Balancing Safety and Cost in Snow Removal

It doesn’t always snow, but when it does it can bring the whole town, city, or country to a halt.

Businesses and companies may be tempted to rush to clear the snow in winter, but it’s essential that a careful balance of safety and cost-effectiveness is considered before hiring a snow removal company.

After all, the last thing you want is more accidents trying to clear the snow than from the snow itself or higher snow-clearing costs than the money lost to being snowed under.

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry!

We’re here to help you understand why snow removal is so important, what factors influence varying costs of snow removal services, and tips and tricks for balancing safety and cost while reducing your overall spending.

The Importance of Snow Removal

On average the UK receives around 23.7 days of snowfall each year, with snow staying on the ground and building up for an average of 15.6 days a year. Of course, this varies depending on where you are, with Scotland receiving much more snow than the south of England.

The necessity of snow removal is apparent when it piles up at your door – truly severe snowfall can clog up roads, bury businesses, and bring the whole country down.

One of the more recent UK snowstorms in 2018 was estimated to cost the UK roughly £1 billion a day.

Yet even when the snow is thin and the business doors remain open, removing it is still vital for ensuring safety and accessibility to the premises.

Leaving just a little snow on the ground can significantly disrupt road traffic, cause walkways to become dangerous slip-hazards, and create an insurance and liability nightmare for any business.

From ensuring logistics, visitors, and other vehicles can reach you to protecting your customers and employees from accidents (thus protecting yourself from insurance claims), removing snow from your property is always important, no matter how much there is.

Factors Influencing Snow Removal Costs

Even the same snow removal service provider may quote you different prices depending on the day.

This is because snow removal costs depend significantly on a wide variety of factors.

From varying labour costs for more or less snow to remove, to what equipment is needed (a snow plow or a shovel?), you’ll want to watch out for what situations may alter the cost of snow removal.

This is not to mention other factors unique to you such as how frequently you require snow removal services, as well as the size of your property and its type – i.e., a large car park or industrial site requiring more careful services.

Balancing Safety and Cost

You want a job well done, at the lowest cost possible.

Luckily, you can use a few key strategies to reduce your overall costs while maintaining an appropriate level of safety across your site.

Make sure to:

Hire experienced and reputable service providers. These providers are less likely to make mistakes and should be more efficient, saving you money in the long run.
Ensure your providers have the right equipment. Two workers with shovels turning up to clear your 1000 square acre industrial site is not a good sign. Again, hiring experienced providers will help alleviate this issue.
Don’t let snow build up. By hiring regular snow removal providers and continuing regular maintenance, such as gritting services, you can prevent snow build-up, making your life easier long-term.

Alternatives to Snow Removal

You may want to consider some alternative options to direct snow removal. The most popular, and often the most effective is gritting services, to prevent the snow from building up in the first place.

The most important thing to consider is your specific facility’s cost and safety needs. For those facing constant light snow, gritting is an excellent option to prevent build-up.

To combat a sudden, rare snowstorm, standard snow removal services will likely be less expensive and more effective for this one-off event.

Tips for Reducing Snow Removal Costs

Of course, you don’t always need to hire professionals.

DIY Snow Removal

It’s totally feasible to take on the snow DIY-style, using whatever equipment you can get. This approach is not without its risks.

When you own a business, you are liable for accidents that occur on your property – which is why many property owners opt to hire professionals even if they could feasibly clear the snow themselves, leaving them with peace of mind.

Not only this, a DIY approach can only handle so much snow.

If you do decide to clear snow yourself, make sure you have the right equipment, and check weather forecasts to ensure you’re tackling a small problem and not one that is about to require professionals anyway.

Tips and Tricks for Hiring Snow Removal Services

When you do need to hire professionals, it’s always worth negotiating a contract. Whether it be discounts, a package deal to get savings across multiple visits, or even multiple sites, negotiating your own deal is a great way to reduce your overall costs.

To prevent these services from eating away at your overall business budget, establish a budget for snow removal in advance — especially if it’s a common winter problem in your area.

In addition, establishing an effective plan for what areas need urgent attention will help you allocate resources and time more efficiently, helping you get back up and running quicker when the snow hits.

Conclusion

With a plan established and a trusted, reliable service provider sourced, you’re ready to face the winter weather no matter what happens.

But what if you’re still looking for the right snow removal specialists?

Well, look no further. AccuGrit is the UK’s leading snow removal services provider, managing locations nationwide with care, dedication, and urgency to keep businesses operational throughout the winter months.