I own a small hotel and restaurant. Another local business was
recently devastated by fire and was forced to close. How can I
ensure my business is protected if the same thing happens to
us?
Chris Little, Managing Director at Premierline Direct, answers:
The first step is to complete a simple risk assessment identifying
possible sources of where a fire could start. This may include
kitchens, electrical wiring, contractor's work or weak areas of the
building that might be susceptible to arson attacks.
Having understood the risks, a business should adopt
preventative measures. Legally, all businesses have to abide by the
'Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997', which are designed
to make the workplace as safe as possible. As part of these
regulations, you must put certain measures in place such as
emergency exit routes, fire doors, emergency lighting,
fire-fighting equipment and fire alarms. Also, in high-risk areas,
such as the kitchen, automatic fire detectors should be installed
to give extra protection for staff and business contents. Fire
suppression equipment should be considered over cooking ranges, and
remember to have a regular maintenance contract to clean grease and
other deposits from extraction ducting.
Any signage on your premises should comply with the 'Health and
Safety (Safety Signs & Signals) Regulations 1996' to point
staff or visitors on the premises to escape routes or emergency
exits and make sure staff are aware of emergency procedures.
Make sure that you are covered by a comprehensive and tailored
insurance policy. Ensure you update and re-value your records to
confirm that you are always fully protected if you have to make a
claim.
Another area is business interruption, which covers any loss of
income following a disaster, such as a fire or flood; with the aim
of getting your business back on its feet as quickly as possible.
It provides a financial safety net by covering any reasonable
additional expenditure incurred in maintaining the income of your
business.