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Snow and Ice Removal Checklist for Commercial Property
November 19, 2024

Snow and Ice Removal Checklist for Commercial Property

Owners and managers of commercial property must maintain safe conditions for employees and occupants. During winter, walkways, stairs, driveways, interior roadways and parking lots become slip-and-trip hazards as snow falls and ice forms. This is not only a safety hazard but also an expensive legal issue for property owners if an accident occurs.

Commercial property owners should consider implementing a snow removal program using the checklist provided to prevent injuries and minimize injury costs. The program should identify responsibilities, communication strategies, equipment used and follow-up procedures for snow removal. In addition, all snow and ice removal actions should be logged. Periodically review your program to ensure that it is successfully working for your property and minimizing the rate of injuries.

Pre-season Procedures

  • Establish a plan for how you will remove snow and ice and who will do so. Also, identify when removal will occur in correspondence with when the snow falls (e.g., during a middle-of-the-night snowfall, clean up should occur by 5 a.m.).
  • Place weather mats at all entrances to the building for a distance of 12 metres. These mats should be placed in both directions to catch snow and water when entering and exiting.
  • Check weather mats regularly to make sure they are in solid working condition and have not started to curl (this presents additional tripping hazards).
  • Send out a newsletter or flyer or post a notice on a communal bulletin board asking residents, employees, and visitors to report snow- and ice-related hazards immediately to the property manager.
  • Consider hiring a snow removal contractor. Investigate the quality of the contractor’s work, timeliness of work during a storm, equipment adequacy, experience, references and the ability to work with your property’s unique needs.
  • Create a contract for use with your hired contractor. Have it signed before the snow season. Include the following within the contract:
    • Contractor agrees to provide high-quality services for you on your premises.
    • Contractor adheres to safe working practices as established by industry standards.
    • Contractor maintains general liability insurance with a minimum of $1 million and provides a certificate of insurance to you.
    • Contractor names you as an additional insured on the policy.
    • Contractor should be held responsible if there are claims following actions, inactions or work done.
    • Contractor waives subrogation rights.
  • Report snow and ice removal activities on a snow and ice removal log as soon as the tasks are complete. The log will assist you in defending against injury and property claims. They are also handy for maintaining a standard procedure if you have multiple properties. Use the same log for staff members and hired outside contractors.
  • Fill out an incident report form and immediately report any incident to your trusted insurance professional. This will assist in determining exactly what occurred and will help when filing a claim. A log is also a valuable resource for improving snow removal procedures in the future.
  • Photograph the incident scene. Capture the exact area where the accident occurred (e.g., on a step or concrete slab) and the areas near the spot of the accident. Take close-up photographs (within a 1-metre range) and distance shots to capture the entire scene.

To learn more, reach out to CMB Insurance Brokers. We can provide you with valuable insights and guidance: call CMB at 780.424.2727 or click here to get a quote.