Taking the time to ensure your building is safe before closing increases your chances that it will be safe when you return. It’s vital that all staff is made aware of the importance of checking for potential fire and security hazards prior to shutting down for the night.
To help you with your loss prevention efforts, we’ve put together this Closing Time Inspection checklist (you might even want to print this page and post it in a central location where all employees can see it):
Fire Prevention
- Has all equipment been turned off?
- Are all flammables stored properly?
- Are combustibles stored away from heating appliances?
- Has a fire watch been completed? Have at least 30 minutes passed since the end of any hot work? Has a fire inspection of the hot work area been completed?
- Have oily rags and other material that may spontaneously combust been stored correctly?
- Is temporary heating equipment unplugged/shut off?
Crime Prevention
- Are the interior lights in the sales area on?
- Are the exterior lights operational?
- Have all doors and windows been locked and the padlocks secured on all bay doors?
- Has a walkthrough been done to ensure no one is inside the building?
- Has the security system been activated?
- Are all equipment, customer property and stock secure?
- Are all cash and valuables in a secure place?
