Evaluating the effectiveness for winter parking lot and sidewalk maintenance
Evaluate the effectiveness of actions
After the Storm
When snow and ice control operations have ended after the storm, evaluate what was done, what worked, and what could be changed to improve operations.
- Have an after-the-storm discussion with the maintenance crew.
- Have an after-the-storm discussion with the property manager.
- Consider the environmental impacts caused by deicer/abrasive use.
- Based on all aspects of the storm fighting experience, look for ways to improve practices.
- Clean and check all equipment.
- At the end of the season, clean and maintain the truck, tanks, brine-making systems, and pumps according to manufacturer specifications.
- Do not use deicers at the end of the season just to use them up. Save them for next year. Place all piles on an impervious pad and cover them. This includes salt and salt/sand mixes.
- If there is no place for year round storage, contact the city, they may be willing to purchase it, take it, or store it. Everyone benefits from good storage and less salt in our water.
Tip: Save extra salt at the end of the season. Do not apply just to get rid of it.'
Documenting and charting
Good documentation leads to reduced use of materials, more effective snow and ice control, reduced environmental impacts, and cost savings.
- Without documention and charts, there is no measurement of performance.
- Track the material use. Learn to record what and how much is applied at each site, from each visit. Be prepared to analyze and make adjustments to the process based on what is learned.
- Use forms like those shown (Figure 21 and Figure 22) to record and track the work and observations.