If you happen to be a contractor or the head manager of an establishment, you know how difficult it is to maintain your business within health and safety code parameters. As a manager, contractor or an owner trying to build your business, you know how stressful it can be to make sure everything is running up to code. Getting a code citation, especially over something serious, may make things difficult for you and your staff, which is depending on your establishment remaining open with no bumps in the road to success. Here are four things to avoid while maintaining your business and protecting the business operations, your employees’ livelihood and the reputation of the enterprise.
Improper Bathroom Venting
Humidity-controlled venting fans are the rage right now, especially in bathrooms, but many times these fans vent into some sort of an enclosed room or an attic space. If it does, it is a code violation. You cannot dump humid air into an enclosed area. It fosters mold growth and prompts rot. Codes say your fan needs to vent the air outside through a vent pipe, which needs to be 4 inches in diameter.
Dodging Permits
To save time and money, it is common for people to skip out on applying for building permits to sidestep costs. If you decide to skip applying for permits, then you position yourself to be unable to access the local building inspector. This mistake will come back to haunt you in the long run because you will not be able to sell the business. Also, it puts you, your employees and customers at risk. Finally, your insurance company may not cover your loss if it was due to improper construction or installation.
Improper Filtration in the Restaurant Industry
In the restaurant field, proper water filtration is a priority. Quality inline sanitary strainers are the best step to making sure there are no problems in sanitizing dishes and cleaning areas where germs and bacteria are plentiful. Without proper filtration, dishes and serving pans are not a germ free as they might appear.
Lack of a Sufficient Number of Handrails
Handrails are a must in a business. It does not really matter if there are two steps or a flight of them. Handrails should be present everywhere someone needs to climb or descend. Even when ninety degree angles are made to begin a new flight of stairs, the rail must curve and remain unbroken. If it breaks at any point, you will have a violation and a potential safety hazard due to snagged purses and whatever else could go wrong.
The best way to go forward is to keep your business straight. Meticulously read through permit requirements and building codes. Most places have codes available on the Internet. If you are still unsure, call the local building department for clarification.
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