Top 5 Tips for Protecting your Commercial Property on Halloween
6 October 2022
Taylor Bracewell
Whilst Halloween is seen as a fun, exciting time for many, it can be dreaded by property and business owners who may be scared of having a ‘trick’ played on their property.
Here are our Commercial Property teams’ top 5 tips for keeping your workplace safe this Halloween:
- Safe Halloween Decorations –Many people decorate their offices and property for Halloween but it is important that this is done in a safe way.
Make sure all decorations and wires are not obstructing walkways and therefore becoming a trip hazard. It’s important to ensure emergency exits and safety equipment (fire extinguishers) are not obstructed and can still be easily reached if needed.
It is important to note that if you lease a Commercial Property, there may be restrictions on what you can do to do the property in regards to decorating. We would always recommend looking at your lease before considering any decorations.
- Lighting –During the Halloween period, it is often expected that buildings inside and out are dark and gloomy to fit the atmosphere. However, we would always recommend avoiding this. You should ensure good lighting and visibility indoors and outdoors reducing the risk of accidents. It also reduces the risk of vandalism to your property and the potential of someone being a Personal Injury claim against your business.
- Secure Vehicles –To ensure the safety of your vehicles over Halloween, if possible, put them in a secure garage. If this is not possible then leaving them in a well-lit area will decrease the risk of damage. Make sure they’re locked and any alarms on them are set, this makes it more difficult for any crime to be taken out on the vehicle. If you are leaving your vehicle outdoors, you may wish to purchase a cover to protect it from substances, such as red paint (blood) and eggs.
Please note: We would also recommend any businesses who own a business vehicle, checks whether or not all their insurance is up to date and provide fully comprehensive cover. This is to protect the business in the event the vehicle is vandalised over the Halloween period.
- Secure Building –Ensure your building is secure, by locking up and setting the alarms. Leaving a light on in the property may also help deter vandalism. You may wish to test burglar and smoke alarms, so if the worst does happen it is in working order and can be stopped as soon as possible.
- Check your Insurance Policy –It’s important that you understand the type of coverage you have on your property and vehicles and the things you can claim for. For example, does your cover just protect the building itself or does it include contents as well? If you wish to upgrade your insurance to a different cover then this needs to be done in advance.
Our Commercial Property Team are always happy to help and offer further advice. They can be contacted by calling 01302 341414 or 0114 272 1884 or by filling out our online enquiry form.
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