Scenario: a client disputes whether you did the work, and your memory is the only evidence. Direct answer: keep a short log for every storm, filled in at the time, with the same fields every time. The template below serves disputes, maintenance planning and pricing. It is a template, not a legal requirement.
Template
| Field | Example entry | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Date and site | Date, site name or ID | Links the record to a place |
| Start and finish time | Time arrived, time left | Shows when work was done |
| Conditions on arrival | Snow depth estimate, ice, temperature, wind | Explains the work |
| Work done | Passes, areas, pile locations | Shows scope |
| Treatment | Product and approximate amount, if used | Tracks cost and compliance |
| Truck and driver | Unit ID, name | Links to equipment records |
| Edge and shoe condition | Fine, worn, damaged; change needed | Plans maintenance |
| Issues | Obstacles, damage, complaints | Protects against later claims |
| Photos | Before and after, time-stamped | Backs up the record |
How to keep it light
A log survives when it costs two minutes at the site.
- Use one page or one phone form, not three.
- Fill it in at the site, not at the end of the week.
- Use tick boxes where you can.
- Take two photos, a wide and a close, at the start and the end.
- Store them in one folder per site and date.
What to do with the logs
Review monthly. Look for sites with repeated issues, trucks with edge problems and storms where costs ran high. Use the findings in pricing and in maintenance planning.
Limit
How long to keep records and what they must show may be set by your contract, insurer or local law. Ask them.
A common mistake
Logs often fail because they ask for too much. A crew that must fill in twenty fields after a night shift will skip them. Start with five fields and add more only when you know you will use them.
A five-field starter version
If the table feels long, begin with five fields: site, date, start and finish times, work done and one photo. Add conditions and edge condition once the crew is filling in the first five reliably. A short record kept every time is worth more than a detailed form used once. Review the first month together and ask the crew what they would remove.
Boundary: No record-retention rules are cited; check your contract, insurer and local law for what you must keep and for how long.
Further reading on this site.
Friction Measurement and Surface Condition Reporting on Runways ↗What should an insert drawing say about the surface that will be brazed? ↗Carbide snow plow blades ↗Subcontractor Equipment Standards: A Minimum List for Edges, Shoes and Damage Liability ↗When a Plow Damages a Curb or Surface: Documenting Edge Contact for a Claim ↗Per-Push vs Seasonal Contracts: How Each Shifts Edge-Wear Risk ↗
