Snow Removal Planning: Strategies For Managing Unexpected Winter Weather
Overview: Preparing for Sudden Snowfalls
In an ideal world, snow removal is a predictable affair; snow falls gradually, and your snow removal team can tackle it before it causes any inconvenience to you, your team, or your customers.
Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in, and unexpected deluges of snow can make your business inaccessible to your customers; in the worst-case scenarios, it can even make it difficult for your team members to arrive at work or go home.
There are certain goals you should keep in mind when preparing for sudden snowfalls. These goals include:
Ensuring the safety of your team members and customers
Ensuring that your business remains accessible, even during a winter storm
Reducing the time it takes to clear snow and ice during an emergency
Key Strategies for Effective Snow Removal
Utilizing Advanced Weather Forecasting
The first step to emergency preparedness is awareness of the emergency. Weather forecasts aren’t perfect, but planning a week in advance can help you prepare for severe winter weather.
Advanced weather forecasting can help you create a schedule that takes the pressure off of out-of-town employees, who may find it difficult or dangerous to arrive at work when there’s heavy snowfall. You’ll also be able to ensure that your emergency preparedness kits and snow removal tools are fully stocked and in proper working condition.
Make a habit of checking the weather forecast daily during the winter months. The information you get can help you effectively plan, schedule, and remove snow.
Streamlining Snow Removal Operations
You can streamline your snow removal efforts with a few tips:
Stock shovels, snow blowers, de-icer, and other snow removal tools.
Maintain snow removal equipment; inspect all your equipment before the season starts and maintain, repair, or replace what you need to.
Ensure that all your snow removal tools are accessible from within your place of business; have backup shovels available outside in case the business's entrance becomes inaccessible.
Choose staff members to help clear snow in an emergency, training them to remove snow safely.
Have personal protective equipment available for staff members clearing snow; gloves, snow goggles, and other clothing can help keep them safe.
Professional snow removal services are the ideal way to streamline your snow and ice management operations, but during heavy snowfall, it may be some time before your snow removal company can reach your business. Having a backup plan can help maintain the safety of your customers and team members while keeping your business in operation.
Case Study: Efficient Snow Management in Action
A business in Winnipeg is in a tricky situation; the persistence of snowfall over the night has made it difficult for its employees to access the building.
Fortunately, they’ve made a plan. Having looked at the forecast, no out-of-town employees are scheduled today. The shift manager, who has a heavy-duty truck equipped with winter tires, arrives early with a snow blower she brought along to clear the snow. Having cleared a path to the main entrance from the streetway, she periodically checks to ensure the snow won’t impede employees from arriving.
When her team arrives, some of them begin snow-clearing operations to allow more customers onto the lot. They regularly clear the snow by the entranceway and pathways to secondary buildings on their property. They don’t tackle heavy-duty snow removal; they’re in contact with the snow removal service they’ve hired and know they’ll be cleared out completely within a few hours.
Practical Tips for Emergency Snow Removal
Essential Equipment and Supplies
To keep your customers and staff safe, there are some pieces of equipment and supplies you’ll always want on hand in case of a snowstorm, including:
Snow blowers
Shovels
De-icers
Cold weather clothing (warm jackets, boots, gloves, toques, snow pants, and more)
Blankets
First aid kits
Appliances for boiling water
Space heaters
Easy to prepare hot foods and beverages (instant ramen, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and more)
A radio
A satellite phone
Tire chains
Towing straps
Flashlights and other sources of light
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but preparing an emergency preparedness kit can help you keep safe in heavy snowfall.
Building a Responsive Snow-Removal Team
You should always leave heavy-duty snow removal to the professionals, but having a team that can handle snow removal in an emergency can help keep your business running in worst-case scenarios.
Talk with your employees and create a plan for emergency snowfall preparedness. Team members with vehicles that can handle a lot of snow are a boon in these cases. Only physically fit employees should be chosen to handle snow removal with shovels or snow blowers, as these snow-clearing tasks can take a toll. Encourage everyone to take very regular breaks and have team members prepare hot food and beverages for the people clearing the snow.
Conclusion: Staying Ahead of Winter's Surprises
Harsh winter weather can be predicted and planned for—even when it sometimes takes us by surprise. Bulger Brothers can help; we offer professional snow removal services, and we’ll respond in the case of a heavy snowfall.
