With winter settling in, we all have to pay more attention to how snow, ice, and slush builds up at our doors or in our parking lots. These natural occurrences have a tendency to make travel and business slow, wet, and even unsafe.
And unsafe situations can result in liability for your facility or organization. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, over 34,000 workplace injuries occurred on-site due to ice, sleet, or snow. If you only count the states that Maintenance One operates in, that’s over 4,500 employees! And that’s not even counting the instances of slip and falls sustained by visitors, guests, and other non-employees on facility grounds.
So let’s talk about how to avoid all that liability by discussing potential methods of clearing away snow and ice. Not only does it reduce hazardous risk, but this cleaning also leaves your organization accessible and looking great.
Snow Removal Tools
Shovels are the go-to for clearing off snow in small areas like entrances and walks, but you’ll need more powerful tools to tackle whole parking lots. Snowblowers or outright snow removal services like plow trucks might sound more expensive… until you factor in back pain after hours of shoveling!
It all comes down to your unique situation. If your lot is small enough to shovel early in the morning that might be all you need. But clearing away the snow, regardless of your method, might lead to ice.
Ice Removal Tools
Ice is by far the slipperiest hazard. Even worse, it can be difficult to see AND get rid of. I can’t count how many snow shovels I’ve snapped trying to break up a stubborn sheet of ice.
Chemical-based deicers are an efficient but sometimes tricky method of melting away that hazard. The purpose of deicers are to lower the melting temperature of ice. That way it doesn’t stick around.
The trouble is, there’s a LOT of factors that go into deicers that you need to consider:
- What chemicals are in a particular deicer?
- How does it affect nearby vegetation?
- Is it corrosive to concrete? How about metals?
- Do you have the tools to efficiently spread it out?
Did you know that even the shape of deicers has an effect on how it works? Because it does! So while it’s important to have the supplies and tools you need to remove all that snow and ice—you also need people who know how to do it best too.
Clearing Out Winter With the Right Crew
There are good and bad ways to clear snow from your entrances, walkways, and parking lots. As we discussed in our last article, failing to clear it off your floors the right way risks slips, germ buildup, and grimy-looking facilities. Same goes for outside your building.
At Maintenance One, we understand that clearing away snow is a vital part of commercial office cleaning in the winter time. We can help you keep your facility grounds cleared up and accessible to your employees, customers, and visitors. All it takes is a consultation where we’ll examine your facility floor plans and take into account the unique needs of your organization. After that, we’ll offer a cleaning routine that fits your logistics, and budget.
Since we’re in the business of keeping your facility clean all-year round, we do not keep a fleet of snowplows. But we do have tools to assist clearing what we can. In the event your parking lot or walkways are large enough to merit an actual snowplow, we can point you to trusted business partners who can help with their equipment.
Maintenance One is here to help you through the winter. Contact us today for a consultation if you have any questions. If you’re interested in a crew that can help you clear away snow or ice and reduce the hazardous areas around your facility—request a quote from us today.
