What you Need to know Before a Disaster Happens: Office Furniture Disaster Recovery

All companies will experience a crisis at their workplace at some point in time. It might come in the way of a physical disaster whether it is man-made or natural. A flood at the office, a fire, explosion, or vandalism, can cause a lot of problems. In a crisis, people can get hurt. There is often an interruption to business, which includes taking the time to clean up the mess and replace damaged office assets; including desks, seating, flooring, fixtures, tables, and paper documents. When there is a disaster, there is often insurance costs, liability charges, and public relations problems.

Is your office prepared in case of a crisis?

Nobody wants a disaster to happen, but businesses that have a plan in place in case one does, have a greater chance of minimizing the impact on the business and returning to business as quickly as possible.

Your plan should include such things as a list of tasks, resources, contacts, and assets. In the time of crisis, you should know how you will continue your operations. Who will manage the various tasks? How will you manage your records and a crisis communications plan?

Office furniture is one of the largest investments any sized business has when starting up. A company needs desks, office chairs, filing cabinets, conference tables, reception furniture, lounge / kitchen area seating, etc. for themselves and their employees. As the company grows, so does the amount of office furniture.

Take the steps to protect your investment. In the case of a disaster, know how to minimize damage to the furniture, how to evaluate any damage, and how to assess replacement / recovery cost of the furniture.

Take measures to reduce the risk and impact of a disaster

If you are leasing, it will be the owner of the building to make sure all the building equipment is up to date and meets regulatory building codes. Make sure to know what you are responsible for within your tenant agreement, and that you meet all safety requirements; especially if you decide to do an office design project that requires structural changes.

Minimize response time during a crisis, minimize damage

There are many kinds of disasters and levels of severity, but whenever possible extinguish or shut off the source of the problem to reduce the damage. The faster you can respond to an emergency, such as a flood or a fire, the more likely you will be to minimize damage. When developing your business contingency plan, consider possible disaster scenarios; know who will manage the task, what they need to do, and who they need to call.

Call in qualified emergency response cleaning experts

There are cleaning companies that specialize and are certified to clean up after a disaster. They have the right knowledge and equipment to assess the situation, remove the contaminants (water, dirt and debris) and then advise on restoration.

Did your office furniture survive?

” Cheap furniture is made of particle board. When there is a flood, particle board absorbs water like a sponge and is quickly ruined.” Says Glenn Kitchen from Final Touch Janitorial Services. “Quality furniture isn’t affected the same way and can sometimes be salvaged.”

If your office furniture is made from eco-friendly materials, it is recommended to let the cleaning company know so they can be sure to use the appropriate products. Some harsh cleaning products can cause damage to natural materials.

Next steps are to assess the damage

Is your furniture safe to be used again? How much of it can be salvaged? Is there a resale value in the workstations, chairs or filing cabinets; either used or as remanufactured? These are questions where the team from Envirotech can assist. They will come into your office, assess the situation and come up with the best solution to get the greatest value out of your furniture. They have extensive connections to help resell it if that is the plan, or there may be a possibility to take it back to Envirotech and remanufacture it to look better than new. If there is no way you can salvage your furniture, they will advise and assist you in finding the most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly way to remove it from your office.

Don’t wait until there is an emergency! Make sure we are on your list of emergency contacts when creating your business continuity plan.

For more questions about how Envirotech can help with your office furniture disaster recovery needs, please contact one of our team today.

Save your Assets! Time for a Plan.