Snow and ice loads are usually at their highest in March. However, depending on the weather, snow and ice can collect on roofs and in trees at any point during the winter.
Snow and Ice Safely Off Roofs
Inspect your roof
The accumulation of snow on a roof can lead not only to the risk of the roof collapsing but also that of the snow mass falling on a passer-by or, for example, a car.
Roof structures are in particular danger of collapsing if the snow load is unevenly distributed across the roof. Snow easily piles up, for instance, between parallel ridge roofs or arched roofs. Large amounts of snow and ice may also pile up on flat roofs. A visual survey exposes risk-prone roofs, and the bending of structures means imminent danger. It is particularly important to inspect storage facilities, open shelters and lightweight roofs sufficiently often in order to prevent the collapse of the roof structures. When necessary, the snow load must be lessened.
Remove the snow from the roof
Remove the snow evenly from the different parts of the roof. From ridge and arched roofs, the snow should be removed so that the weight is lessened evenly from both panes. Do not pile up the snow on a roof below.
Work safely
Follow occupational safety instructions on the risks of falling. Always use a safety harness. In the spring in particular, large areas of snow can begin gliding along the roof surface simultaneously. Leave a thin layer of snow to avoid damaging the roofing.
Warn passers-by
Make sure that removing the snow and ice from the roof does not present a hazard to passers-by. Prevent the danger of falling snow and ice from roofs, structures and equipment.
Avoid the Danger of Snow Accumulating in Trees
Snow can accumulate in trees and become a crown snow load gradually or suddenly when snow or sleet is falling. Trees weighed down by snow bend and may eventually break. Trees that have bent over or fallen onto power lines or outdoor routes can easily pose a danger to life. If a large amount of snow falls from a tree, it can also be fatal.
Do not attempt to remove snow from a tree that has fallen across a power line, or from the wires. Furthermore, do not cut down a tree close to a power line – this and the foregoing can pose a danger to life. Stay away from the imminent vicinity of the incident.
If you observe a dangerous situation, contact the power company in charge of distributing power in the area. Check the power in summer cottages and other property that is not regularly inhabited.
Liability of Property Owner and Possessor
The owner of the property has a so-called emphasised duty of care regarding the maintenance of the property. It must be safe to move about in the property’s environs. If property maintenance has been neglected and somebody suffers bodily injury or property damage as a result, the owner of the property is liable to pay compensation.
Snow accumulating on rooftops and in trees is a risk that the property owner must take into consideration in the maintenance of the property. An emphasised duty of care regarding the maintenance of the property means that, in the event of an accident, the owner can be released from liability only if he/she can prove that everything possible was done to prevent the damage from occurring.
Transferring practical property maintenance tasks to an external maintenance company does not release the owner or possessor of the property from liability towards an injured third party. An injured party can always turn directly to the owner of the property when an accident occurs, even if the responsibility for maintenance tasks has been transferred in practice to a maintenance company. In addition to liability, the neglect of maintenance and a resulting accident can, in certain cases, lead to criminal liability.
Regarding the management of liability risks, it is important that property maintenance contracts define the tasks and liabilities of the maintenance company unambiguously and in great detail so that losses can be prevented and liability can be ultimately directed where it belongs.
Anni Niinikoski, If
Pekka Kallioniemi, Inspecta
