Team Member Training

Instructions

One - Watch Each Video in its entirety.

Two - Take Assessment and click "Submit" after each video.

That's It! Let's be educated snow professionals together!

Haga clic aquí para la versión en español

#1 Snowplowing Safety & Preparation

Assessment #1 | Snowplowing Safety and Preparation

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. Which of the following items need to be marked on a site during the snow staking process? *

A. Fire hydrants
B. Utility boxes
C. Gas meters
D. Sewer vent pipes
E. All of the Above

2. Since you will be in the cab of a truck most of the time, dressing for winter weather and bringing gloves and quality boots isn’t necessary. *

A. True
B. False

3. If additional ballast is needed to meet weight distribution requirements for a plow vehicle, you should add that ballast securely: *

A. In front of the rear axle
B. Behind the rear axle

4. When conducting your pre-check on the plow vehicle, which of the following fluid levels should you check? *

A. Engine oil
B. Brake fluid
C. Transmission fluid
D. Battery
E. Radiator coolant
F. Windshield washer
G. All of the above

5. When testing the plow controls and hydraulics, it’s okay to have someone standing between the truck and the plow as long as you are careful with the controls. *

A. True
B. False

6. While a vehicle is traveling to a site, a best practice for transportation of a straight plow is: *

A. To angle the blade to the right, toward the curb
B. To move the plow blade occasionally while driving to adjust for air flow
C. To put the plow into its lowest position

7. Occasionally, the plow may be in a position that deflects air away from the radiator, which could cause overheating of the vehicle. The best solution if this occurs is: *

A. To move the plow to a new position while driving
B. Most newer pickups are built to withstand higher temperatures, just get to the site as quickly as possible and then turn the truck off
C. Stop the vehicle and raise or lower the plow to provide more direct air flow

8. Your maximum speed when transporting the plow on a road or highway in normal conditions should not exceed: *

A. 80 miles per hour
B. 45 miles per hour
C. The posted speed limit for the road/highway

9. Speed while plowing a parking lot is the most important factor to getting the job done efficiently. *

A. True
B. False

10. When parking a truck with a plow attached, which method is the best to ensure safety? *

A. Lower the blade to the ground and turn the blade controls off
B. Put the plow all the way up and angle the tires to the right
C. Park the vehicle against a building, with the plow facing out
D. None of the above

#2 Essential Snowplowing Techniques

Assessment #2 | Essential Snowplowing Techniques

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. Safety, quality, and efficiency are the three most critical issues to consider related to plowing. Of these three, quality is the most important. *

A. True
B. False

2. When planning for plowing a site, a good rule of thumb is: *

A. Plan to push most snow towards a building
B. Plan to pile snow on top of drainage areas for melting
C. Plan to push snow away from buildings as much as possible

3. When piling snow, thinking 2 storms ahead is a good rule of thumb to accommodate potential future snowfall. *

A. True
B. False

4. Which of the following should you NEVER pile snow on? *

A. Loading docks
B. Cars
C. Dumpsters
D. Fire hydrants
E. Doorways
F. Sidewalks
G. All of the Above

5. It is better to plow three inches of snow three times than to plow nine inches of snow one time. *

A. True
B. False

6. Which of the following should ideally come first? *

A. Plowing the parking lot, then blowing/shoveling the walks
B. Blowing/shoveling the walks, then plowing the parking lot

7. With two inches of snow or less, a good rule of thumb for plowing is: *

A. Use the whole width of the plow
B. Use 50% of the plow
C. Backdrag the snow
D. Don’t plow it, salt it

8. Sticking your head out of the window to see where you’re going is a best practice while plowing. *

A. True
B. False

9. Putting the shoes of the plow down works best when plowing which surface? *

A. Asphalt
B. Concrete
C. Gravel
D. Roads

10. One way to increase efficiency and reduce stress on the transmission is to design plow patterns that reduce the need to operate in reverse. *

A. True
B. False

11. When clearing driveways, which of the following is MOST accurate? *

A. For driveways longer than three car lengths, backdrag the entire length at once
B. For driveways shorter than three car lengths, backdrag the entire drive to increase efficiency
C. Don’t backdrag snow on driveways

