BOILERS, PUMPS & VALVES HEROES OF WINTER By Steve Warne, national sales manager at Ideal Heating Solutions
W
ith winter here it is essential that businesses up and down the country are prepared for whatever the season might throw at them. To rest assured your heating system can make it through this winter, disaster planning is always a worthy option. Whilst the likes of Ideal Heat Solutions are quick off the mark to provide temporary heat when it is needed, on sites where boiler failure poses a significant risk to operation and the health and wellbeing of staff, it is essential to take proactive measures. But what is the importance of contingency planning and how may it help businesses stay out of the cold when the nation’s temperatures drop?
Here at Ideal Heat we can be reactive and flexible to the individual needs of our clients who need temporary boilers on construction and industrial sites, healthcare facilities and even agricultural areas. Yet if they really want to breathe easy and avoid any unforeseen problems, a contingency plan is the answer. With the onset of colder days ahead of us, this level of assurance – that you can get temporary heat pretty much immediately – pays dividends.
An example would be an academic facility or laboratory that is playing a huge part in the research into the Covid-19 pandemic. If for instance, the site is to have an upgraded boiler room in the new year, have they considered what might happen should the old boiler falter in the meanwhile? In this case, how will a contingency plan help?
With a disaster plan, the site would not only ensure temporary heat could be delivered quickly, it factors in all of the unknowns that enable the heat to be installed in the safest way. From access requirements to the need for enabling works, a contingency plan will ensure all bases are covered
and nothing’s missed, so that when the heat is required, installation teams can turn up to site and get it back up and running in a swift timeframe.
HOW TO CREATE A CONTINGENCY PLAN When it comes to assuring heating and hot water are always in supply, it is beneficial to be proactive. But how can a contingency plan be created and what are the top areas to consider?
HIGHLIGHT YOUR RISKS Construction, industrial, education and agricultural organisations have their distinctions, but what they all have in common is the need to continually mitigate against risk. Whilst these kinds of companies will have to ward off different types of risk, it is nonetheless something which all businesses have a duty to prevent. In the case of making a contingency plan, take time to highlight which risks have to be controlled, and highlight what and who will be affected in a worst-case scenario. By pinpointing risk, you’ll have a clearer understanding of why a contingency plan is needed in the first place: to protect people and plant, and ensure operation continues if heating and hot water become unavailable. It is also worthwhile to bear in mind the risks that are insurable. Always have the necessary financial protection in place to ensure nothing falls between the cracks.
CREATE A TIMELINE Even though huge plant rooms have a lifecycle of up to 30 years, they will probably need maintenance work at some stage. These planned works can be scheduled for anything from one to three months’ time, or as much as two years
12 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
in advance. Sometimes however, luck just isn’t on your side, and so emergency repairs and replacements may be required before the maintenance works are due.
To prevent the panicked urgency if and when this unfortunately happens, a contingency plan ensures companies have the provisions in place to make the call to whichever company you have the plan with. As a survey has already been performed, with any necessary concessions also factored in, your reputable supplier will be with you within a quick timeframe. With a disaster plan all of the bases have been covered; it eliminates panic, saves time, and restores heat usually on the same day.
TEST THE PLAN
Once a contingency plan has been created companies should inform its employees of what the method entails, so in the case of an emergency, a staff member can alert whoever is responsible for putting the plan into action. If risk is continually kept at bay, remember that it is important to review and manage your strategy so it doesn’t become outdated.
We always like to think the appliances or systems we use every day will never let us down. We take care of them and in turn they keep us happy. But if these products are showing the signs of age, sometimes they do falter – even if a repair programme has been arranged for a few months’ time. Contingency planning will go some way to ensuring businesses aren’t put in an unfortunate position this winter, so that if and when a boiler or heating system breaks, there is a process in place to bring the heat back quickly and securely.
Ideal Heat Solutions
www.idealheatsolutions.co.uk/
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