What happens when you realize that your toilet at home is clogged up? What if there is no more toilet paper? How about when you get out of your car and the driveway is iced over and slippery? Regardless of the issue, it is your house. You take initiative and address the problem immediately.
What would you do if you encountered a similar issue in your church? You see that the bathroom sink is leaking. Perhaps a Sabbath School room’s electrical outlet has exposed wires. If the walkway in front of the church has potholes, what do you do? Is your reaction, “I am sure someone has talked to the pastor about it already.”? Do you decide not to take initiative and address the issue as you would if it was in your house? More often than not we overlook these issues. But it is our responsibility to alert the head deacon, a church board member, pastor, or maintenance person, and volunteer to help them fix the problem.
Avoidable and Unavoidable Losses
According to The Insurance Information Institute, in 2015 winter storms and cold waves caused 98 fatalities as well as an estimated $3.5 billion insured losses. During the past five winters, Adventist Risk Management, Inc. (ARM) paid property claims that might have been prevented. Here are the top causes of loss by claim amount.
It is surprising how many of those could have been prevented by just maintaining the facilities through regular inspection and repair. So, what can you do? A few simple actions can make a huge difference. These include:
- Keeping the building at an adequate temperature to prevent frozen pipes.
- Leave the heat on and set to no lower than 55ºF (12.78º C).
- Maintain electrical outlets properly to avoid fires
- Keep burning candles away from curtains or any flammable items when lit.
- Maintain sidewalks to prevent cracks
- Add salt to icy sidewalks to prevent slips, trips, and falls.
How Can We Prepare for What is Ahead?
Regular maintenance should be the priority in your church and other buildings. When you see a toilet leaking, ripped carpets, or even lots of clutter in the hallway - that may very well be an accident waiting to happen.Remember, when you think that it is someone else’s problem, you may be passing up on an opportunity to prevent an accident from happening. Be sure to talk to your deacons, elders, church board, or pastor about the most effective ways to address these issues and consider starting these seasonal maintenance items.
A great way to manage these risks is by creating a safety committee and appointing a Safety Officer who can be responsible for the church’s safety program. ARM’s website has a variety of resources on how to create maintenance management plans and ultimately save the church a lot of money from paying out those avoidable claims.
ARM is always here to help you protect your ministry. We have many resources that will help you protect the property entrusted to you. Visit our Prevention Resources page and learn how you can help your church.
