Even though the Hudson Valley won’t likely see snow for a few months, property managers in Westchester County should be starting their snow and ice removal planning process now. Depending on the nature of your commercial property, you may see hundreds or even thousands of visitors each week, and having a sound and efficient snow removal plan and strategy is the top priority.
The last thing you want is for an early snowfall to cause a dangerous situation for employees or customers, so it’s wise to get started early. When you have a solid snow and ice removal plan in place, you can focus on other aspects of running your property, knowing that you’ll be covered whenever winter decides to show up. Here is a snow and ice removal planning checklist to help get you started with your snow and ice management.
Snow and Ice Removal Plan Checklist
1 – Schedule Services
The first thing on your snow and ice removal planning checklist should be who is going to be providing the service and when will these services be carried out. At Neave Group, we offer a range of snow and ice removal services on a scheduled and per-snow event basis, and whichever contractor you choose must provide you with similar information.
The key is to hire a snow removal service provider in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that has proven experience and a strong reputation for being reliable and efficient. Naturally, a budget will also be a factor, but it should be secondary to the quality of service because a cheap service that ends up endangering your employees and visitors is not what you want.
2 – Which Areas Need Attention?
You’ll need to relay this information to your service provider, and it’s important to ensure comprehensive details regarding snow and ice conditions. All walkways, driveways, roadways, parking lots, entrances and exits will need to be cleared of ice and snow as soon as possible, with the highest traffic areas taking precedence. You may also need attention on your roof and windows, depending on the layout of the building.
3 – Mats for Exits and Entrances
Along with being cleared of snow and ice, you should place weather mats at all of the entrances to the building. These mats will catch snow, salt, and water when people are entering and exiting the building and will help you keep the interior clean and free from slipping hazards. Make sure to check the mats periodically during the winter or have them changed regularly to ensure they are in good shape and haven’t started curling up.
4 – Snow and Ice Removal Logs
If your snow removal contractor in Westchester, NY doesn’t keep a log of their activities, then it’s wise to keep track of all snow removal that takes place and when it happens. This log will help you maintain a standard operating procedure and may protect you against injury claims in the unfortunate event that someone gets hurt on your property during the winter.
5 – Have Salt and Ice Melt Ready
Salting walkways and the areas around entrances, road surface and exits will prevent slips and falls and give you peace of mind. Make sure to keep a good supply on hand at all times during the winter months, so you can keep all of the areas people walk on safe. When you sign on with Neave Group for your snow and ice removal service, we maintain the property as efficiently and safely as possible.
6 – Inspect Exterior Lighting
It gets dark quite early in Westchester in the winter, so it’s essential to have all your exterior lighting in good working order. Even though the light isn’t directly related to snow removal, it helps to keep your visitors safe because they will be able to see any hazardous spots before they step on them.
7 – Check Downspouts and Gutters for Drainage
Proper drainage is important even in the winter, which is why you should add checking gutters and downspouts to your snow and ice removal planning checklist. If there are a couple of thaws during the winter, which isn’t uncommon in Westchester, poor drainage could lead to ice buildup that damages your roof.
8 – Install Warning Signs in Appropriate Places
If there are any areas around your commercial property that you think are especially tricky to navigate in winter, install warning signs letting people know. Even something as simple as “Watch for Ice Build Up” will help them to steer clear or proceed with added caution.
9 – Create Emergency Plans
Emergencies can happen during particularly nasty snowstorms, so it is wise to take precautions. As an example, if you are waiting for your snow removal team to arrive and there is a power outage, having items like flashlights, extra batteries, a weather radio, blankets, bottles of water, and an emergency contact list can be vital to waiting out a storm and keeping everyone safe.
10 – Ask for Help
Getting help from employees, residents, or visitors about snowstorm or ice-related hazards on your commercial property will make it easier for you to keep everyone safe over the winter. Consider putting up notices, send a bulk email, or post signs letting people know to contact the property manager if they see something that looks dangerous or out of place.
If you follow these tips when creating a commercial snow and ice removal planning checklist for property managers, you’ll be well on your way to having a comprehensive commercial property maintenance plan in place to keep your property safe and fully functioning this winter. We can help implement your plan, with services such as snow stacking, snow removal, roof snow, and ice removal, and sidewalks, ramp and walkway clearing available.
If you’re in the Hudson Valley, call us at (845) 463-0592. If you’re in Westchester County, call (914) 271-7996; from Connecticut, dial (203) 212-4800. Or, fill out our simple web form, and we’ll contact you about setting up your free consultation.