Snow and ice removal is more than just routine maintenance. It is a crucial part of maintaining safe housing communities throughout the winter. Slippery walkways, icy stairs, and blocked exits can create hazardous conditions quickly; a well-structured snow response plan helps minimize these risks.
Clear policies set the expectations for how your team or contracted vendor will prepare for, respond to, and follow up after winter weather. They help ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities and that service remains consistent throughout the season. To make this easier, we created two sample policy templates you can download and customize based on how your organization manages snow and ice removal.
Sample policy parts
- Roles and responsibilities for leadership, property management staff, maintenance teams, and contracted vendors
- Priority areas for snow and ice removal, including walkways, entrances, parking areas, and emergency access routes
- Required response timelines based on snowfall, ice conditions, and storm severity
- Communication procedures for notifying residents and staff about storm preparation and service updates
- Documentation practices to support incident response, record keeping, and liability protection
Why this matters
Snow and ice can create hazardous conditions very quickly. Without a clear and documented policy, teams may respond inconsistently during storms, leaving important areas untreated or causing confusion about who is responsible for each task. This can lead to preventable injuries, property damage, and unnecessary claims.
A written policy, whether used for in-house maintenance teams or contracted providers, offers structure, improves response times, and helps ensure the safety of residents, staff, and visitors. It also supports record keeping and liability protection, especially when paired with a snow removal tracking log.
These sample policies give your organization a strong starting point. Review them with your leadership team and legal counsel, customize them to fit your operations, and share them with everyone responsible for snow and ice management this winter.
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This article is for general information only. HAI Group® makes no representation or warranty about the accuracy or applicability of this information for any particular use or circumstance. Your use of this information is at your own discretion and risk. HAI Group® and any author or contributor identified herein assume no responsibility for your use of this information. You should consult with your attorney or subject matter advisor before adopting any risk management strategy or policy.
HAI Group® is a marketing name used to refer to insurers, a producer, and related service providers affiliated through a common mission, management, and governance. Property-casualty insurance and related services are written or provided by Housing Authority Property Insurance, A Mutual Company; Housing Enterprise Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Specialty Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Investment Group, Inc.; and Housing Insurance Services (DBA Housing Insurance Agency Services in NY and MI).