Management techniques for snow and ice operations are undergoing a shift, and supervisors need to adapt their strategies if they wish to keep ahead in a changing environment. A webinar at the 2021 American Public Works Association (APWA) Snow and Ice Conference detailed how.
Lee Perkins, director of public works and engineering for Renfrew County in Ontario, Canada, said that the gold standard for management strategies has changed in recent decades toward a more team-and communication-oriented approach. This is in part because of the unique, multi-generational mix of workers in the winter maintenance field—many with varying work philosophies and familiarity with technology.
This change is also needed because of the steady development of new technologies. Fast-paced data has become a central part of maintenance planning, and specialized training is becoming increasingly important as computers and other complicated (and expensive) technologies integrate with maintenance vehicles.
Winter maintenance success will increasingly depend on effective planning, training, communication, and teamwork. Adapting to these changing needs, Perkins said, will be a slow process, since traditions tend to die hard and government organizations are generally slow to change.
Team-focused strategies
Taking a team- and communication-focused approach to management can serve as solid bedrock for creating an effective winter maintenance system, Perkins said. The “keys for success” include:
- Communicating effectively
- Developing staff and delegating roles effectively
- Promoting an honest, fair, and cordial work environment
- Caring for the needs of the team members
- Being able to work well under stressful conditions
- Taking a proactive approach to issues
- Giving sincere feedback
- Listening to staff
- Developing and promoting effective training
Overall, the welfare and success of the team should be a top priority. “It’s never about the role,” Perkins said. “It’s not about climbing the ladder, getting to the next level and all that. It’s always about the goal.”
Winter maintenance planning
Developing an official, written winter maintenance plan is important for a number of reasons, Perkins stressed. For the public, it outlines what levels of service they should expect from the department. Within the department, it serves to identify responsibilities and roles, outline strategies and resources, and establish a line of succession.
“If you’re prepared, luck is definitely on your side,” Perkins said. He outlined what an annual winter maintenance plan might look like:
Later winter/early spring
- Gather and analyze past-season information to be used in future planning—weather patterns, personnel hours spent, payroll total, etc.
Spring
- Schedule planning meetings for all relevant stakeholders.
- Review lessons from the past season and make plans for the coming season.
- Check equipment and facilities, restock supplies.
Late spring/early summer
- Forecast personnel/staffing needs.
- Estimate vehicle/equipment requirements.
Late summer
- Issue new contracts.
- Develop public outreach for the coming year.
- Finish any planned maintenance/upgrades of facilities.
- Check that you have or can get necessary equipment/materials.
Early fall
- Issue winter operations plans/maps.
- Brief officials and the public on the plans.
- Conduct training.
- Issue equipment.
- Inspect routes.
- Conduct practice dry-runs.
Early/mid-winter
- If there’s no snow yet, double-check equipment, materials, route plans, and communication/notification systems.
- If there’s snow, have an active strategy in place for inspecting, reviewing, and fixing any equipment or plans that need alteration.
Late winter/early spring
- Begin again.
“It really is just an endless planning cycle,” Perkins said.
Planning resources
The APWA offers a Winter Maintenance Supervisor Certificate workshop during its annual North American Snow Conference. Perkins also recommended looking at existing winter maintenance plans for guidance, such as MnDOT’s Maintenance Manual.
—Sophie Koch, MnLTAP freelancer
