Planning for emergencies is something that any worthwhile building owner will take care of, because not only is it a legal requirement, but the reward vastly outweighs the time and effort you put into this effort. Sure it may take you a couple of weeks and some expense to ensure all areas of the developing Read more
safety
Planning for emergencies is something that any worthwhile building owner will take care of, because not only is it a legal requirement, but the reward vastly outweighs the time and effort you put into this effort. Sure it may take you a couple of weeks and some expense to ensure all areas of the developing premises are easy to evacuate, that the exit signage is bright and easy to follow, and that reporting systems are in place; but the results could quite simply save lives. This is, of course, even more important than curating revenue as a firm.
That said, emergency contingencies are not a ‘one and done’ process, in that the task is never ‘complete.’ We need to focus on maintenance from that point on, and making sure that regular tests keep us ready. Furthermore, essential measures such as staff training, qualifying certain team members for first-aid use, and making the use of the building easy to understand and carry out is essential when necessary.
In this post, then, we’ll discuss three important emergency contingencies to hold within your business premises. This way, safety isn’t just a nice word we use, but a habit we embody.
Plumbing Failures
From time to time, plumbing failures can occur. This is why it’s important to have maintenance staff able to prevent the problem from getting worse while you wait for professional contractors to come in. Learning where your water mains is and being able to turn that off, having reporting systems in place to notify an issue; especially if staff notice it, as well as ensuring alternatives exist like portable toilets or disabled toilet access temporarily is essential.
Fire Safety Inspections
Fire protection system inspection efforts are important to schedule regularly so they can overlook your entire approach. This may also culminate in checking your sprinklers, making sure your reporting alarm systems work appropriately with necessary drills, and also ensuring that additional measures, like disabled staircase access for when the elevator is locked down can be so helpful; in this case a manual lift that can be operated by two people to help a wheelchair carefully but steadily make its way down those steps is key. This way, no one is left behind, and also every potential pitfall in your evacuation process is managed properly. With measures like sprinklers, plumbing expertise is required.
Elevator Safety & Callouts
No one wants to be locked in an elevator; and so making sure your error reporting systems are in place is key. This way, you can easily call for help, or ask for a callout of technicians to let out your staff where appropriate. In some cases, you may be able to manually open the doors if properly aligned with the opening; but this is not something we should focus on without trained and qualified personnel able to distinguish the right time for an exit. In the long run, this will make a tremendous difference.
With this advice, you’re certain to perfect your emergency contingencies within your premises going forward.
It’s no secret that being a plumber can sometimes be a hazardous occupation. When you conduct any plumbing work, you could potentially injure yourself or other people around you, such as your customers, if things don’t go according to plan. Thankfully, there are some ways you can boost your safety while you’re at a customer’s Read more
It’s no secret that being a plumber can sometimes be a hazardous occupation. When you conduct any plumbing work, you could potentially injure yourself or other people around you, such as your customers, if things don’t go according to plan.
Thankfully, there are some ways you can boost your safety while you’re at a customer’s. Plus, here are a few ideas you can follow to protect your plumbing business from litigation.
Take a look at these examples to see what you can consider for your business:
Check Your Tools Before Each Job
As a plumber, you will undoubtedly use an array of hand and power tools to complete your work satisfactorily. You may also use things like gas torches and even welding equipment, depending on the nature of your work.
It’s crucial that you ensure each tool you use is safe before you commence any work at a customer’s premises. For instance, torches shouldn’t leak gas and potentially cause an explosion.
Get the Right Insurance
You will undoubtedly have some insurance coverage for your plumbing business to protect you against the most common legal threats. For example, one type of cover that all plumbers will have is public liability insurance.
Make sure that your insurance policies provide comprehensive coverage for the type of plumbing work you do. Find out more about what to consider with public liability insurance, especially if you work at industrial premises.
Don’t Take On More Work Than You Can Handle
One of the biggest mistakes that some plumbers make is taking on too much work. For example, some plumbing contractors might attempt to repair unfamiliar equipment or pipework because they don’t want to turn the job down.
