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Slip
Sliding Away.
The winter months are not only a cold but a slippery
time of year. During these months, businesses need to be vigilant
about their interior and exterior premises so that their employees
and customers are safe from slipping and falling. The legal
ramifications of an unfortunate mishap can be avoided with
some simple precautions:
Interior Safety Tips
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Follow a tight inspection schedule documenting
and addressing any unsafe conditions |
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Keep floors clean at all times –
ensure spills are mopped up immediately and a “Caution-Wet
Floor” sign posted
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Use non-slip cleaning detergents and waxes for floors |
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Ensure that aisles are clear of any obstructions such
as fallen stock or merchandise |
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Place mats or rugs in all entrances during inclement
weather. |
Exterior
Safety Tips
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Regularly inspect the building’s
exterior to identify potentially unsafe conditions |
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Repair any damage to stairs, sidewalks
and pavement immediately
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Remove snow or debris from entranceways and sidewalks
promptly. Have the proper tools such as shovels and de-icer
close at hand |
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Clean gutters or downspouts to avoid spillage onto sidewalks
that can freeze |
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Contract a snow removal company to remove snow from
the parking and walkways regularly, keeping a regular
log of snow removal jobs |
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Ensure that garbage is kept in an isolated area away
from entrances. |
These easy to follow procedures can avoid the stress and frustration
of an unfortunate accident and will make your working environment
safe for both your employees and customers.
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Protecting Your Office From Theft
Every year millions of dollars worth of office equipment is
stolen from Canadian businesses. Yet there are many simple things
that businesses can do to protect themselves with small investments
of time and minimal cost.
Windows
and Doors
One of the easiest ways to protect your business, though one
of the most commonly forgotten is to ensure that your windows
and doors are always kept locked when you are out of the room.
Easily accessible windows create an additional security risk.
In addition to locks, use window coverings to conceal the contents
of your office. If possible, move valuable equipment to a less
visible location. It is important to remember that at this time
of year not everyone does their window-shopping in the mall!
If your area contains expensive equipment, or valuable information,
remove it from site if practical or at least move it away from
the window. Ensure the strength of the door is sufficient to
withstand efforts to force it open at least initially, as the
greatest enemy of thieves is time.
Mark
Your Property
Marking your equipment is one of the best ways to discourage
a thief. This is due to the ease in which this equipment can
be traced and the difficulty a thief would have in selling it.
Identification also enables police departments to identify stolen
equipment and return it to you if it is recovered. Police recommend
that you register your equipment with a program such as Operation
Provident, a police-run program that allows police to trace
a serial number on your equipment anywhere within North America.
Computer Security
Valuable property of any type is an attractive target for a
thief, however, computers are always at the top of the list.
Most office thefts can be described as a "smash and grab", where
a door or window is broken and the thieves remove the most expensive
equipment they can see as quickly as possible. As a result,
any steps that you can take to slow a thief down will, in all
likelihood, result in fewer losses for your company. One step
you can take is to physically secure computers, laptops and
components to the desk or floor. In addition, it is always important
to maintain up-to-date backup copies of your data to protect
yourself against not only theft but also fire and any other
misfortunate events and keep it off premises.
Alarms
If you consider your area to be sensitive or at a high risk
of theft or break-ins perhaps it is time to install that security
system. Although a security system can be expensive, the monthly
fee could more than make up for the loss of equipment not to
mention the employee hours required to recreate the information
that has been lost.
Taking the above precautions will ensure that your company doesn't
become a statistic and will ensure that your equipment and data
stays where it belongs.
If you have questions
about protecting your commercial property against theft, or
would like to review your needs in this regard, please contact
your Lackner McLennan Insurance Professional. We'll give you
the guidance you need to ensure you have the right protection
for your business.
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Are Your Employees Biting the Hand that Feeds Them?
Employee theft is a problem that all businesses would like to
think they don't have to worry about. Unfortunately using common-sense
measures to prevent employee theft is vital to sustain the health
of any business. Companies should always keep these theft deterrence
procedures in mind:
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Know frequently used schemes - forging
and hiding receipts, pocketing loose change, and over
billing expenses |
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Find people you can trust - perform
thorough background checks on all new hire prospects,
particularly for sensitive positions such as book keeping
etc.
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Remove the opportunity- ensure careful supervision,
consider dividing tasks among several staff members allowing
them to check each others' work for accuracy |
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Work with employees - training and employee awareness
programs can keep employees on the lookout for theft |
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Distribute clear written policies on ethical behaviour
to be signed by each employee |
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Set an example - ensure executives and managers are
positive role models for workers. |
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