Allowing customers to have access to your business year-round is important for inclusion, but also for earning a profit!
During these winter months, don’t neglect wheelchair ramps that allow easy access into your building so you can create a positive customer experience for individuals of all abilities. Since our commercial-grade ramps are all made out of corrosion-resistant aluminum, we’ll cover our top tips for maintaining an aluminum ramp in the winter that gets a lot of traffic.
Be Proactive
Keep track of weather updates in your area and put preventative measures in place before the snow or ice hits. You can find products that help prevent the build-up of ice for all types of surfaces, but they must be applied before ice and snow accumulate. Get to know how the weather in your region of the country affects access solutions and how to address them by reading our blog about it.
Use a Plastic Shovel
Aluminum ramps can outlast all of the elements, but using a metal shovel is a sure way to acquire damage. Metal shovels can scratch and dent aluminum ramps as you scoop snow away. Get rid of large piles of snow by using a plastic shovel to keep the path clear. This way you can protect the aluminum and your customers!
Invest in a Snow Broom
While they aren’t actually called snow brooms, we recommend keeping a thick-bristled push broom around to easily sweep snow off a ramp or stair system. After large piles are cleared with a plastic shovel, the push broom will clear any snow that’s stuck between the tread’s grooves. With the grooves cleared, an aluminum ramp can offer a better grip for slippery wheels or shoes that may use the ramp resulting in a safer experience for all.
Lay Out Ice Melt
To help prevent hazardous falls, we suggest sprinkling a layer of Magnesium Chloride salt substitute on the access solution to melt snow or ice accumulation. If you have a ramp made of aluminum, like our PATHWAY® HD Code Compliant Modular Access System, a simple cleaning of the walking surface after the snow and ice have cleared will remove any sort of Magnesium Chloride residue.
We recommend finding a daily pattern for these steps as snowfall and ice become regular in your area.
When you follow these steps regularly, your business’s access solution will remain clear and safe to use.