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Managing agents have a variety of tasks to do as part of their job role, this includes managing the building. Facilities management are essentially the processes which need to be undertaken in order to maintain the building and its contents, including staff. Due to being appointed as the person who manages the building, processes such as security, cleaning, maintenance and supplies are essential to install for your property. Managing agents are not able to attend to everything at once, therefore will require professionals to conduct the work to a high standard, keeping everybody happy.

We have previously discussed hand washing, both how often you should do it and why. The same rules apply to children. Hand washing is VITAL in your quest for a safe environment, perhaps even more important for children as most will have a lower immune system than adults. The spread of some of the deadliest diseases can be found in schools, nurseries and areas dedicated to children, therefore implementing our recommendations of ways to encourage children to use a washroom safely and hygienically is crucial.

As the business industry continues to grow, so do the number of events taking place. Although the events will be positive, having large groups of people in one space at one time could cause potential threats which your company needs to be aware of. As you are hosting the event it is your responsibility to ensure guests are safe. Because of this, we have created this blog to tell you how you can keep your guests safe at large events.

Poor hygiene can have detrimental effects to care home properties and those living there, all precautionary methods should be adopted to ensure problems do not occur. Even small pest control issues can escalate into major complications, therefore prevention is key. It is essential you are aware of pests and their ability to impact the health and safety of employees, residents and visitors.

By law, any space which is used to provide a commercial catering service, such as canteens and kitchens, have to adhere to strict legislation which governs the hygiene and condition of the area. A deep clean is essential not only to keep you law-abiding but also to decrease harmful germs from spreading to those working in the kitchen, as well as those who are eating the food they produce.

Did you know there are three types of burglaries that commercial buildings are at risk of? You need to be aware of these to ensure your property, its contents and employees are safe. Burglary by definition is the ‘Illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft.’ With break-ins happening on average every 40 seconds it is important your building is properly protected to minimise the risk of this happening.

With London’s public transport being home to some of the most dangerous germs it is essential your office cleaning schedule is up to scratch to help prevent further contamination. Did you know the Victoria Line is the most contaminated? It has been found to harbour 22 highly dangerous strains. With a majority of your employees using public transport to get to work, your cleaning schedule is vital. In this blog post, we discuss some commercial building cleaning myths which you need to be aware of for your employees safety.

If you want to have a safe and secure property you will need to regularly conduct security audits to ensure your processes are effective. Your security needs will continually change and grow, therefore maintenance and checks are essential. Your audit does not need to be complicated, therefore we have created this example of the types of questions you should ask yourself.

You have taken the step of choosing a CCTV system for your property, but do you know which will work best for you? We have written this blog to explain which types are available and which are best suited for your building. The importance of surveillance is second to none, but installing a system which is not effective for your needs will be a waste of time, energy and money.

For some businesses, security is important but optional, but for others, it is simply a necessity. Often, pro-activeness with a security plan only occurs once a break-in has occurred, but any responsible corporate business will have appropriate security processes in place to prevent criminals in the first place. Factors such as the nature of the business, property location or ability to be targeted by criminals should be acknowledged and used to create and implement an effective security strategy.

Did you know the chances of contracting food poisoning increases during the summer months? The answer is simple, the heat! Bacteria and germs love warm temperatures and will multiply at a quicker rate when in a warm environment. Do not let your employees be affected by the summer bug by adopting our techniques to avoid food poisoning in your office and canteen.

Did you know money has been found to contain multiple deadly germs? Regardless of whether it is notes, coins or bank cards, all have the ability to severely affect someone's health. Although the popularity of cards is rising, the threat of contaminated money is still very high. There are a variety of jobs where physically handling cash is required, however, it is banks that are perhaps the most at risk. The best way to contain the spread of harmful bacteria is to regularly wash or sanitise your hands. The main way for germs to transfer is through touch, therefore the importance of properly cleaning your hands is essential. Once money has been touched, the same hands will often touch other surfaces before reaching for hand soap and warm water. It is vital that banks implement an intense and regular cleaning schedule to stop dangerous diseases from spreading further than necessary. Pay particular attention to surfaces where hands would be used before washing hands e.g. door handles, keyboard, mouse, tap handles, soap dispenser pump, hand dryer button etc.

Although the percentage of bank robberies has decreased by 90%, it does not mean your bank cannot be targeted by criminals. You should always ensure you have the appropriate and effective security measures in place to ensure your property and employees are safe. This includes regular reviews to ensure the current methods are effective or could use refining. As well as threats of robbery, violence within banks remains high due to dealing with members of the public and being in a stressful environment. Because of this, bank security has never been more important to keep damage to a minimum. Static guard - With violence being very common, you will need to provide the appropriate training to employees as well as have a trained professional on hand to prevent and protect individuals. Violence can easily accelerate into dangerous situations, taking a minor dispute to the risk of life, therefore, a trained guard will mean violence is contained. Access control - By having access control measurements in place, you are able to reduce access to only those who require it. With the risk of theft or brutality, limiting entry minimises the risk of either occurring. For example, a personal key card or pin could be highly effective at preventing entry but also to solve a crime if one does occur. It will be easier to pinpoint whose method of entry was used, providing more evidence to locate who forcibly entered. CCTV - Perhaps one of the most important parts of security, CCTV combines the ability to prevent and solve a crime as it displays evidence of what exactly was happening at that time. Criminals are more likely not to participate in a crime if there is a chance to be caught, therefore the cameras themselves and the accompanying signs will deter individuals. In collaboration with the other techniques, your bank will be as safe as it can be. Alarms - Security measures during the day are important, at night maybe even more paramount as the building will have minimal staff on the property. Employees have the ability to be witnesses, therefore criminals are more likely to strike if there is no possibility of anyone witnessing the crime. Alarms can be installed so that if any movement is detected a sound, and sometimes light, will be produced to ward off the offender and trigger the designated response team. Quick response is vital to prevent and catch criminals, therefore a trained responsive professional will mean the difference to damage/theft of your bank. Mobile patrols - Another method which is particularly suitable for night time (whilst still effective during the day) is mobile patrols. There are always places in which people could exploit, therefore mobile patrols minimise this risk as a patrolling security guard will be on the lookout for any suspicious behaviour. WINNS Services has been established for over two decades providing security services to clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding expectations and working with clients to offer the best solution to their queries. If you are wondering whether you would benefit from other security measures, call us on 01702 719100 or email us at info@winnsservices.co.uk

Your communal areas will need particular focus within your cleaning schedule as those are often the places which harbour the most harmful bacterias and are also one of the main contributors to brand identity. With both of those being very important parts of your business, it is essential you take the time to properly clean your communal areas.

Following a parliamentary review, the SIA has recommended a systematic and transformational approach to its regulations - a result supported by WINNS Services and Small Business Network (SBN). The SBN is a security industry body made up of leading private security firms.