Leading insurer RSA is warning small business owners to take precautions in order to prevent fridge or freezer malfunction, due to a loss of power during the hot summer months.
Even a small incident or power cut lasting only a few minutes could potentially prove costly for business owners.
UK consumers spend £5bn on frozen food every year, with caterers using a further £2.5bn of frozen goods. Small businesses, including grocers, petrol station owners and newsagents all rely heavily on fridges and freezers to store goods on site.
It is crucial for business owners to have and maintain back-up generators for all fridges and freezers, in order to prevent goods from being ruined if the main electricity supply is cut or damaged in any way.
To reduce the risk of having a large fridge or freezer related loss, business owners should follow RSA’s risk assessment guidelines: Install and maintain back-up generators; install temperature controls and alarms with remote signalling to inform the owner that the unit is gaining or losing temperature; if practical, keep a spare storage fridge or freezer to transfer goods into in the event of a problem; train all staff how to respond in the event of a refrigeration unit breaking, including how to start the back up generator; and determine at what stage of defrosting stock is considered beyond use.
David Greaves, SME trading director at RSA, said, “Businesses need to take precautions, especially during the hot summer months to ensure they are maintaining all electrical equipment on their premises.
“If a fridge or freezer breaks down, they may have to throw away stock and then replace it all. Following RSA’s risk assessment guidelines could save small businesses significant unnecessary cost.”
For more information about RSA visit www.rsabroker.com
