May 12, 2021 4 Ways to Better Manage Industrial Buildings

Managing industrial buildings includes regular maintenance, cleaning up spills, anticipating wear and tear, maintaining roofing structures.

Industrial property managers have their work cut out for them. Industrial buildings are unlike offices in that they usually see almost continuous usage – often in use 24 hours a day – and have many moving parts, with goods being received, and others leaving, as well as some used as storage facilities, medical facilities, and more. Typically, no one industrial building has the same use as another, so custom-designed buildings and unique fit-outs are common. For property managers, this creates a real challenge.

Here are 4 ways to better manage industrial buildings.

Clean Up Spills Safely

A regular vacuum cleaner will not successfully clean up spills safely, especially if it’s considered hazardous waste or may contain other chemicals. Therefore, a vacuum that qualifies for a higher NRTL certified rating like a Class I or Division 2 is necessary to be safe to use.  

Seeking out the right kind of industrial vacuum cleaner is important. Otherwise, it won’t do the job it is intended for. When dealing with potentially dangerous substances on the industrial floor or when needing to clean inside sensitive equipment, use the right vacuum cleaner for the task.

Anticipate Greater Wear and Tear

Building maintenance is often costlier with industrial buildings because there’s considerable foot traffic, perhaps forklift trucks moving around, or heavy machinery or equipment moved into position. These kinds of things wear through even durable floor surfaces over time.

Also, depending on what work is being completed inside the building, the wear and tear on the structure will be evident sooner too. Walls may sustain chunks taken out of them when accidents occur or just treated roughly by staff. Expect it, inspect for it, and get issues remedied as soon as possible.

Don’t Ignore the Roofing Structure

Commercial roofs on industrial buildings can sustain unexpected damage from high winds, flying debris, and more. While they tend to have a long lifespan, they also don’t last forever.

Therefore, have the roof inspected after a major storm has passed through. Ensure that there’s no damage that could worsen if it is not resolved quickly enough. Also, set a regular schedule for roof inspections to look for any surprises or where small fixes can be performed to avoid larger issues developing.

Perform Maintenance Regularly

Whether it’s machinery that gets overworked, like electronically raised bay doors or commercial driveway approaches with trucks laden with heavy machinery, it will need regular attention.

For the driveway approaches to the building, when they’re inside the property line, the company can ensure it remains in usable order. Re-laying the driveway when it can no longer support the loads that arrive or depart must be expected over the years. Schedule inspections to verify that its condition isn’t deteriorating sooner than expected too. Also, look at footpaths to and from the building.

Electronic and other equipment such as gates and fencing may need some preventative maintenance to keep it operational. Consider the delays caused by a malfunctioning front gate and you get the idea of what the costs and inconvenience might be.

Managing an industrial building to ensure the facility runs smoothly and there are no catastrophic breakdowns or disruption isn’t a simple task. But when approaching it systematically, setting reminders to inspect possible areas of concern, and not neglecting anything, it can run smoother than might otherwise be expected.

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