The weather map of Australia this summer has closely resembled the colour palette of the inside of a volcano. All those bright orange hues and hot reds show that summer time is getting serious.

Your insurance policy should step up to reflect the changing climate. Bushfire danger and extreme weather conditions are on the rise in Australia, and there’s no sign of them calming down. All businesses should have insurance policies in place in case of fire, but it is especially important your insurance protects you from fire danger if you are close to bushlands, densely wooded areas, grasslands, or places with frequent strong winds such as coastal areas.

Here are some things you can do as a business owner to ensure you are doing everything you can to protect your business premises and staff. These fire safety tips ensure that you and your employees will stand a good chance of being fire safe this bushfire season. Follow our advice for preparing for fires, and you could be saving yourself a world of hassle and stress in the future.

Bushfire season safety tips:

  • Create a ‘circle of safety’ around your business. This should be a clear zone of anything likely to catch fire easily such as grass or dry materials. It should be at least 20 metres around the premises.
  • Fortify the structure of your building. You can install sarking to regulate from extremely hot and cold weather, plus add a layer of protection against fires. You can also install laminated safety glass and metal flyscreens which withstand well against fire.
  • Keep all flammable liquids like fuels and cleaning chemicals in a safe space. Ideally flammable liquids should be stored in a fireproof shed at least a few metres away from the main area of your building.
  • Clean the dead leaves from your gutters and add metal gutter guards if you don’t already have them.
  • Double check your insurance policy to ensure you have adequate protection in case of fire. Make sure you are up to date with your insurance payments, and make sure you will get all you need to rebuild and cover losses in the case of a fire. You should also know exactly what you are eligible to claim. If you aren’t sure about any of these points, call your insurance provider and ask them today.