We’re all familiar with the harsh reality of the liabilities associated with the slushy and icy conditions of the winter. From a snow plow hitting an employee’s car in a parking lot, to a customer sliding on ice right into a drive-through menu, winter brings plenty of risks that are inevitable. However, you can lessen the blow of these facility maintenance hazards with the right preparation. 

Here are 3 ways to mitigate the risks of the upcoming winter, regardless of the claims you encounter:

1. Avoid Relying Solely on Invoices

Many companies use invoices to document services during the winter, but are often frozen in their tracks when a slip-and-fall claim is filed months or years later. Invoices do not provide enough information to protect your business in the face of a claim and can leave your legal team frantically searching for background information.

By obtaining visual evidence of services and the ground’s condition, the process of looking back at a certain date, confirming services and providing proof becomes a lot easier. For example, when our contractors dispatch a service, they upload before and after photos on our technology platform that are always accessible.

2. Take Advantage of Real-Time Service History

During the snow season, businesses have to deal with unpredictable claims at the drop of a hat. For instance, if a snow plow is clearing your parking lot, but accidentally rams into your location’s signage in the process, you will need instant access to insight regarding the service.

Having a real-time report of your service history means all your facility data can be accessed with ease. The ability to monitor every stage of the service, up to completion, is pertinent to providing insight for time-sensitive cases.

3. Ensure Sufficient Contractor Insurance

Hiring hundreds of contractors as the winter approaches can leave room for error in the insurance realm. Missing important details, like snow exclusions in contractors' insurance policies, can leave your company at fault for any accidents surrounding a service.

For example, if a landscape company is hired for snow services, but hasn’t applied for snow removal insurance to provide snow services, their landscaping insurance may be void to any accidents that occur while removing snow, leaving your company’s insurance to cover the damages. Sufficient insurance practices, like unanimous policies, can save your company money and eliminate your legal team’s need to sift through each and every contract when a claim arises.

It is your last chance to protect your company for the upcoming snow season. To learn more about snow and ice best practices, check out our blog 4 Questions to See if You’re Setting Your Business Up for a Bleak Winter.