Have a snow removal contract in place for snow and salt and request a certificate of insurance:<\/strong> Slip and falls are a leading cause of losses to commercial businesses.\u00a0 Help reduce outside slip and falls by hiring an experienced snow removal firm to ensure parking lots and walk ways are kept clear of ice and snow.\u00a0 Request a certificate of insurance to ensure this firm has the proper insurance for snow removal.\u00a0 If you remove your own snow, keep a log book to record the day and time of each snow removal and salt\/sand.<\/p>\n Be prepared for slippery floors:<\/strong> Melting snow from shoes and boots will cause a slip hazard. \u00a0<\/strong>Invest in high quality non-slip floor mats to place near entrances and other high traffic areas.\u00a0 Have mops ready as well as wet floor warning signs.<\/p>\n Check sump pumps and install battery back up if possible: <\/strong>Ensure melting snow and ice is directed away from the business, especially in the case of a power outage.\u00a0 Ensure your sump pumps are in proper working order to keep your basement dry.\u00a0 If possible, install a battery back up to ensure the sump pump continues to do its job in the event of a power outage.<\/p>\n Check fire and carbon monoxide alarm batteries (best to replace batteries on each daylight savings change): <\/strong>\u00a0A properly functioning alarm can save lives.<\/p>\n Consider a generator for power outage: <\/strong>This may allow your business to continue to operate in the event of a power outage, as well as protect you from lost stock and contents in the event of a power failure.<\/p>\n Check roof:<\/strong> Now is the time to ensure your roof is ready to take on the winter elements.\u00a0 Check roof for signs of deterioration and ensure the roof is sealed and water tight. \u00a0Hire a roofing contractor if you are unsure.<\/p>\n Inspect gutters and eaves to ensure water flow: <\/strong>Get ready for the snow melt now by ensuring the water has a clear path to escape, rather than backing up into your business.<\/p>\n Check heating system: <\/strong>It has been a few months since you\u2019ve needed your furnace, consider having a contractor clean and inspect the furnace to ensure you will have stable heat during the winter months.<\/p>\n Clean out any chimneys, fireplaces and woodstoves:\u00a0 <\/strong>These devices can often collect a buildup of ash and soot which can lead to chimney fires.\u00a0 Be sure to have a WETT certified Chimney Sweep clean out all wood burning devices before use.<\/p>\n By taking time to complete these simple tasks, you can save your business from accidents and costly insurance claims this winter.<\/p>\n Consider hiring snow removal contractors to keep sidewalks and parking lots free of ice and snow. Be sure to request a certificate of insurance.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At this point the majority of the leaves have fallen, and an icy frost is appearing on the grass and pavement in the morning.\u00a0 For most this is a sign that winter is around the corner, but for your insurance broker this warns of the increased risk to your commercial business.\u00a0 Not to worry, you can protect your commercial business… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[23,26,84,24,85,143],"class_list":["post-75","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","placeholder-for-hentry","category-commercial-insurance","category-liability-insurance","tag-accident-prevention","tag-business-insurance","tag-heating-season","tag-loss-prevention-tips","tag-tips","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Consider](\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/sidewalk-snow-removal.jpg\")
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