A crisis management plan is something that every business should have in place. It’s a set of comprehensive guidelines to ensure that whatever the event, there are steps prepared to begin to mitigate the effects immediately. It should cover all the eventualities which could affect the running of your business and set out the actions necessary to create the least possible disruption.
Different organisations will have different requirements, but while the unexpected breakdown of a boiler may seem like a minor inconvenience at first examination, it’s one of the things which can affect almost every type of business, and for some of these it could be devastating.
The malfunction of a commercial boiler is a very serious matter for a hospital, for example. The most obvious issue is the lack of heating for vulnerable patients, for whom a drop in temperature can be detrimental or even fatal. Dementia patients, newborn babies and people confined to bed can become hyperthermic very quickly. The issue of hygiene is also of paramount importance in a medical setting with no hot water for handwashing, cleaning and meal preparation. Surgical procedures and clinics may have to be cancelled with increasing backlogs, and a lack of planning for this type of crisis can mean a significant delay in bringing the temperature back up.
Many of the same issues also apply to nursing and residential care homes. A cold environment is dangerous to elderly and vulnerable people; it can exacerbate respiratory illnesses such as asthma and COPD, reduce mobility which in turn increases the likelihood of falls, and even breach health and safety regulations. In schools, a commercial boiler breakdown will affect teaching, concentration and behaviour, and could have serious effects on exam results.
The supply of heating is also an essential component in manufacturing processes. Whether it’s the production of materials such as cement, or finished goods like computer chips, heating at exactly the right temperature is an integral part of the operation, and sometimes for post-production storage as well. If the commercial boiler fails, an entire production line could be shut down, causing major issues right down the supply chain.
Hospitality businesses can lose substantial amounts of money through lost bookings as well as from having to pay to rehouse hotel guests and offer apology vouchers to diners – not to mention the reduction in good will from clients whose plans are disrupted.
Losing hot water and heating for any length of time can be disastrous for any organisation. However, in the worst-case scenario, there are also serious safety implications. A faulty commercial boiler can give off dangerous carbon monoxide, which can be fatal. A boiler which hasn’t been regularly maintained by a qualified engineer can be at risk of a fire or even an explosion. For example, in the case of dangerous low water – a term used to describe a steam boiler with low water but is still firing.
A good reputation takes years to build but can be destroyed overnight, which is why a thorough crisis management plan for every possible emergency should be drawn up and regularly updated by every organisation. If there’s a major problem with an industrial boiler which causes issues for customers, the chances are that there will be negative publicity – social media has ensured instant accountability.
However, there’s an easy and practical remedy for unexpected commercial boiler breakdown. A contingency plan for temporary boiler hire is something that the team here at Ideal Heat Solutions has seen coming to the rescue on numerous occasions. We’ve helped all kinds of businesses carry on uninterrupted with our state-of-the-art temporary boilers, and we’re in no doubt that our efforts have made a massive difference to the blood pressure levels of countless stressed buildings and premises managers.
It’s a simple process to draw up a contingency plan with us. Once you’ve got in touch, one of our fully accredited engineers will arrange a site visit, free of charge, to check available space and access, the position of power sources and health and safety considerations. We then prepare a bespoke plan for your premises; any time a temporary boiler is needed, it can be slotted seamlessly into position, sorting out your issue immediately. It can also be used if you need extra capacity for any reason, or if planned maintenance is expected to take longer than anticipated. We invest continuously in new technology to ensure our customers benefit from the best possible equipment – all our temporary boilers contain telemetry which continually tracks performance, and which we can check remotely for added reassurance.
If your crisis management arrangements don’t currently include a contingency plan for temporary boiler hire, we hope we’ve persuaded you how important it is!
Why not contact us and find out how we can help you? We have a first-class reputation in the sector for providing temporary boiler solutions, and our expert and friendly staff are on hand 24/7 to offer assistance and support
