Health and safety in the workplace is a key consideration for any employer – reactive maintenance is by far the best way to resolve small issues before they escalate into something more serious. Unresolved maintenance issues can result in health and safety concerns with the potential to bring your business to a standstill – affecting your valued customers and profit margin. So, knowing what to look out for is of paramount importance, this will help you to identify and solve any issues before they escalate.
MSL, provider of reactive maintenance and other facilities management services have listed their most common health and safety maintenance issues for businesses to be on the lookout for:
AC Units
Whilst air-conditioning is a must have in most work environments, an unmaintained AC unit can lead to a range of health implications including respiratory conditions. Follow these simple steps to protect both yourself and your employees against AC air pollution:
- Replace your AC unit at least every 10 years.
- Have annual maintenance checks from a HVAC professional.
- Regularly change your unit’s air filters inline with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Open windows as much as possible – this will allow fresh air to circulate and eliminate pollutants.
Visible Pipe Rust
Monitor any rusting on pipes within your building. If you spot rust, ensure that those pipes are replaced immediately. Rusting pipes will soon start to erode, causing the pipe to burst, which can cause chaos in the workplace, forcing you to replace items damaged by the flood, as well as costly clean up fees.
Leaks
Leaks are a huge red flag that there is an issue within your building – any leaks should be investigated and dealt with immediately. Leaks can occur for any number of reasons ranging from improper roof insulation to a lack of maintenance and can cause a range of health and safety risks, especially if left unresolved as this can lead to mould and mildew growth.
Mould and Mildew
Mould and mildew are often indicators of long running leaks, which will not only cause visible damage but can also impact on the internal structure of your building. In addition to causing structural damage, mould and mildew can lead to health conditions including congestion, rhinitis, inflammations and asthma.
Cracks in Walls or Ceilings
Whilst some cracks may be cosmetic in nature, others can indicate that there is a structural problem with your building. Look out for the following signs to identify a serious structural issue and investigate immediately:
- Stepped cracking of brickwork – this could be a sign of subsidence.
- Broken or cracked lintels over doors and windows.
- Stress cracks between an extension and the original building or party walls.
Creating a safe working environment is an ongoing task and when juggling so many to-do lists, it’s easy to put off vital maintenance monitoring but to reduce the risk of safety issues arising, prevention is much better than the cure.
MSL advise businesses to act immediately if any of the above issues occur – for further information on facilities management MSL operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, right across the UK, Ireland and parts of Europe: https://msl-ltd.co.uk/