Safety and security tips for business owners

All businesses need to protect their staff and their property. As a business owner, you’ll also want to guard against lawsuits, fraud and business interruptions. Based on our decades of experience, we recommend these strategies to secure your business.

Fortify the entrances

Ensure that all exterior doors have deadbolt locks with a minimum one inch bolt into the strike plate.

Secure exposed exterior door hinge pins to prevent their removal.

Protect all ground-floor glass with bars, metal screens or burglary-resistant glazing materials.

Install a burglar alarm system which is monitored offsite.

We recommend that the system be certified by Underwriters Laboratories of Canada.

Encourage safe working conditions

Continually check for unsafe work conditions and practices, and take prompt corrective action.

Provide a complement of serviced, multi-purpose fire extinguishers in your premises and instruct all staff in their use.

Avoid slip-and-trip hazards by securing all electrical cords that pass through pedestrian areas and cleaning mud or water on public traffic areas.

Protect your computer equipment

Clamp or lock PCs to desks or work stations. Security kits are available at nominal cost.

Back up data and programs on a regular basis and store them off site in a secure location.

Laptop computers are portable and easy targets for theft. Do not leave them unsecured or unattended.

Maintain records of serial numbers for all of your computer equipment.

Prepare for a business interruption

Employ the services of a professional accountant to:

Prepare financial statements.

Perform an annual audit of your books.

Maintain a list of secondary suppliers of materials in the event your primary supplier suffers a loss.

Be prepared with a plan of action as to how you will continue to service your customers while your premises are being repaired after a loss.

This plan will help you to avoid losing your customer base.

Consider availability of temporary premises where you can resume operations immediately.

Contact the staff at our local office for more risk management tips.