Business owners expect and rely on your snow plow drivers to be quick and efficient when clearing their commercial properties. An unplowed driveway or parking lot means customers and employees can't access a business, which can cause missed opportunities in productivity and negative reviews for your service.
Parking lots and other commercial spaces may appLearn the best ways to snow plow commercial areas this winter.ear to be a fast job but there are important considerations to make as you prepare to service these accounts this winter.
Preparing Commercial Accounts
- Before the season starts, inspect the entire area for potential hazards such as holes, speed bumps, medians, low landscaping, fire hydrants and other obstacles that will be covered with snow.
- Position markers or stakes with reflectors at least three feet off the ground to indicate boundaries, ditches, medians, shut-off valves and other areas that could cause damage when plowing.
- Request a map or blueprint of the area to determine where to begin, open areas where snow can be stacked and other strategies to achieve the most efficient removal plan.
- Ask for any restrictions as to where snow can be stacked or areas that the owner does not want plowed.
- Plan your removal so you are driving forward as much as possible.
- Be sure you have the right equipment and vehicle to handle the demands of the job.
Plowing Commercial Areas
- Always turn on warning flashers when plowing to alert any customer or employee that plowing is in progress.
- Back-drag snow away from the front of buildings first, then push the cleared snow to the outer edges.
- When plowing areas of 100,000 sq.ft. or more, it is usually most efficient to plow at right angles to the main artery, piling up windrows by back and forth passes in alternate lanes.
- Create a large enough space to be able to accommodate cleared snow from future storms without blocking highly trafficked areas.
- Do not pile snow close to handicapped spaces.
- Begin plowing at the suggested accumulation for your property type: 1" for commercial and institutional areas; 2" for industrial establishments.
- Avoid creating large piles near the end of driveways as they create visibility problems for vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot.
Inform your snow removal team of all the new account layouts and the strategies you have developed to ensure they can quickly and confidently clear each commercial property. Snow plow experts also recommend having your team ready to act when snow is expected as actual snowfall frequently exceeds the forecasted conditions.
Having a well-planned snow plow removal plan for commercial accounts greatly reduces the chances of having to implement expensive emergency actions and establishes your company as a leader in the snow removal industry.
What tips do you have for plowing large commercial properties?