Industrial doors are of vital importance to any business, and yet, it is surprising how commonplace it is that scheduled industrial door maintenance is paid little attention. For many businesses, a reactive approach is taken to maintenance, and doors are only serviced when a problem occurs.
Should there be an issue with an industrial door system, this could have a considerable effect on operations, especially if the door affected is one of the main openings used to goods in and despatch. In many cases, such a disruption could lead to late deliveries and even loss of sales, in addition to repair costs endured.
Let’s look at some of the most important reasons for regular maintenance as opposed to reactive industrial door repairs.
Safety and legality
Firstly, as a business owner or building owner, you have a responsibility to ensure that industrial doors, shutters and loading bay systems are safe for daily use. Should doors not be properly maintained, this could result in serious accidents, injuries and even fatality.
If an accident was to take place that involves industrial doors, the person responsible for the building takes responsibility. Under the Health Safety at Work Act 1974, the responsible party faces prosecution for failing to ensure employee health and safety. With specific relevance to doors and gates within industrial or commercial premises, industrial door systems must comply with the Workplace regulation 1992.
A further responsibility of building owners or managers is to ensure that all fire safety equipment is certified to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Compliance requires that fire equipment, including fire door systems must be regularly maintained
Reduce downtime
As stated above, door systems that are not functioning properly can lead to considerable downtime for a business. When a door cannot safely open and close, this can considerably slow down operations, and in the case that the affected door is the only suitable opening for normal operations, a business may be forced to shut down operations completely until industrial door repairs are carried out.
With regular scheduled maintenance, any small issues that could lead to future downtime should be identified and fixed as soon as possible. With a proactive approach, downtime is reduced significantly.
Avoid costly repairs
Oftentimes, when a problem is ignored, at some point down the line, the problem will grow larger – as will the cost of repair. Whilst scheduled industrial door maintenance services may seem like a cost a business could do without, if small problems are not spotted and fixed early on, the resulting costs could be difficult for a business to get over.
Improve security
It is common sense that a door that is not regularly maintained is much more likely to pose a security risk. By failing to carry out necessary repairs in a timely fashion, intruders may well take advantage of potential weaknesses.
Increase longevity
As well as reducing the risk of downtime and preventing costly repair bills, ensuring that industrial doors are sufficiently maintained also helps to extend the lifespan of a door system. When any repairs are minor, it will take much longer for door systems to degrade to the point where they must be replaced.
Please note, expected longevity of industrial doors will be given based on a regular and effective maintenance schedule, so to achieve the best return on investment, doors that are looked after well will last for much longer than those that aren’t.
Industrial Door Maintenance Services in the UK
Over recent years, with increased demand for warehouses and new challenges for sectors such as retail, delivery and distribution, waste disposal and incineration, maintenance contracts are more important than ever before.
For scheduled maintenance services for industrial doors and loading bay systems, you can contact Amber Doors and Loading Bay Services Ltd.