Freezing temperatures and snowfall pose a risk to absolute everybody during the wintertime. All it takes is for one small patch of the ground to be unexpectedly slippery, and you could easily find yourself in the hospital.
There are steps everyone can take to stay safe during the winter, including wearing appropriate footwear and taking extra care when walking. For homeowners and business owners, however, snow removal is absolutely essential.
Snow management and deicing help prevent you, your loved ones, or even your employees and clients from falling. At Earth Development, we’ve helped customers avoid slips and falls in the winter for over 20 years. We also provide important advice to all of our customers and visitors on our website.
Take a look at our top five tips for avoiding slips and falls this winter.
Properly Maintain Parking Lots and Pavements
Parking lots and pavements are where a lot of winter accidents take place. Here, more than just ice and snow come into play.
Any uneven ground or cracks that pose a normal tripping hazard in the summer and spring months can pose an even greater risk in the winter. If ice develops on uneven ground, or if tripping hazards are hidden by snow, they could potentially cause people to trip and seriously hurt themselves. So be sure to maintain your pavements and parking lots throughout the year.
Maintain Your Plants and Foliage
Overgrown plants surrounding walkways and driveways may also pose a tripping hazard.
When covered with snow, plants present the same kind of tripping hazard as an uneven stone – especially if the snow makes it difficult to see where the pavement ends and the flower bed begins!
Furthermore, heavy snow can push long branches onto the ground. For these reasons, you should always prepare your plants for the winter by trimming them back where necessary.
Always Provide Railings
Railings are absolutely necessary along any paths that slope, or next to stairways. Not only does this ensure you comply with legislation and regulations that ensure people have safe access to businesses, but it shows you care for your customers if you own commercial property.
Provide Sufficient Lighting
Good lighting can prevent a lot of accidents, particularly in the dark winter months. If your current lighting makes it difficult to walk along a path or up outdoor stairs in the dead of night, then imagine what it’s like on a dark winter evening!
Improve your lighting and watch the number of accidents plummet.
Prepare a Snow and Ice Action Plan
Finally, while all the previous tips can help reduce actions, you need a snow and ice action plan to actually make the ground safe to walk on. This involves proper ice management and deicing, as well as regular and safe snow removal.
You can certainly do this yourself if you have the tools and the time, but most people don’t. That’s where Earth Development and our team of snow removal experts come in.
After performing an initial assessment of your property, we’ll give you a free quote and map out a winter plan. We’re prepared to attend your property before, during, and after winter weather events to ensure your ground is always safe to use.
Get Your Free Quote for Commercial Snow Removal Today!
Call Earth Development today for a free quote and consultation. We specialize in commercial snow removal and ice management.
Not only do we have hundreds of vehicles and tools at our disposal, our large team knows how to make sure your business is compliant with all state and federal regulations.
Give us a call today and we’ll make sure you’re prepared for the winter!