Any commercial building needs to be inspected when completed to ensure it has been built to the relevant standards and is fit for purpose. But, many businesses forget about the importance of maintaining those standards.
In fact, the condition should be monitored on an annual basis. Using an accredited company such as Corrims will help to ensure that you do not suddenly have a large bill because your building is not up to code.
There are 2 purposes to the ongoing assessments and inspections these firms can offer:
Maintenance
The basic reason, as mentioned above is to ensure that your building remains within government guidelines; allowing you and your staff to do your jobs properly. If you should ever fail to reach code it could not just be costly to rectify any issues; it can also be incredibly detrimental to your business.
In addition, regular monitoring will help to extend the life of your assets, particularly the machinery.
New Purchase
The other time when an inspection is essential is when you are taking ownership of a pharmacy building; or any commercial property. It doesn’t matter whether the building is new or used; you’ll need to know if it reaches the correct standard and what adjustments need to be made.
It is worth knowing what is involved in an inspection; this will help you to prepare properly:
Safety First
A pharmacy must have clearly signed emergency exits in case there is any sort of problem. The exits should be clear at all times and unlocked; providing an easy route out.
There also needs to be a working alarm system to ensure that everyone is aware of the issue.
But safety also extends to the drugs on the premises. You need to have a full list of all items at all times. This can help the emergency services and ensure all accounted for if the drugs survive the incident.
Security System
A pharmacy is a fairly high profile and desirable target for certain criminals. This is why it is essential the building is alarmed and properly locked up at night. A doorbell camera helps in many cases to keep track of your expected or unexpected visitors.
In addition, there needs to be a security system protecting anyone other than authorized users from getting to the medication. This must be working properly and used correctly at all times. A log will be necessary to confirm this.
Exterior
It is important that the building is maintained in a good condition. An inspection will look at the exterior of the property to assess if there is any damage that could compromise the integrity of the building. Potentially a flaw could make it easier for criminals to break in but it can also cause damage to the building infrastructure.
It’s important to rectify any issue as quickly as possible.
The inspection is also likely to look at whether there is any asbestos or other dangerous material in the building.
Drainage
A good building inspection will also look at the drainage systems. You need water to be carried away from the building effectively. This includes surface water, toilet facilities, and stormwater.
It is also advisable to assess the likelihood of floods in the area and what protection methods are available.
Facilities
You should also have your laboratories and any equipment inspected on a regular basis. When dealing with prescription medication, it is imperative that items like scales are 100% accurate. A mistake could be fatal.
Your inspection should assess the condition and remaining lifespan of your equipment as well as the cleanliness and suitability of your lab facilities. Keeping on top of this can extend the life of your machines or give you advance warning when something needs replacing.
Extras
One of the most important parts of a building inspection report is actually the bits that haven’t been inspected. These may be inaccessible or beyond the scope of the reporter. Just because they are not inspected does not mean you can ignore them; there could be a serious issue hiding in front of you.
You’ll need to sort access or get another specialist in to deal with any areas like this; that will ensure you know everything you can about your pharmacy and whether it is up to code or not.
