LNB@nbnet.nb.ca - 1-866-752-6862 - Box 742, Saint John, NB, E2L4B3
LNB@nbnet.nb.ca - 1-866-752-6862 - Box 742, Saint John, NB, E2L4B3
In late 2020, the Canadian Snow & Ice Management Industry approached the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) with a request to consider the development of a national standard on snow and ice management.
Three key reasons to support this request were identified:
- Ensuring public and worker safety
- Rising liability and insurance costs, and
- Managing risk from snow and ice management practices to nearby ecosystems.
CSA Group agreed that the proposal had merit for further investigation and the scoping review for a proposed Snow and Ice Management standard for Canada was completed in August
Four key issues and risks facing the industry were identified and discussed during the workshop:
1) Liability; -snow and ice management contractors are required to bear all the liability for slips and falls on properties they service.
2) Training and Competency; -since there are no formalized requirements for contractors to meet a minimum level of training and/or competency there is a lack of consistency between operators, many of whom are “fly-by-night” operators who don’t provide a consistent and professional level of service.
3) Environmental Impacts; -with the overuse of rock salt creating significant environmental impacts to surrounding ecosystems, particularly freshwater systems.
4) Regulatory Framework; -with significant safety and environmental concerns associated with snow and ice management practices, there is currently no statutory framework that specifically regulates what the industry must do to protect the environment or the safety of the public.
The CSA group has undertaken a cost/benefit analysis and authorization for a new standard project has been received from the senior management at CSA Group. With funding in place from the CNLA, the project is scheduled to begin early in the new year.