Being responsible for operations within a company means the buck stops with you for many of the day-to-day responsibilities.

That includes dealing with the sudden breakdown of vital facilities and services such as power and lighting, heating and aircon, computer equipment and machinery.

As an employer, you also have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of your employees and tick all the right boxes to make sure your insurance conditions are met.

That’s a lot of plate spinning to be dealing with.

Here are five key measures and checks that, when performed regularly, will help avoid breakdowns, injury, downtime and expensive repairs:

FIXED WIRING

Full testing and inspection of all your fixed wiring, accessories and switchgear every three years. For larger sites, we recommend splitting the site into three and testing each area annually.

PORTABLE APPLIANCES

An annual inspection of all portable appliances. Appliances under 12 months old do not require testing.

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

A monthly functional test via key switch, plus a three-hour test carried out annually to ensure functionality and battery life.

VISUAL INSPECTIONS

A monthly visual inspection of accessories and switchgear to ensure safety and reduce actions required upon testing.

FIRE ALARMS

A weekly test of all fire alarms and a full, thorough test and inspection of all devices every six-12 months.

When part of a robust, planned preventative maintenance programme, all of the above will help keep your sites running efficiently and cost-effectively.

At Sureworks we’re here to make sure you stay safe, protected and compliant. Talk to our team on 01691 581581 or email ian@sureworks.co.uk