Today is the first day of potentially many snowy days in Albany, NY, so we want to share important NY risk management tips on snow plowing for NY contractors. These tips will reduce your chances of a loss, which means it will improve your bottomline.
Many NY contractors plow snow during the winter for additional income or to keep their employees working. The following tips from The Main Street America Group can help reduce claims arising from snow plowing operations:
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Follow these NY risk mangaement tips to reduce snow plowing losses.
Keep logs which keep track of…
- Temperature, weather conditions, and snow/ice on the ground at the time of operations.
- Start/Finish time of operation and what operation (plow / sand / salt) was performed.
- Who performed the operation and what piece of equipment was used.
- The duration of each storm and the amount of snow / ice deposited.
- Maintenance problems such as potholes and irregular surfaces that are beyond the control of the snow plowing contractor.
- Keep log books for at least three years; first notice of an accident may come years later.
- Enter Into Contracts Which…
- Specify that the work will be performed on an “on-call” basis, rather than on an “as necessary basis” or “after 2 inches of snowfall” basis.
- Make quantifiable statements. If the owner will not enter into an “on-call” agreement, attempt to have the contract specify things like: “lots will be plowed prior to 9:00 AM”, or “parking lot will be plowed when snowfall exceeds 2 inches”.
- Make the lot owner specifically request the exact type of additional work to be done (salting, sanding, etc) if there is a contract to perform snow plowing after a certain amount of snowfall.
- Get It in Writing When…
- The owner wants to limit the amount of sand / salt used, the number of plowing during a given period, or any other operations to save money.
- If the owner will not send a confirming letter, send a confirming letter to the owner and keep a copy.
- Visit Each Site and Determine…
- How it is to be plowed / salted / sanded.
- Where plowed snow is to be stockpiled.
- Which areas are most critical to clear.
- Visit the site with the operator, and maintain written instructions for each site.
- Inspect…
- Lots and areas that have just been cleared to be sure instructions are adhered to.
- Equipment regularly to make sure it works when called up and limit delays.
- Keep the Following Items In Your Trucks
- Incident report forms for completion by the crew for any property damage and falls witnessed.
- A camera to record accident specifics or unusual conditions present at the site.
- A complaint log listing who complained about what and when they complained.
At The Murray Group, we go beyond insurance as part of our trademarked LiveSECURE 365 process to provide our partners with risk management information and services. NY business insurance is just one part of what we do. If you would like to speak with one of our risk consultants or a member of our risk advisory team, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Live Secure 365,
Ryan Murray
VP, Risk Consultant
Photo credit to: http://www.allwaysplowing.com/our-services/snow-removal/