Protecting workers and visitors is a duty all business owners share. Whether it’s keeping them safe from wrongdoers or mitigating fall risks around the premises, steps must be taken to shield everyone from harm. To help address such potential dangers, here are a few safety tips on diminishing the threat of external building hazards.
While there are building codes and regulated guidelines to follow, it’s beneficial to be proactive when it comes to building safety. As such, taking proactive measures rather than reactive ones could be the most important tip anyone in charge receives. After all, the codes merely provide minimum standards and may not meet specific requirements of the building or its occupants.
For instance, while a handrail may help reduce the chance of slips and falls in a particular area, there are more applicable solutions to implement as well. Adequate lighting or additional signage with clearer verbiage could be installed to help diminish injuries of this nature, which are the leading cause of premises liability claims against businesses. It’s smaller, preemptive considerations like these that go beyond the bare minimum and could end up making a noticeable difference.
Along the same lines is preparing for inclement weather. Depending on geographical location, dangerous weather can ensue quickly and pose a sudden threat to employees, clients and the business itself. Plan ahead by employing a weather consulting firm that can integrate post-storm accumulation totals into the organization’s billing software. Snow removal and ice management services should also be retained to prevent fall injuries and property damage, especially in parking lots.
Speaking of parking, businesses of all shapes and sizes would be remiss to overlook safety measures in these, at times, dangerous areas. To offer better protection in this setting, it’s advised to install security mirrors, provide adequate lighting, and utilize barriers and other appropriate defensive equipment for the space.
External security cameras should also be mounted in parking areas as well as by every point of entry. It’s recommended to strategically locate each camera to provide maximum coverage in the event footage is needed. These tools are effective in not only monitoring the building, but also in acting as a deterrent to those looking to commit a crime. Building safety and security is not something to take lightly. Going forward, consider reviewing the protection strategies in place routinely and upgrading as needed. For further examples of external building hazards and ways to mitigate risk, please see the accompanying resource.
Provided by Certified Snowfall Totals – the nation’s leader of snowfall totals