12. When considering plowing across a roadway, which of the following is MOST accurate? *

A. In general, it’s okay if it’s not a busy road
B. It’s okay as long you accelerate quickly across the road
C. It may be illegal and you should check with your supervisor before plowing snow across any public road

13. When plowing a small lot, you should plow in straight lines whenever possible. *

A. True
B. False

14. How many feet should you keep between your plow and parked cars? *

A. Ten feet
B. One foot
C. Three feet
D. Two feet

15. If you are trying to keep up with a big storm, its okay to try to plow the grocery cart racks vs. hand clearing them. *

A. True
B. False

16. If you can pile snow at both ends of the lot, you can increase efficiency by pushing the snow in both directions. *

A. True
B. False

17. When plowing during or near opening time, do the employee parking last, since they are not customers. *

A. True
B. False

18. When plowing along a row of parked cars, you can angle the blade to push the snow away from the cars, and then use the scoop position to clean up the middle of the aisle. *

A. True
B. False

19. If handicap parking stalls are empty on a large site, it’s okay to pile snow there temporarily as you try to keep up with a big snow storm. *

A. True
B. False

#3 Sidewalk Clearing of Snow & Ice

Assessment #3 | Sidewalk Clearing of Snow & Ice

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. When fueling a snow blower, always: *

A. Drain the water from the tank
B. Fill the tank halfway
C. Keep snow from the fuel tank

2. Ice melters in larger quantities are: *

A. Prone to hardening if allowed to get wet
B. Toxic to plants
C. Hard to handle

3. Lifting a single stage snow blower by myself can: *

A. Cause an injury to me or damage to the blower
B. Speed up the job
C. Allow my coworkers to continue shoveling

4. The most important consideration when dressing for winter walkway work is to: *

A. Stay warm
B. Stay dry
C. Stay awake

5. Slip and falls are more likely to occur: *

A. During the snowfall
B. On short walkways
C. On steps and landings

6. When applying ice melters I need to: *

A. Spread heavily down the sides
B. Spread evenly, over the center of the walkway
C. Spread evenly from edge to edge

7. On a single stage snow blower: *

A. The chute and chute deflector is adjustable
B. The chute points towards the operator
C. An impellor throws the snow

8. An outer shell is an important layer of clothing while shoveling. Which is best? *

A. Waterproof and breathable
B. Breathable and cotton
C. Heavy wool underneath

9. During a heavy snow event, back injuries are more likely if: *

A. Snow blowers are used
B. Workers take many breaks
C. Workers try to lift too much snow at one time

10. When our base layer or underwear gets wet, it makes us: *

A. Feel weak
B. Very tired
C. Become cold quickly

#3B Snowrator Liquid Tank Operation

#4 Skid Steer Loaders & Compact Equipment

Assessment #4 | Skid Steer Loaders & Compact Equipment

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. The skid steer’s hydraulic power lockout bar: *

A. Empowers the machine’s hydraulics when it is lowered
B. Disables the machine’s hydraulics when it is lowered
C. Can be adjusted to limit hydraulic pressure and save fuel

2. The plow’s trip edge: *

A. Protects the driver from falling when mounting or dismounting the skid steer
B. Locks to prevent the skid steer rolling backwards on an incline
C. Absorbs impact with fixed objects as a safety mechanism

3. Buckets are particularly useful for: *

A. Pushing snow
B. Back dragging
C. Piling snow

4. Most actuators are designed to “break away,” which means they: *

A. Are fragile and frequently need to be replaced
B. Give way when they hit a fixed object, reducing damage to the wings and plow components
C. Can be fully detached for single-row plowing in tight spaces

5. One way to make sure a plow is properly attached to a skid steer is to: *

A. Do a gentle rolling glide into a snow bank and make sure it doesn’t tilt
B. Adjust the wings backwards all the way – the wings can’t go all the way back if the plow isn’t mounted properly
C. Carefully raise the bucket slightly off the ground and tilt it forward

6. The bucket leveling feature on some skid steers: *

A. Keeps the bucket level when curling and dumping snow to avoid spills
B. Automatically adjusts bucket height when you’re plowing on an incline to avoid rolling over
C. Indicates when a bucket has reached its full weight capacity to reduce pressure on hydraulic arm lifters

