What Documentation to Keep for Snow Removal Compliance

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Good documentation is one of the most underrated parts of managing commercial snow removal. It protects your business if a claim ever comes up, and it gives you a clear record for evaluating whether your contractor is actually delivering what you're paying for.

Service logs from your contractor should be the baseline. Every visit should be recorded with a date, time, and description of what was done, whether that's plowing, salting, sidewalk clearing, or all three. Without this, you have no record beyond your own memory of when service actually happened.

Photo documentation adds another layer of protection. Photos taken at the start and end of a visit show the actual condition of the property, which matters far more than a log entry alone if a slip-and-fall claim is ever filed and you need to demonstrate reasonable care was taken.

Weather records are worth keeping too, even informally. Knowing what the actual snowfall and temperature conditions were on a given day helps you evaluate whether your contractor's response was reasonable, and it supports your position if a claim disputes whether conditions genuinely warranted service.

A Simple Winter File

• Your signed snow removal contract and site map
• The contractor's certificate of liability insurance and WSIB clearance
• Visit records with dates, times and photos
• Weather notes for each storm: start and end, snowfall, freezing rain
• Your own inspection notes and any staff reports of icy spots
• Incident reports, kept the same day if anything happens

Keep the file in one place, digital or paper, and keep it after the season ends. Claims can come in well after the snow has melted.

Do Your Own Checks Too

Contractor records cover the visits, but conditions change between them. A short daily walk of entrances, steps and ramps on winter mornings, noted with the time and what was found, shows the property owner was paying attention. Note any areas where meltwater runs across walks and refreezes, and report them to your contractor so they can be added to ice control.

Know Who Is Responsible

Leases often split snow and ice duties between landlord and tenant. Read yours and confirm who is responsible for the parking lot, walkways and entrance. If you are unsure about legal duties or notice periods for claims, get advice from a lawyer or your insurer rather than guessing.

What We Provide

We price every commercial site individually and send the quote within 2 business days, and we do not publish commercial prices. Every visit comes with a timestamped photo. We carry $2,000,000 liability insurance, are WSIB registered and are a member of the London Property Management Association.

Use Records to Review Your Contractor

Records are not only for claims. At the end of each month, compare visit times against your weather notes. Were entrances clear before opening on storm days? Were freezing rain events treated? Did the same icy spot keep coming back? Patterns like these are easier to raise with a contractor when you have dates and photos in hand, and they help you decide what to change in next year's contract, such as adding a walkway, moving a snow pile or adjusting service times.

Snow Removal Records FAQ

How long should we keep snow removal records?

Keep them well beyond the season. Ask your insurer or lawyer how long they recommend for your situation.

Are photos really necessary?

They are the clearest proof of conditions at a given time. Every visit we make comes with a timestamped photo.

Want a contractor whose records you can rely on? Get a free quote or call or text (548) 888-8702. See commercial snow removal and property managers.

What's included… and what's extra

Commercial snow service is priced per site from paved area, walkway length and opening time. A typical contract includes plowing at the agreed trigger depth, clearing before opening, hand-cleared entrances, sidewalks and ramps, and a timestamped photo log of every visit.

Common extras are quoted separately so you only pay for what the site needs: salting and de-icing per event, extra sidewalk or ramp coverage, after-hours or priority service, and snow relocation when piles run out of room. See commercial snow removal or request a site quote by calling or texting (548) 888-8702.