Small businesses have been urged to put adequate provisions in place to deal with the effects of severe weather conditions.
The Met Office is forecasting snow and severe cold weather for the UK this week, and insurer Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA) is offering businesses advice to survive the cold and avoid harmful effects on their profits.
“Freezing temperatures create numerous potential hazards for businesses,” said Graham Heale, underwriting director at R&SA.
“Pipes burst even in the best-run commercial properties and can cause untold damage to equipment. This could have serious knock-on effects to the viability of the business.
“It is vital that businesses put in place a framework to deal with the unexpected and I would urge businesses to take precautions to avoid disaster.”
R&SA have put together a series of tips for businesses to ensure they are sufficiently protected against the severe weather including:
· Make sure the company has a business continuity plan in place in case of extreme disruption.
· Keep the building at least 4ºC when empty, as this is the minimum recommended temperature even where pipework is properly insulated.
· Avoid keeping any crucial equipment in the basement as this is the first area to be affected if flooding occurs.
· Ensure all doors and windows are closed when leaving the building.
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