After the Storm
Most snowstorms with any accumulation occur at 20 degrees or above, with the temperature dropping most severely after the snow stops. After the storm, with the pavement clear and dry, is the time to wing back shoulders, clear structures and haul snow away from critical areas to make room for future snow storage.
Remove any windrows. In plowing, a windrow of snow is often left on each side of bridges. These windrows reduce the usable roadway width on the bridge. Moreover, if allowed to remain, they will later melt and form ice. Remove this snow as soon as possible. Caution. Do not dump material from overhead bridges onto roadway or railroad tracks below. Hand shovel the snow away, if necessary, to make sure all drains in the bridge floor are open and free-draining.
Clear snow from medians, barriers and guardrail. This will prevent drifting and later melting and refreezing. These safety features must also be clean to provide their full safety benefits.
Clear those drains! It is vital that roadway drains and catch basins be kept open to allow melting ice and snow to run off. When water ponds and puddles around drains, falling temperatures may cause it to refreeze. A salt application on frozen drains, catch basins and culverts frees them of snow and ice.
Safeguard Snowfighters. The whole purpose of snow and ice removal is, of course, to provide safe travel for motorists. In doing this, those in maintenance must not overlook their own safety; neither must they overlook the possibility that in trying to provide safe pavement they may be creating another safety hazard. Become familiar with a few "do"s and "don'ts" that can make your work far safer:
Watch for signs of fatigue in equipment operators. A limit of twelve continuous hours on duty seems fairly common in public works agencies in the snow belt, although some organizations permit longer work periods. In emergencies, a routine of twelve hours on and twelve off is common.
[About Salt Institute] [About salt] [About the salt industry] [News] [SI Member Business (password required] [E-Mail Salt Institute]