When changing business locations and moving the business into a new premise, it’s a good idea to perform some property checks.
Doing so confirms that the company has acted responsibly to ensure they are providing a safe, healthy workplace for all employees and visitors alike. Things like security for the building and a safe electricity supply are important to verify to keep employees and property safer.
Here are some checks that are worth doing on a commercial property when setting up to occupy it.
Energy Supplier, Best Deals and Safety Issues
As a business, there’s often more than one potential energy supplier. It depends on the location of the property and the local availability. A simple check on local energy suppliers is likely to confirm whether they can supply to that commercial building. Once apprised of the options, it’s possible to shop around for the best energy deal based on future estimated usage.
Also, consider other factors too. If the property is newly leased and rented, then it’s sensible to get the electrical system checked out and also the meter system. Stay Energy Safe have reported on their site that both property owners and businesses sometimes attempt to tamper with meters to underreport energy usage and reduce future utility bills. If there’s any signs of changes made to the meter or wiring, then this should be reported to Stay Energy Safe who can work to resolve the matter. You can give an anonymous report if you’re hesitant about doing this. The property owner will also need to be notified as it will involve a previous commercial tenant.
Health and Safety in the Workplace
Health and safety are important for employers. In terms of health, it’s smart to have the AC units checked and their filters replaced. Often, filters don’t get changed regularly and it can pollute the office air making it stale, creating a possible health issue. Legionnaire’s disease is just one of the health concerns when filters aren’t swapped out on a regular basis, so it’s a more serious matter than it seems. Who knows how old the existing filter is?
With safety, consider the stairs, flooring, stability of cabinets left in the office by former tenants, and anything else that could be a potential hazard. Non-slip mats are useful to avoid employees or visitors slipping up. When the building includes a warehouse, colder days or winter conditions may put warehouse staff on uncertain footing. Use salt grit over the exterior loading bays to help shoes gain a better grip on the floor’s surface.
Security Check on Door & Window Locks and Alarm System
Every exterior door should have a secure lock. It needs to be a deadbolt type that makes it less likely to get picked. This prevents the use of a credit card to flip the latch open. Stronger door frames and better doors are also useful to make the barrier a dependable one.
For the windows, they should all be lockable securely from the inside. Perhaps have a security consultant do a run through on the property to inspect it for potential security problems. They may find a faulty lock or latch that is the easiest way into the property for would-be thieves. This informs you what to change.
With alarms, this has an impact on window locks especially. When contact points are broken or someone crosses a barrier, an alarm will sound with an alert going out to an external security team. Using infrared cameras hooked up to a digital recording setup with remote, secure access online provides excellent security. It’s also preventative because when thieves see a sophisticated monitoring system, they often go to find an easier target. Thieves don’t want to make things difficult on themselves. Dealing with clever security takes longer and makes more noise; both things that increase the likelihood that they’ll get caught.
Existing Lighting Systems
Look over the existing lighting systems. The level of illumination in the workplace matters because when it’s not bright enough, the use of computers causes eye strain. In turn, the eye strain makes employees feel more tired than they otherwise would. It’s best to avoid impacting workplace performance just because the lights aren’t bright enough or well distributed.
Office space areas tend to use a false ceiling which allows for different lighting systems and other wiring to be installed without it being obvious. With such an arrangement, it’s easy to add additional lights suitable for a commercial setting. The latest eco-friendly lightbulbs are brighter and less costly over their lifetime too. Better illumination at a lower cost per kilowatt is hard to argue with.
It is a mistake to move into a business office and not check everything out. While the building’s owner might seek to assure you that everything is well taken care of, it’s the company using the office that must do its own due diligence to make sure this is so.
