During the winter months, there are more slips, trips, and falls due to snow and ice, which means this time of year has more of a risk for lawsuits. Whether you’re a property owner or manager, or simply have a business such as a store, hotel, etc., where people visit, you have to do what you can to reduce your risk of these hazards and liabilities.
Create and implement a strategy for snow and ice removal on your property to prevent slip, trip, and fall incidents with the following tips.
Put the Plan in Writing
Create a snow removal plan like you would a facilities maintenance plan, and put all of these steps in writing for future maintenance and reference. Keep track of the snow and ice removal schedule, list the types of salt used, and record the claim handling practices.
Select In-House Personnel or Outside Contractor for Removal
First, decide who is responsible for snow and ice removal. A business may sometimes choose to handle its own snow removal. In this case, you will want to give the employees proper training as well as insulated boots, gloves, jackets, and snow removal equipment to handle the job safely and efficiently.
If you find the job may be too difficult or risky to manage in-house, you can hire a contractor for snow removal. A contractor will have the right expertise for handling snow removal, but you will also want to verify the contractor’s liability insurance before working together.
Put the Plan Into Action
Designate someone to implement the snow removal plan. This person can be in charge of selecting a contractor if you choose to do so for managing the removal. He or she can also monitor weather conditions, check the walking surfaces for dangers, and assess the effectiveness of the removal practices.
Consider all areas and how they should be treated, including whether they are high-traffic areas, dimly lit, or have any type of slope. Be mindful of the type of treatment for the conditions and give it the proper amount of time to work. Also, mop or dry up any wet areas and place warning signs near areas that pose any kind of risk such as melting snow piles.
The person in charge of the plan can record all snow removal activities, perform incident investigations, and regularly assess the snow removal plan to make any necessary improvements. Your municipality will have its own codes regarding snow and ice removal, so be sure your company is aware and able to properly manage your property.
With a plan in place for snow and ice removal, you can keep employees and guests on your property safe from accidents — and you also won’t run the risk of lawsuits against your general liability insurance.
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