This winter has left us with an exuberant amount of snow and ice, and as a result, slip and fall incidents are on the rise.
Whether you have your employees perform snow/ice removal, or you hire a contractor to do it, a few procedures should be put in place.
– Designate someone to monitor snow/ice conditions. This person will be responsible for coordinating the removal operations when one inch or more of snow has fallen or if ice conditions are present
– Snow/ice removal equipment (shovels, ice melt, snow blowers, etc.) should be available and ready to go
– De-icing products should be applied to walkways in front of entrances
– Monitor the inside areas of the building closely for wet areas as snow/ice will melt from foot traffic and cause water to accumulate
– Isolate problem areas by closing them to the general public, or install signs warning of the potential slip hazard
If a contractor is used, the following guidelines should apply:
– The contractor should provide you with a certificate of insurance that names your company as an additional insured under their General Liability policy
– A written contract should be used with a hold harmless/indemnification clause included
– The areas of your property the contractor is responsible for should be documented (ie., front and rear parking lots, sidewalks, etc.)
– The contractor should have guidelines as to a maximum timeframe in which to complete the snow removal (ie., two hours after the snow has ended)
For More Information: Reference Article- “Slip and Fall Prevention: Snow and Ice Removal” GuideOne Insurance (https://www.guideone.com/safetyresources/schools/Docs/slipfall_snow.pdf)Author: Gina M. Callahan, Claims Consultant