Winter Preparedness Checklist for Alberta Businesses

Winter in Alberta can hit hard. It can also arrive early, stay late, and involve huge amounts of snow and extreme temperatures. This checklist is designed to help Alberta businesses to prepare for winter’s worst.

Winter Preparedness for Business Operations in Alberta 

• Complete an analysis of winter’s impact on your operations, identifying individual risks and ways to mitigate them 
• Develop maximum acceptable working limits 
• Develop a severe weather response plan 
• Provide winter training (driving, slip and fall, cold injuries, severe weather and your company’s winter-specific procedures) 

Winter Preparedness for Commercial Buildings in Alberta 

Are you ready to deal with winter at your company’s commercial buildings?

• Develop snow removal procedures for parking, roads, walkways, access points, and the roof. 
• Obtain snow removal equipment including snowblowers, leaf blowers, shovels, brooms, grit, de-icer and other equipment 
• Obtain snow removal contract if not carrying out yourself 
• Check building exterior, roof, foundation, and pavement for damage 
• Seal cracks and holes and repair other damage as necessary 
• Check and service furnace or other heating system 
• Check pipes are all adequately insulated 
• Check lighting is adequate and functional 
• Clean drainage and direct to drain away from building and not onto any walkway 
• Drain or winterize outdoor piping 
• Mark buildings and other ‘edges’ with barriers and reflectors for visibility and snow removal safety 
• Install snow fencing where necessary 
• Move or cover and mark any materials outside 
• Test carbon monoxide and fire alarms 
• Obtain wet floor and ice signage  
• Install non-slip mats at all entrances 

Winter Preparedness for Vehicles & Equipment in Alberta 

Are your company’s vehicles and equipment ready to deal with snow, ice, and cold?

• Place a kit in every vehicle that includes blanket, heat source, gloves, booster cables, tow rope, flashlight, ice scrape, snow brush and shovel 
• Make it possible for all essential equipment and vehicles to be plugged in (if block heaters are installed) 
• Ensure adequate or extra fuel is available for all vehicles and equipment 
• Carry out regular maintenance 
• Install winter tires on vehicles 
• Change to winter grade fluids 
• Develop a pre-trip winter inspection checklist for drivers (emergency kit, fuel, wiper blades, lights, heater/defrost, cleared of snow, fluids and tires) 

Winter Preparedness for Employees in Alberta 

Are your employees prepared for winter?

• Update emergency contact list 
• Provide additional winter clothing, if applicable 
• Provide winter-specific training

Talk to one of our experienced commercial insurance brokers for more risk management tips.