In the cold an icy months of winter, many of my clients come to me for signs to place around their business' parking and walkway areas to caution employees, customers and visitors of the potentially hazardous conditions. There are two key items to keep in mind when using this type of signage to ensure your maximum liability coverage:

1. Ensure that your signage covers all of the potentially impacted areas in and around your property. You must conspicuously post signs where ever hazards may occur; and,
2. Signs should only be displayed when the hazard is present. This means, take them down when surfaces are dry.

The second one is a real sticking point for some folks who want to buy some yard signs and stake them around from November through April. Unfortunately, this does not provide adequate protection in the case of "slip and fall" liability claims. To better protect your business, we recommend using portable a-frame or other signs that can be moved in and out as the need arises. Collapsable signs can be stored in utility closets or behind lobby plants when not in use and are at hand when temperatures and precipitation drop.  These signs can be reused during the remainder of the year for other purposes by printing on the reverse side of the removable panels.