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SIGNAGE SAFETY CERTIFICATION HERE’S HOW...
YOU MUST KEEP YOUR SIGNAGE SAFE – IT’S THE LAW
When you join a franchise, you’re often part of a well-known name to your customers. And as part of your contract you will be required to have signage that is displayed correctly and kept in excellent condition too. But did you know that you are responsible for its upkeep too? When you occupy a premises and have a sign above your doors, the Health & Safety Act makes looking after it your problem. And if your signs fall down in a storm and injure a passerby, or the edging comes off, or wiring comes loose, you could be facing a major fine or much worse. You are also required to ensure your signage is maintained by someone who has the training, experience and certifications to show they can do the work. So you need to find a company who can show they have the skills and expertise to look after your signs. But there’s no need to worry. Here’s a three-step guide to help you get your signage maintained properly, keeping it looking great, lasting longer and making sure it’s safe and secure– and keep you safe from the law too
HERE’S HOW TO GET YOUR CYGNIA SIGNAGE SAFETY CERTIFICATE It’s really easy to keep your retail signs looking great and safe too. Here’s a simple 3-step guide.
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FIND THE PAPERWORK Firstly, find the agreement you have with the franchise holder. This likely holds details about your signage. The sign maker should provide you with documentation telling you how long it is expected to last, how it is made, what it is made from and any maintenance requirements to keep it in good order. You need to get it all together (the franchise holder should be able to help you with this), along with the details of the sign maker and the installer’s details too.
CALL CYGNIA With the documentation now in one place, it’s time to get in the experts to help you make sure your signage complies with the law. With Cygnia your signs get a thorough health check which finds any weaknesses affecting your signs that could put people in danger. And your signage documentation will help spot if there’s any potential issues to deal with – very important when your signs are first inspected.
GET YOUR SIGNS INSPECTED AND COVERED Maintenance is more than just giving a sign a wipe-over and a quick shake to see if it’s loose. You need to put your signs under a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) scheme. This means you have someone who visits your store a set number of times each year to do inspections and checks. The amount of times they visit depends in part on what an inspection finds and on how old your signs are. So, if your signs are more than 10 years old, or they are fixed on to a wood façade that is starting to rot, then the visits might be more frequent.
DISPLAY YOUR SIGNAGE SAFETY CERTIFICATE WITH PRIDE When your signs are certified safe by Cygnia, it means your signage is looked after by the biggest and most experienced network of engineers in the UK. Franchises can get caught out by sign maintenance – often thinking the provider will look after the signage when it turns out to not be the case. That’s why more franchises call Cygnia than any other maintenance company. For over 30 years we have been making sure shops, convenience stores, food retailers and hospitality venues have signs which are clean, light up properly and won’t fall down in a storm – and keep them contractually compliant as well as within the law. Your signage above your doors is vital to bring in customers. So keep your signage looking great and safe for your staff and your customers. Join the thousands of stores across the country and get your retail signs cared for by Cygnia.
SIGNAGE MAINTENANCE SIGNAGE HEALTH CHECK PEST PROTECTION ENERGY SAVING & SUSTAINABILITY t 01843 862 944 e sales@cygniamaintenance.com www.cygniadirect.co.uk