7. It’s important to level the box plow: *

A. After plowing to make sure it’s ready for the next job
B. On regular intervals – typically monthly – as part of regular maintenance
C. Before starting the run to be sure snow doesn’t escape beneath the plow

8. In most cases with box and wing plows, you’ll use the: *

A. Side angle position
B. Bucket level position
C. Float position

9. A circle check should be performed: *

A. Once before the start of each plowing season
B. Before every shift
C. Monthly or weekly depending on snow accumulation

10. It’s not wise to plow with a bucket because: *

A. Buckets are usually too heavy to secure with chains
B. Buckets don’t have trip edges, making impact extremely dangerous
C. Buckets tend to shift if the locking bar isn’t set properly, which is difficult in heavy snow

11. One often overlooked plowing hazard is: *

A. Chunks of ice and snow that roll off the top of an overloaded bucket and fall on the cab
B. Chunks of ice and snow that get trapped under the plow and cause impact damage
C. Chunks of ice and snow that melt during spring run-off and flood engine components

#5 Containment Plows & Pushers

Assessment #5 | Containment Plows & Pushers

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. A box plow: *

A. Has fixed plates on the sides
B. ‘Boxes’ snow for stacking in blocks
C. Opens and articulates on either side and can form a V

2. One way to make sure a plow is properly attached to skid steer bucket is to: *

A. Do a gentle rolling glide into a snow bank
B. Raise it up as high as it can go
C. Carefully raise the bucket slightly off the ground and tilt forward

3. The box plow’s cutting edge should be: *

A. Level with the shoes
B. Slightly above the shoes
C. Slightly below the shoes

4. It’s never wise to work under a plow, but if you must, the best method is: *

A. Suspend the plow above you using the loader’s hydraulics
B. Tilt one end up, leaving the other end firmly on the ground
C. Set the plow on pallets or other strong, load-bearing supports

5. One potential danger of hydraulic systems is that: *

A. The hoses contain toxic fluids under high pressure that can hurt you if they break
B. The hoses are a choking hazard if you hook them up the wrong way
C. The hoses often come loose and get tangled in power unit driveshafts

6. Uneven or excessive wear on the skid shoes can sometimes indicate: *

A. Uneven ground
B. Poor plowing technique
C. A faulty trip edge

#6 Snow Site Engineering and Planning

Assessment #6 | Snow Site Engineering and Planning

Name *

First

Last

Notes (miscellaneous information for office team):

1. Which of the following represents the three basic steps for planning on a site? *

A. Identify job site; map out key priorities/boundaries/obstacles; establish expectations with client
B. Google map the site; stake the site; plow the site
C. Get a site map from the client; estimate the site; establish expectations with client
D. None of the above

2. It’s NOT important to identify where snow should be stored on a site map, since the onsite manager will tell you when you come to plow it. *

A. True
B. False

3. Entrances and exits are an essential priority for public safety, and should always be prioritized and documented on a site engineering plan. *

A. True
B. False

4. While mapping out key priorities and boundaries on a site, which of the following is important to consider? *

A. Boundaries
B. Priority areas
C. Plowing patterns
D. Obstacles
E. Additional logistics
F. All of the above

5. Which of the following areas represents the best place to consider piling snow? *

A. Bottom of slopes, near drains
B. On top of a drain
C. In a storm retention pond
D. On a sidewalk
E. At the top of a slope

6. Drains and manholes should generally be identified on a site map. *

A. True
B. False

7. Areas that require wheelchair access or other assistive devices may require additional detail work. *

A. True
B. False

8. PAR stands for: *

A. Plowing at the Right time
B. Pedestrian Access Routes
C. A golf term used to designate the number of strokes it should take on a hole

9. Clearing snow and ice from a PAR is not just a legal obligation, it is also the right thing to do and good for business. *

A. True
B. False

10. When clearing sidewalks/PARs, you can ignore clearing the curb lines since people don’t usually walk on the curb. *

A. True
B. False

11. When storing bulk salt on a site, what should you NEVER do? *

A. Store the salt on an impervious surface
B. Cover the salt with an impervious material like a tarp, anchored strongly
C. Put the salt near a drain so runoff doesn’t track salt across the parking lot
D. Comply with all local, state/provincial, and federal requirements for salt storage