The Costs Of Winter
Rain, floods, wind, snow and ice… winter really does throw everything at us Brits, including costs! Avoid costly repairs and reduce the risk of winter weather damage affecting your business premises with these eight top tips to remember.
- Make repairs to floors and stairways as soon as you notice that they have become uneven – including tiles that have chipped, or carpets that have frayed. These could be a tripping hazard. It’s also worth noting that when stairs are wet, people are more likely to rely on a sturdy handrail – so be sure to install one of these if you haven’t got one already.
- Make sure to clear the gutters out around your premises – as this prevents overflow, damp and dangerous ice forming on the surface below, potentially causing slips!
- Check for any signs of damage or leakage around door and window frames and fix them where needed as soon as possible, before the problem gets worse.
- Require regular testing of all your electrical installations by a qualified professional electrician. Faulty junction boxes and other electrical equipment can be a real danger – leading to fires and even loss of life.
- Ensure that your fire extinguishers and sprinklers are correctly installed and properly maintained. It’s also important to have adequate emergency lighting available and approved, quality fire doors fitted – away from obstacles and not blocked by any furniture.
- Freezing burst pipes is very common and amongst the most expensive insurance claims made during the colder months. Make sure that your pipes and tanks are inspected to prevent them from freezing up. If you keep the heating on low, this will prevent freezing.
- It’s a very practical idea to have an umbrella stand near the front door, as this encourages customers to hang them up, rather than carrying them around, risking damaging your stock with excess rain water.
- If you don’t have a foot mat at the front door of your premises – you should do! This will encourage customers to wipe their feet before entering, keeping floors dry. Slips and trips can often be one of the most common accidents in the winter weather – so always have a ‘wet floor’ sign to hand, as well as a mop!
No matter what the weather brings, make sure you plan and take action to enable safety this Winter. If you are struggling to get the cover you need, the team here at Omni Davis can help give you the peace of mind you deserve, by sourcing the cover you require or by providing valuable advice.
Contact us by Telephone on 01403 785775 or via Email on info@omnidavis.co.uk.
We’d be more than happy to help.