The truth is, such decisions are incredibly risky. If you don’t fully know what you’re doing, you could possibly cause a dangerous situation – both for yourself and other people in the vicinity.
You should either turn down the job or sub-contract the unfamiliar elements to suitably experienced plumbers in such situations.
Stock the Parts You Will Likely Need
There’s nothing worse than getting to a job and discovering you don’t have the right parts to complete the work. Such scenarios typically mean plumbers will need to go and purchase those parts and make a return journey to their customer’s premises.
Sadly, some plumbers try to get creative by adapting the parts they have available to them. It might be a concept that can work in certain situations; however, it’s not a recommended option for every case.
Wear the Right PPE
Lastly, you should always make sure that you’re wearing the right PPE (personal protective equipment). Doing so means you have some degree of protection in your work, and you are less likely to cause an injury to yourself or other people.
Safety glasses and gloves are the two most essential PPE items you should always have at your disposal. You may need other things, depending on the types of jobs you usually complete.
You have passed your plumbing qualification and it’s time to find a job. Or, you have decided to start your own company. Either way, amazing news. When you are starting out as a plumber, there are some obvious things you need like uniforms, tools, and more than knowledge on how plumbers unclog drains. But, we Read more
You have passed your plumbing qualification and it’s time to find a job. Or, you have decided to start your own company. Either way, amazing news. When you are starting out as a plumber, there are some obvious things you need like uniforms, tools, and more than knowledge on how plumbers unclog drains. But, we bet there are items you might forget about other business essentials that can maximize your work and results.
Headwear
As a plumber, you will need protective wear for health and safety reasons. Aside from a hard hat, a face covering is a good idea.
You can wear a Choob to protect you from dust and bacteria while on the job. These are multi-functional, so you can wear them for other purposes. However, they are ideal for plumbers. They cause no fuss and they are tight to the face and won’t fall down while you are mid-task.
Business cards
Having business cards is a great way to get repeat customers. When you have finished the job, you can leave them your business card with your details on so that they can get back in touch with you for future projects.
If you leave behind a few spare business cards, then they can hand them out to their friends and family so that you can attain more customers.
Website
Speaking of attaining customers, a website is an ideal marketing tool to attract new customers. Having your name online will grow brand awareness and allow more customers to discover your plumbing business.
On the website, you can include contact information and prices. You could also offer a booking system so that customers can book a consultation easily without waiting for you to pick up the phone.
Having a website will also put you higher up on the search rankings. Although your plumbing business and contact details might be in an online directory, it can be lost in the sea of other businesses. Ensure to use good keywords so that customers can find you for specific projects. Furthermore, make sure that it is easy to navigate and a user-friendly website so that customers won’t get frustrated and lose interest.
Safety gloves
When you are handling tools, it is essential to wear safety gloves. These will protect you in the case of an incident. You may often handle saws, drills, and chemicals, which can harm the skin.
Rubberized gloves are great to protect you against electricity. Having gloves at hand will ensure that you can always be safe, no matter what job you are doing.
A mode of transportation
It’s all well and good having the uniform and tools, but it would help to easily be able to get to and from jobs. Having your own mode of transport gives you the freedom to drive around from job to job. You can maximize your business by having a van or car, as you will be able to meet the needs of further away customers.
If the vehicle is just for business, it can help to add personal branding and contact details. It will act like a moving mode of marketing, which many will notice and remember.
It’s fair to say that the last year has been a significant challenge for just about every industry. Even something as essential as plumbing hasn’t gone without being impacted by the changes that have come about due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, just because you’re facing these unique challenges, doesn’t mean that you’re not going Read more
It’s fair to say that the last year has been a significant challenge for just about every industry. Even something as essential as plumbing hasn’t gone without being impacted by the changes that have come about due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, just because you’re facing these unique challenges, doesn’t mean that you’re not going to be able to overcome them. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do in order to keep your plumbing business afloat in a post-COVID world.
