Is Your Business Prepared For The Winter Weather?

It was less than 12 months ago that the UK came to a virtual standstill due to arctic conditions sweeping the country. Extreme winter weather can be a major hindrance to businesses, affecting properties but also causing interruption to daily operations. As the UK now slides into autumn, any business owner should now ask the question - is my business adequately prepared for the winter and the onset of cold weather?

Snow, flooding, freezing conditions and high winds can wreak havoc and have a long-term impact upon your business if you are unprepared. Staff may not physically be able to get to work, deliveries may be delayed or worst of all, customers may not be able to access your goods or services. On top of all this, you may incur huge repair costs which could have been easily avoided with a little foresight and planning.

Monmouthshire Insurance Services (MIS), a commercial insurance subsidiary of Monmouthshire Building Society, based in Newport, are on hand to offer local business owners free advice on what areas to watch our for, as well as some simple protective steps they can take to avoid damage and expensive repair or replacement costs:

Pipes – check their integrity on a regular basis to avoid leaks that can cause flood damage to property, business equipment and stock.

Insulation – your water pipes and water tank should be properly insulated to guard against the risk of freezing, especially those in roof voids.

Gutters & Drains – regularly check for any blockages such as fallen leaves as obstructions will allow water to build which could cause flooding or damage if the blocked water freezes.

Central Heating – check your system has a ‘frost-stat’ setting which will override the timer if the temperature plummets whilst the heating is off, to help avoid the pipes freezing over.

Stock – store any stock off the floor that would be particularly susceptible to water damage.

Stop cock – ensure staff know where the stop cock is located should they need to turn it off in the event of a leak. This is particularly important during the Christmas and New Year period when only a skeleton staff may be working.

Roof Maintenance – check for loose or missing tiles on the roof of your business property to prevent the possibility of water damage or even a collapsed roof

Temporary Heaters – use either electric convector or fan-assisted heaters with thermostatic cut-outs, which activate in the event of possible over-heating. Avoid liquid petroleum gas heaters as they radiate excess vapour which can lead to rot within a property’s woodwork.

Recovery Plan – You should have a recovery plan in the event of an incident occurring e.g. burst pipe – a list of plumbers phone numbers avaibel to key staff.

It’s the very unpredictable nature of winter weather that makes it advisable for business owners to use these practical measures to prepare for weather conditions. It’s important you check your insurance policy documents to see what level of cover you have in place. If it’s not as comprehensive as you thought, and leaves your business vulnerable, then it’s advisable to speak to an insurance broker.

Monmouthshire Insurance Services (MIS) specialise in helping businesses find the right type of insurance cover to suit their needs. If you’re concerned as to whether you have adequate cover in place for your business or would like a no-obligation commercial insurance healthcheck, then Monmouthshire Insurance Services can help. Call 01633 844 450 or visit www.mis.co.uk for more information.