Snow and Ice Management By Renae Beegle
Photos courtesy of Ventrac
Sidewalk Snow Management Equipment selection makes all the difference
S
idewalk snow management is one of the most difficult aspects of operating a snow removal business. When the work entails harsh weather conditions coupled with long, cold hours in the midst of a storm, it becomes ex- tremely taxing on employees and management alike. It
is labor-intensive work and most sidewalks are still done the old- fashioned way — by hand. Even with progress in developing big- ger and better snow removal equipment, cleaning sidewalks remains one of the last to advance.
Challenging, to say the least Ask any snow professional what their biggest challenge is con-
cerning sidewalk management and they will tell you, it's retaining sidewalk crew members. Employees are a key element to any side- walk management operation. Keeping those employees event after
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event is one of the biggest issues faced by snow professionals. "The biggest challenge is our guys…in a big, big storm, when we have a 12-hour snow storm, they just get burned out," said Jim Johnson, owner of Johnson Seasonal Services in Auburn Hills, Mich. "The machines can go 24/7, but people can't." It is agreed by all that sidewalk crews work in the worst condi-
tions and, therefore, many snow contractors offer incentives to keep their sidewalk laborers. Offering a good hourly wage, along with a guaranteed number of hours, can help with employee re- tention. "The hardest part of the job is you are exposed to the ele- ments," said Chris Marino, owner of Xtreme Snow Pros in New Jersey. Marino knows his sidewalk crews are out in the harshest conditions, but high performance is necessary to get the work done as quickly and efficiently as possible, and this is no easy task. Johnson finds that offering a place to sleep, shower and eat helps
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