Securing Your Assets

SECURING YOUR ASSETS BY SAM LEEDER Our columnist on the challenges to consider for businesses returning to premises

REOPENING YOUR BUSINESS – T HINGS TO CONSIDER

Thankfully the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak seems to be behind us and lockdown restrictions are easing on a weekly basis. While this is obviously cause for celebration, it also gives rise to new business risks and more potential headaches for business owners and directors.

During the lockdown period, the vast majority of commercial insurers relaxed their normal policy conditions to ensure that cover continued to be provided for companies who were shut down for extended periods.

As lockdown is easing and many businesses are returning to their premises, likewise insurers are beginning to reimpose their standard policy conditions. Therefore for those businesses who choose not to return to their premises, or who are unable to do so due to the government’s continued restrictions, they must notify their insurance providers and become familiar with any specific actions that must be taken to ensure that cover continues.

However, for those businesses who are now able to open – albeit with social distancing measures – there are a new set of challenges to consider.

As a company owner or director, you take on a duty of care not only to your customers and members of the public but also to your employees. What this crisis has highlighted is quite how onerous that duty of care can be.

The good news is that with a well-structured insurance programme you will be adequately protected – however, insurers will expect that you take all reasonable precautions to minimise the risks.

Health & Safety

There is a significant amount of advice available for the Health & Safety procedures you should be considering, particularly on the HSE website www.hse.go.uk

What we would highlight is that you should undertake a full review of your risk assessments and safe systems of work to ensure that your employees, visitors and customers are kept as safe as possible during these difficult times.

This should consider whether work can be completed with safe social distancing and, if not, what safety measures you can put in place to mitigate any risk.

In addition, employees should undertake training to ensure they are operating within the required safe systems and are aware of their responsibilities to themselves and to others.

Review emergency procedures

As part of the Health & Safety review, also consider your emergency response procedures, with particular attention to what you would do if an outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in your workplace. Also consider your HR procedures and how you would deal with employees who may be affected by the virus.

Overall, the measures required to reopen your business are common sense and your insurers will work with you to provide cover while also urging you to act with care.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding either reopening or keeping your premises locked up, we’re always happy to help.

Sam Leeder ACII Actus Insurance samleeder@ actusinsurance.co.uk 0114 2903624 07718 189476

BARNSLEY COLLEGE STUDENTS ON A PATHWAY TO NEW BUSINESS SUCCESS Two enterprising Barnsley College students have used lockdown as a chance to start up their own businesses. Here the young entrepreneurs share more about their plans and the organisations supporting them on their new ventures

Two Barnsley College students have launched new businesses with help from iTrust, a joint venture between the College, The Barnsley Chronicle and The Business Village @ BarnsleyBIC.

iTrust supports students interested in starting up a business in Barnsley by offering them access to an array of information and guidance such as mentoring from industry specialists and local businesses and financial investments.

Shanna Greenall (19) is a Level 2 Hair and Beauty student and launched her business, Limitless Lashes, which sells vegan, faux mink lashes, during lockdown in May this year. She was awarded a grant of £250 to support her start-up.

Shanna said: “During lockdown, I started to think about starting my own business more seriously – the workshops at College really helped me put my mind to it. Now I have launched Limitless Lashes, my grant will allow me to purchase my first bulk order of lashes, package them and also start my website.”

Level 3 Sport and Exercise Sciences student Luke Jones (19) was inspired to start his own business making custommade footwear after he wanted both himself and his shoes to stand out from the crowd. He has founded Sketch Customs with help from iTrust.

Luke said: “About a year ago I was looking to buy some new shoes and I really liked a particular pair, but I was put off by the fact that everyone

around me was wearing them.

“I started to search for different models of the shoe and found a picture of some that were custom-made and loved them so I started to look into how they were made – I found a website that stocked paints especially for leather so I ordered some, customised my own and started to wear them.

“I truly aspire to have my own business and I’m excited to see where it can go with the support of the Enterprise Team, the Prince’s Trust and my friends and family. I really feel that I can make this a success.”

Barnsley College is rated outstanding by Ofsted. It has approximately 9,000 students and offers various programmes including vocational courses, A Levels, apprenticeships, technical courses (T Levels), part-time, and Higher Education courses.

See www.barnsley.ac.uk or www.barnsleysixthform college.co.uk for more information or contact Jess Widdowson: j.widdowson@barnsley.ac.uk.

It’s not too late to apply online to study with us in September. For more information about any of our courses email info@ barnsley.ac.uk or visit www.barnsley.ac.uk.

LUKE JONES, FOUNDER OF SKETCH CUSTOMS