As the snow is starting to fall, many landscaping or construction companies are evolving into a snow plowing business during their off-season. While this is a good opportunity to supplement your business during the winter months, knowing the potential risks that your business can face and how to prevent them can help for future losses. One of the risks of snow removal and snow in general is slips and falls. It is possible that you will get a slip and fall claim on the property that you service, taking the necessary precautions can help. Below are some helpful suggestions to consider.
Call your insurance agent to make sure that your insurance will cover the snow removal activities. If you use sub-contractors make sure they can provide proof of coverage.
Look at the areas that you would remove snow and observe how much pedestrian traffic is in each of the areas. Make note of the properties with heavy pedestrian traffic, have a plan in place to be extra vigilant in those areas.
Have contracts ready for each of your clients. On these contracts, list the description of services, what areas you will be doing and what time you expect to be there. This written contract ensures that you and your client are on the same page. There are many templates to get your contract started, and having an attorney look over your contract can help make sure you have covered all your bases.
Make sure that you are keeping records of your service. Keeping note of what area and time that you were at and what duties that you performed, helps keep you organized. This doesn’t have to be fancy but will help you stay organized and know what days you were out.
Supplementing your business with snow removal can be a good way to keep your business operating year-round but keeping in mind the risks that come along with snow removal can help you have a successful business.
References:
https://www.emcins.com/losscontrol/insights-d/newsletters/contractor/2017/11-1/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=contractor_nov_2021_snow_plowing
