every possible step and create an easy-to-understand plan for previous, current, and future seasons as well. If there is ever an accident on your property, having a plan written, documented, and adhered to could help your case significantly. Having a plan is perhaps the most crucial component of snow management, but sticking to the plan is a close second. Any deviation from your written plan should be clearly documented and followed consistently from that point forward.
Hiring a commercial snow management company frees up resources that you can direct to different areas of your business.
As mentioned above, commercial snow management is not a chore that anyone should take lightly. There’s a reason companies specialize in providing such a surface, and that reason is that it’s of utmost importance to the economic function and accessibility of your property. Hiring a specialized company will free up your resources and allow you to focus that energy on other areas of your business.
Think about it; insurance companies recommend that their clients be proactive. Proactive thinking means having a plan for snow management, but it also means having a plan for accidents, incidents of liability, and practically any scenario that could arise. In the context of snow management, the leading insurance companies recommend not only keeping a written plan but consistently updating documentation to demonstrate commitment to it.
This documentation should be as specific as possible, including:
- The time and date snow management services were performed
- Who was responsible for snow management
- The duration of snow management at each of your properties
- The specific areas of the property in which snow management is planned
Wherever possible, photographic evidence is another way to demonstrate the ongoing commitment to snow management on your property. Sound like a lot of work? You’re right. If you plan to handle snow management on your own, these are the things you have to incorporate into your workload in addition to the workforce and time required for actual snow management. Choosing a commercial snow management company streamlines this entire process.
Commercial Snow Management Is a Must-Have for Property Owners, So Plan Ahead
We’ve discussed the labor considerations of handling commercial snow management at your commercial property, but it can also be a significant expense to purchase the essential equipment for snow management in large areas. It’s not enough to arm a few workers with shovels and hope for the best.
Hiring a snow management contractor will allow you to better protect your business from liability concerns as well. Snow management companies must maintain their own detailed records, share their written plans, disclose insurance certificates, and provide a detailed contract regarding potential liabilities. Similarly, commercial snow management companies are responsible for knowing and complying with local snow and ice management regulations. If you’ve hired a contractor to attend to your snow management needs and you incur a fine, chances are the contractor is responsible for payment of the fine.
Due to many of the above reasons, snow management companies are in great demand in southeastern Pennsylvania, where we can get quite a bit of snow and ice. For this reason, it’s important to reach out to and interview snow management companies during the warmer months. For more information about our commercial snow management services, including deicing services, in Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and Bucks counties, reach out to our team today! We will proudly review our contract options with you diligently.
