As a snow and ice management contractor, the most challenging type of event to manage is freezing rain, which is when rain hits a surface with a temperature below freezing, causing ice to form because the rain freezes shortly after contact.
When dealing with freezing rain, developing your operational strategy with your team is critical. You want to be sure you have enough material on hand and a vendor who can also replenish quickly. Depending on your route density and job mix, your ability to get to all your sites in a timely manner can be impacted by local road conditions and traffic. Larger sites that have dedicated crews who don’t have to manage multiple sites may have more resources at their disposal to better manage a freezing rain event. Routes with smaller job sites that are serviced by the same truck/crew will have a longer cycle times and may require a heavier application.
Timely mobilization of your crews is key and should happen prior to the start of freezing rain. This may mean your crews are onsite and ready for the transition to occur and sites to become slick. This is an important factor when communicating with your customers to ensure they understand that this is a billable service. As we all know, the forecast isn’t always spot on, and the rain could be delayed by a few hours or start sooner than forecasted.
To create the most accurate ice management strategy, ensure your teams are equipped with infrared thermometers to measure surface temperatures. This will help them with decisions related to how much to apply and when to treat. Make sure they also understand that different surfaces will have different temperatures, which means that some surfaces will require additional treatment. An example of this would be concrete sidewalks vs. asphalt roadways: the concrete will tend to be at a lower temperature than the asphalt.
I remember a storm 10 years ago in Ohio that lasted for six to eight hours and resulted in multiple applications. A site I managed had an asphalt temperature of 28°F and the sidewalks were 18°F. Even after the air temperatures had risen above 35°F, the surfaces continued to ice over. The asphalt was the first area that was safe, but the sidewalks required two additional applications before the icing risk had ended. As you can imagine, this was a very challenging event and led to a lot of landscaping damage, requiring intense cleanup after the event.
As always, your employees’ safety is of the utmost importance and should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This includes how they dress –especially the sidewalk crews who will be out in the elements. Rain suits and waterproof boots are essential, along with extra clothes in case crews get wet and need to change. Surfaces will be slick, including truck beds, so crews should move at a slower pace and not rush to get things done.
You may want to recommend that your customers message their employees/tenants about the weather risks and urge them to use extreme caution if they must be outside.
Finally, be sure to check the entire site for unsafe conditions. Any northfacing or raised surfaces are prone to icing even if other areas aren’t slick. Knowing your site and being able to target these areas will provide the best level of service to your customers and showcase your level of expertise as a snow and ice management contractor.
It’s important to communicate with your customers about all expected snow and ice events and outline your plan of attack. However, a forecasted freezing rain event requires additional communication and planning to properly manage the customers’ expectations and help mitigate the associated risks. Here are some factors that should be discussed:
Time of day: Is the freezing rain event expected overnight or during business hours, or in the morning or evening rush hour?
Forecast timeline: Will it start as rain and transition to freezing rain, or will it start as freezing rain? This will impact pre-treatment vs. posttreatment plans.
Application type and frequency: Most freezing rain events will require multiple applications given the higher dilution rate of the chemicals being used (brine vs. granular vs. pre-wetted granular).
Surface vs. air temperature: Surface temperature is the most important aspect to consider since different surfaces on the same property may be at different temperatures, impacting frequency and rate of application.
Primary vs. secondary areas: When possible, depending on the property type, the focus should be on the primary areas (e.g., handicap spots, main building entrances and parking lots).
Impact to landscape: Events with heavy freezing rain will cause damage to trees and shrubs since the weight of the ice will cause branches to break. This will lead to additional post-storm cleanup.
Of course, you can be as prepared as possible to handle freezing rain and still encounter unexpected challenges. For some longer events, it may not be feasible to continue to apply chemicals as it continues to freeze. What’s most important is that you consider your customers’ expectations and budget, as well as your crews’ safety, as you adjust your plan – and always keep the lines of communication open.
Jump start solutions - Are your operations set up to manage a freezing rain event successfully and profitably?
Josh Nichols, CSP, is regional snow manager for Ruppert Companies in Laytonsville, MD. Contact him at jnichols@ruppertcompanies.com.