Snow Tubing Risk Management Tips
Between 2008 and 2017, 220,488 snow enthusiasts visited U.S. emergency departments to treat sledding and snow tubing-related injuries. Slightly less than 70% of those patients were under nineteen.
With the winter season ramping up in some parts of the country, many families plan to go snow tubing this year.
As a snow tubing business owner, there are several steps you can take to ensure your customers enjoy the snow safely. This article will cover snow tubing risk management tips.
Take a minute to read through these helpful tips before the 2022-23 snow season starts.
Understanding The Risk of Snow Tubing
Snow tubing is a popular winter activity throughout the U.S., even in Florida, where an accident at a tubing hill injured several riders. Emergency personnel airlifted one seriously injured person to the hospital.
Whether you’re a new or seasoned snow-tubing business owner, now is an excellent time to review the most common causes of tubing injuries. They include:
Collision
Imagine flying down a tubing hill at high speeds. Then, add another person, a tree, or a building to the mix.
Colliding with any stationary object while traveling at high speed can cause a severe head injury.
Loss of Control
Unlike traditional sleds, snow tubes don’t offer a way for a tuber to manually control speed. Using their hands doesn’t work because that can cause the tube to spin downhill. At that point, the tuber cannot control the direction of the tube.
Since speed increases during the descent, if the tuber loses control, they’re at risk of being thrown from the tube.
If you use lift equipment, there’s a risk of injury as well. It’s not usually the equipment itself but the behavior of the tuber.
Regardless of the specific risks associated with your business, you do need to ensure you have the proper insurance coverage.
Post Snow Tubing Safety Tips
You go swimming and notice the signs that say, “Swim at Your Own Risk.” Unfortunately, that doesn’t always prevent swimmers from showing off their diving skills in shallow water or participating in other risky behaviors.
The swimming pool or pond owner may still be liable when accidents occur. It’s the same at a snow tubing hill.
While posting safety rules and tips isn’t enough to protect you from a liability claim, it alerts customers to possible safety risks. It lets them know what rules they must follow to have an enjoyable and safe snow tubing experience.
Most states have laws regarding snow tuber safety. Individuals engaged in tubing have a responsibility to follow several basic safety precautions.
As the business owner, it’s up to you to ensure your customers understand safety when tubing at your facility.
You can do that by posting safety tips in a prominent location. It would help if you also had the safety tips printed to hand out to parents and other responsible adults.
Create a Dedicated Snow Tubing Area
If your business includes tubing and snow skiing areas, you should create a dedicated area for each type of activity. It’s never a good idea to allow tubing on ski hills and vice versa.
Make sure you build the tubing area away from roads and wooded areas. To ensure safety, tubers need a clear space.
Frequent Checks of Snow Conditions
Stay updated regarding snow conditions. Stay diligent by watching snow reports because snow conditions often change. Everything can be fine, and the tubing area can become icy without notice.
Frequent checks and updates ensure that icy areas are noticed early. You can close them off or advise customers to avoid those areas.
Provide Ample Training for Staff
To run a successful snow tubing business, your employees should be adequately trained to provide excellent customer service and safely help your visitors.
An essential safety tip that will reduce risk is to place trained staff in strategic areas where they’re ready to act quickly in case of an accident or emergency.
Training also helps you and your staff prevent slip-and-fall accidents. These hazards cause nearly 700 fatalities every year. That includes employees in the workplace and visitors.
It’s your responsibility to train staff. You should offer ongoing training as well.
Follow Your State Laws Regarding Liability
All states have laws about recreational activities. That doesn’t mean all states follow the same rules.
Recreational activity laws don’t just protect people who engage in snow tubing at your facility. They also protect you from personal injury lawsuits.
It’s critical for snow tubing business owners to familiarize themselves with the laws on premises liability in their state. The premises liability laws in Illinois may be different than those in Colorado or another state where snow tubing may be more prevalent.
Generally, you’re responsible for accidents and injuries at your facility. That’s why it’s vital to prevent slip-and-fall injuries.
You’re also liable for incidents while tubers ride the conveyer to the top of the hill. It’s your responsibility to ensure the equipment is in good working condition.
As a business owner, it’s also your job to maintain snow hills and trails used by your customers. You could be liable for injuries caused by a lack of attention to the tubing area.
Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to carry liability insurance and ensure you understand your policy.
Read Your Snow Tubing Insurance Policy
Before you open your doors for the season, do your due diligence regarding your insurance coverage. Snow businesses have a significant liability.
You’re vulnerable to slip-and-fall injury liability anytime customers visit. It doesn’t matter whether they trip over something or slip on a wet or icy surface. Without the proper type of coverage, you put yourself and your business at risk.
The wisest thing to do is talk with a qualified insurance partner who can discuss insurance options with you. Doing this before opening day ensures you have the best coverage to minimize issues caused by personal injury claims.
Talking with an insurance partner or broker is also an opportunity to review other types of insurance you may need for your business. For example, if you’re in an area prone to avalanche activity, you need a policy specific to that type of risk.
Contact XINSURANCE For More Snow Tubing Risk Management Tips
As with most recreational business ventures, there are a variety of things you must attend to that ensure snow tubers have a fun but safe experience. While reading about snow tubing risk management tips is helpful, there’s nothing like talking to an expert.
The team at XINSURANCE knows precisely what type of snow tubing insurance you need to run your business safely.
Learn more about insurance for winter activities and to get a quote. You can also contact us by phone at 877-585-2853 or email us at info@xinsurance.com.
Insurance for Other Winter Recreational Activities
XINSURANCE can do more than just snow tubing. We can provide customized insurance solutions for other winter activities including snowmobiling, ski resorts, ice climbing, Christmas tree lots, and more!
Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE
Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.
