PLAYING IT SAFE

Property Management with Safety in Mind

As a property manager or landlord, you have an important responsibility. Building tenants and owners alike rely on you to keep the property safe, orderly, and functioning. However, there are hordes of hazards relating to your property management duties, including dealing with unruly characters, and performing a wide variety of risky repairs and tasks on each property.

Your safety is just as important as the tenants occupying the premises, so take good care of yourself. Keep the following precautions in mind throughout your workday.

Follow these workplace hazard precautions 

  1. Always watch out for your personal safety when dealing with the public. Sometimes people can become violent, angry, or act unpredictably over a seemingly minor issue or for no reason at all. You may encounter stress with your constituents over lease agreements, parking zones, or when dealing with complaints and disputes.
  2. When collecting rent or carrying large amounts of cash, always keep your eyes peeled for lurking crooks. To be less vulnerable, make frequent trips to the bank during regular business hours. It would also be sensible to let someone else (a spouse, significant other, close friend, etc.) know your daily routine in case you cannot be reached. This could indicate to them that you are in danger and need assistance.
  3. Conduct frequent safety inspections to identify potential hazards such as uneven pavement, puddles of oil or water that have accumulated in walkways, faulty door locks, etc. Be sure to fix these problems immediately or hire someone to do so.
  4. Limit public access to the property by installing locks on all of the entrances. Install adequate lighting to discourage intruders from prowling, especially in the more desolate areas of the building. Manicure the landscape as well, and do so often so that there are clear views around the property.
  5. Communicate with your tenants when there is a potential danger by placing signs on defective equipment or by restricting them from areas that are being repaired. 
  6. Do not perform services you are not professionally trained on, such as HVAC work, plumbing repair, etc. As a landlord, those tasks do not fall within your job description, and if you attempt to repair or replace something without expertise, you may unnecessarily hurt yourself and/or may cause irreparable damage to the property.
  7. Always use caution when working on electrical equipment, as these items do pose a shock threat.
  8. Be mindful of crush dangers when working near fans, elevators, and trash compactors.

This flyer is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or legal advice.

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