Preparing Your Facility for Getting Back to Work
- by Mary Williams - updated on 5/13/2020
As we continue to do our best to stay safe at home, business owners everywhere are thinking about the days ahead and getting back to work. What will that look like? How will things change? What will it take to ramp up and be ready to have my team back on-site, and to welcome customers again? While you make sure everyone stays safe & healthy, let us help make sure your facility is ready to go.
Let's start with the basics: Your workplace kitchen and restrooms. With increased attention to appropriate handwashing, you'll want to ensure your automatic soap and paper towel dispensers are up and running, and that you have an ample supply of backup batteries available to operate them without interruption. Your team and customers alike will feel more confident and stay healthier when they know that you take these things seriously.
Some workplaces will check employees' temperatures before having them back. If your business is one that does, make sure your thermometer is powered up with a supply of replacement alkaline or coin cell batteries.
You'll also want to be positive that your facility itself starts out clean and stays clean in the days to come, which means your scrubber/sweeper machinery is powered up and ready to go. Batteries charged and in place, clean and rinsed solution and recovery tanks, new scrubbing brush or pad, squeegee, and scrubbing head skirt.
Speaking of facilities, let's switch from looking down at the floor to looking upward. Exit signs and emergency lights are an essential part of any emergency safety plan, but they're so easily overlooked. Make sure yours light up when they're supposed to by checking that they're properly powered. If your battery is charged and functional, but you're still having trouble, you may need a new fixture.
While things are relatively quiet, you might take this time to check on your APC UPS systems. Have you checked the maintenance logs lately to make sure that upkeep is happening and that your batteries are fully powered? Your data, equipment and devices are only as good as the backup system protecting them. Check that yours is operating at its best.
Finally, take a walk outside. During the daylight hours, check your generator or other backup power system. Double check that those batteries are charged and ready at full power in the event of a summer storm or power outage. That way, you'll stay up and running and not lose any more time or business. Then, after dark, take some time to do a perimeter walk. Check your business's outdoor safety, parking lot and landscape lighting. Present your business in its best light, and also maintain a safe environment for your customers or employees and that may be working late shifts.
Take a look at this checklist to walk you through what we've discussed. If you need any assistance - battery testing or even an in-person or virtual site walk - to ensure you have all of your power and lighting needs accounted for, we're here for you. Just give us a call.