Lower Liability
Managing liability and accident claims has become an ongoing and time-consuming responsibility. We at About Time Snow work with you to ensure that our snow-clearing operations are conducted in a manner that limits your legal liability.
The key to an effective legal defense in an accident claim is to establish that your lot was properly serviced. A judge will determine whether the services provided were adequate based on two criteria: whether the response was timely and how well the site was cleaned. (Dry, clear pavement conditions are not always required - during a storm, some amount of snow and ice accumulation is inevitable and expected.) At About Time Snow, we coordinate our services with the needs of our customers so that we complete our task according to their expectations.
TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR LIABILITY
Schedule Routine Inspections
We find that periodic inspections of the property are particularly helpful in spotting a slippery condition. Our site inspectors therefore visit your site not only out during snowfall but before and after as well, examining difficult areas and taking steps to eliminate problems before they occur.
Examine Snow Placement Areas
Problems often occur in snow placement areas. As snow melts, the melted water often drains across driving and walking areas before reaching storm sewers or ditches. This snowmelt can refreeze at night, causing slippery conditions. To reduce the potential for accidents, our site inspectors pay special attention to these areas.
Document Your Inspections
We suggest documenting all your routine inspections. Details on exact pavement conditions often become difficult to re-establish months and years after the accident. If you are cited in a liability claim, this documentation can provide valuable proof of your good snow-removal practices – even years later. Photographs of any accident sites can also prove extremely helpful.
Don't Work Against Yourself
Often, company personnel maintain sidewalks while an outside crew clears snow from parking lots and drive lanes. This can turn into a liability problem area. In such cases, it is not uncommon for the crew to plow snow onto the sidewalk, only to have sidewalk push the snow back into the driveway – or vice-versa. This results in improper clean-up and makes unwanted melting and refreezing possible. Instead, you should use one company to clean all areas where snow and ice accumulate.
HOW WE LOWER OUR INSURANCE COSTS
We keep our insurance costs down by:
Having a written plan and map for your account.
The map indicates where trouble spots are, points out heavily traveled areas, and designates where to put snow piles.
Looking for expected problem areas.
We search for such issues as poor lighting, low spots, and pot holes, and bring them to your attention. We then put needed repairs in writing and take photographs of the problem areas.
Conducting background checks on employees.
Do not assume that every person driving your equipment has a clean driving record - or even a driver's license. We particularly check your employees' driving records. A motor vehicle record gives you a history of accidents and violations.
Training and educating employees thoroughly.
We develop standard operating procedures to make sure that your employees can safely operate necessary equipment. Most accidents will come from your personnel, not you, so it is vital to make sure your staff shares your level of expertise regarding accident prevention
Inspecting sites after work has been completed.
By inspecting sites after snow has been cleared, we ensure quality control.
Making preventive maintenance of equipment a priority.
Improperly maintained equipment can cause accidents by direct damage or indirectly through rushed (and thus sloppy) work using equipment whose capacity to function has been depleted.
Keeping thorough and specific documentation.
We record details such as location, start and finish time, crew members, weather conditions, and lot conditions for each event of inclement weather that we clean up for you.