Stay safe
The most obvious thing to remember when working during the pandemic is to make sure that you, your employees, and your clients are all as safe as possible. There are plenty of ways that you can do this of course. If you’re heading out to clients then make sure that you have procedures in place so that you can maintain social distancing and that you’re always keeping yourself and your equipment clean and sanitized. This applies to your office and warehouse too. Of course, this is all alongside the other, more typical health and safety measures that you need to take. Safety should always be your number one concern, even once we’re all on the other side of this pandemic.
Present yourself properly
People are pretty frightened at the moment and they need to feel secure in whatever business they hire. They need to be sure that not only are you going to do the best job possible but that you’re going to be able to do it safely and securely. This means that you have to put your best foot forward at all times. Things like making sure that your website is as high quality as possible or using something like http://physicaladdress.com to set up a virtual mailbox that can help smaller plumbing companies look better established can make a huge difference. If you want to keep your business going during these tough times, your customers need to feel as though they can trust you completely.
Adjust your working methods
You may previously have had particular ideas about how your business is run. Everything from plumbers out on jobs to the manufacturing side to the way that the office itself functions. The reality is that in this new world there’s a good chance that you’ll need to rethink all of these in one way or another. From making sure that you’re compliant with safety regulations to ensuring that all of your staff are working to the highest possible standard no matter where they are. The modern world has changed and it’s up to you to change with it.
The reality is that, pandemic or no pandemic, your business is one that is always going to be necessary both domestically and commercially. Being able to adjust to the needs of the modern world in whatever form that takes is one of the most important things that you can do to stay ahead of the competition and to make sure that your business comes out of the totally unprecedented situation as cleanly as possible.
Most business owners worth their salt are keenly interested in keeping their employees safe. Of course, it’s clear to see that injuries are an inconvenience for you, it slows down your productivity for the day, it could shut down an entire department, and the reparative effect on your insurance could be significant. However, this shouldn’t Read more
Most business owners worth their salt are keenly interested in keeping their employees safe. Of course, it’s clear to see that injuries are an inconvenience for you, it slows down your productivity for the day, it could shut down an entire department, and the reparative effect on your insurance could be significant. However, this shouldn’t be the main reason we as business managers should be interested in reducing injuries to a total of zero per annum – even when out on-site and conducting plumbing work. We need not patronize you by laying out what the actual, human reason is, you likely already hold it close to your heart.
However, it is important to consider not simply how we can prioritize ‘having the right reasons’ for avoiding workplace injuries, but how we can prevent them entirely. It’s the one goal where any ‘acceptable margin of error’ is simply out of the question. We must aim for perfection. For this reason, using all tools at our disposal is crucial.
For instance, using security apparatus can often increase safety to a tremendous degree. Here’s how:
Heightening Accountability
Heightening accountability can often increase the security that your firm will enjoy. For instance, business security cameras can ensure that processes are being followed well, that accidents are caught on camera and further analyzed, and that our approach is carefully calibrated by the evidence. In this respect, an at-fault staff member can be transparent and we can work through the issue, while those who may have been victimized by error can get the support they need. In this respect, our security measures not only protect against threats from the exterior but faults from within.
Restricting Access
It can be healthy to restrict access from time to time, in order to ensure that your staff are only located in the areas they are trained to handle. For instance, keycard access to your server farm can be important, in order to keep data safe and prevent any difficulties or security problems. Restricting access may mean only allowing certain areas of your manufacturing line to highly qualified individuals, or simply keeping your inventory under the correct lock and key. In this way, your people and processes become much easier to handle – provided you measure this approach with a thoroughly competent fire safety and evacuation strategy.
Social Backup
Security need not be a large fence or a scary-looking guard. It can be the means of practicing safety that come after a problem has been encountered, such as training our staff in first aid. This can be the security intervention needed to help an injured person stay cared for until direct medical assistance arrives. Social backup also means staff that are able to access secure reporting forms if noticing anything suspicious around your business premises, or that harassment is reported as appropriate. It could mean reporting a job that may have had issues surrounding it, allowing staff to feel safe when attending client’s homes or workplaces. After all, sometimes threats come from without, as well.
With this advice, we hope you can understand how security measures both heighten safety in the workplace, and help staff feel more confident working within the building, focusing on the tasks they’re there to do.