Every Holiday brings a number of risks for businesses, and individuals. Halloween is a particularly good opportunity to see a spooky night turn into a an even worse morning of discovering that vandalism or theft has occurred overnight! In most cases, Holidays result in smaller staff, or none at all, for periods of time at your business.

For individuals and businesses, the hectic days of shopping and stress can distract us from being as aware as normal. From a vandal or a thief’s point of view, nothing could be more tempting than when targets aren’t paying full attention.

The key to diminishing the potential for vandalism or theft during a holiday is to be prepared and take the proper steps.

Here are 5 safety tips for Businesses during the upcoming Holidays:

1. Communicate with your staff. As a business owner or manager, you are responsible for the property and employees under your supervision. Speak with your workers about potential risks that could occur during Holidays. Urge them to pay attention to suspicious activity and report it immediately. If something seems “off” then tell somebody.

2. Decorate with care. If the Holiday is one that involves decorations at your place of business, realize that those additions can present safety hazards. Conduct a thorough review to ensure you are not creating dangers to your staff or customers, including potential fire issues.

3. Remove or hide valuables prior to the Holiday or during the Holiday break. If your business features easy to get to items, or windows that give a clear view of merchandise or other valuables, consider removing or hiding them. If there are typically large amounts of cash, jewelry, or other valuables on your property, it may be best to move them to a more secure location during the Holiday periods

4. Hire security guards. Security guards or scheduled security guard patrols can be a great deterrent against vandals and thieves who otherwise see your property as an easy target. Visible security and good lighting help send potential thieves elsewhere to scout for opportunities.

5. Conduct a security inspection. Schedule a security inspection to review your property, identify potential weak security areas or access points, and receive suggestions regarding how to reduce or eliminate potential vandalism or theft.

Prevention of theft or vandalism is a much better choice than facing cleanup or the aftermath of dealing with replacing what has been stolen from you. Take action now, rather than regretting it later

Frankie Lax is the owner and President of Maxxguard, based in Jackson, Tennessee.