News Article

Is Your Business Ready For Winter Closure?

The festive season in on the horizon and the obligatory Christmas adverts in November are nearly here. But preparing your business for the challenges this time of year presents can take some time, so they are worth considering early (even if it is for many too soon for the ads).

A huge number of people look forward to a few weeks next month when many buildings will be left vacant as schools, industrial and commercial premises shut down over the over the Christmas and New Year period.  Preventing unauthorised entry to your buildings and ensuring they are protected against fire and flooding is not complicated but is something worth thinking about now.  Here are some handy tips to guide you:

Keep up appearances - make the premises look like it is occupied or at least being visited intermittently.  Programmable lighting is an ideal solution for this

Lock the gates, doors and windows with all available locking mechanisms and set intruder and fire alarms if fitted. 

Organise to have irregular visits by staff, neighbours or security guards during the period of unoccupancy.

Inform your friendly neighbours – many incidents are curtailed through the watchfulness of neighbours. 

Inform the Police and Fire & Rescue Services if you’d expect them to respond differently because of the unoccupancy. 

Isolate services – if practical, isolate water supplies, electricity and gas. This removes the primary sources of damage from fire, explosion and water ingress.

Maintain roofs and rooflights in good condition.  Once the weather has broken through the outer envelope, it can wreak more damage than a typical intruder if left unchecked.

Prepare for cold snaps – check insulation of pipework and tanks for live water systems or drain them down temporarily. Or maintain heating above 4˚C.

Apply the ‘5D’s of Security’ to make the site and the building(s) secure:

• Deter unwanted intrusions (keeping up appearances)
• Defend the premises (barriers to access)
• Detect intrusions (spot them early)
• Deny access to fuels and tools (bolt it down or lock it up)
• Demonstrate response (lights, camera, action)

Last but by no means least, turn off your Christmas tree lights!