Protect your office while on winter break with these commercial cold weather tips
With the holidays upon us, and freezing temperatures in many parts of the country, we thought it might be a good idea to remind our producers of some commercial cold weather tips for your BOP accounts before they shut down for the holiday weekend.
Not only do many of us run the risk of winter damage to our offices, but then there’s also the risk of power outages, road closures and school closings – all which can affect productivity. Here are our top commercial cold weather tips, both for your clients and your agency as well.
#1 Protect your office while closed for the weekend
Keep the heat on 65 degrees when you leave for a winter weekend, to prevent pipes from freezing. Ensure that your landlord trims branches back that, if ice-laden, could break power lines or land on your roof.
If you’re the landlord, you’ll also want to ensure gutters are clear so that melting ice and snow can run freely to the ground. Finally, keep a close eye on your roof for snow and ice accumulation.
If you haven’t already performed a winter inspection, now’s the time to do so:
- Schedule a maintenance check on your heating system
- Check weather seals on doors and windows
- Check insulation on pipes
#2 Protect your office continuity and file security
Let’s say a winter storm has closed roads and schools, and your office has no power. Now what? The second of our commercial cold weather tips is this: Have a back-up plan in place. Your plan should include the ability to notify all employees of your office closure, along with your vendors, carriers and other partners. Armed with web email and cloud access to your CRM, many employees are able to work from home nowadays. However, remind employees not to use public WiFi access, and to install the proper firewalls and antivirus technology, and that they need to keep their own security software patches up-to-date. Cyber hackers find it much easier to break through your insurance agency security using at-home employees, because their security systems are often lax. Read more about a business continuity plan.
#3 Protect your office when open
Our last commercial cold weather tip applies when you reopen after a storm: Be sure to have on hand plenty of sand, rock salt or other de-icing aids, and use liberally. Put out extra indoor mats, along with a “caution, slippery floor” sign. Since days are short and nights are long, be sure exterior lighting is illuminating entrances, any stairwells and parking.
With these helpful tips, we at Arrowhead wish you a safe and prosperous New Year!