Top Tips – Protect Your Business from the Risk of Extreme Weather Damage?
20 years ago this week,
Hurricane Len caused over £1 billion worth
of damage to homes and businesses across the
UK; with climate change affecting the UK’s
weather patterns, causing events such as
this years’ widespread flooding, now is a
good time to ensure your business is
prepared for extreme weather events.
Insurance company More
Than have produced two sets of tips that we
think are extremely useful in planning for
extreme weather conditions. If you live in
areas affected by the flooding this year,
these are especially useful.
Top tips on
protecting your business property
and belongings from extreme weather events:
- Remember your
insurance company is there to help!
- Follow advice,
such as evacuation notifications and
procedures, given by the Environment
Agency and your local council. Advice
can also be found within their website:
Environment Agency.
- Ensure any trees
or tree branches that are near power
lines or are in the vicinity of your
premises are trimmed back or maintained,
so that in the case of high wind they
don't catch fire or fall on the
building.
- If your premises
have a chimney, ensure the chimney is
properly secured with braces so it won't
collapse during extreme weather.
- Try to maintain
and adhere to current building codes.
Ensure your premises is securely
anchored to its foundation - If you
don't know how to do the bracing and
bolting necessary to strengthen it,
contact a licensed building contractor.
- Check circuit
breakers and fuse boxes, replacing bad
connections and storing spare fuses.
- Know how to turn
off the water main and check your gas
meters.
- Have an emergency
box on hand containing fire
extinguishers.
- Secure plumbing
and gas lines with straps, attaching
them to walls, ceilings, or stable
surfaces and install flexible hoses on
gas and water appliances.
- Ensure the water
heater is securely in place in a
corner/closet/or straight on a wall.
- Reinforce and
secure unstable objects inside the
premises i.e. mirrors, shelves, light
fixtures.
- Make sure any
kitchen equipment along with fuel tanks
and wood burning stoves are securely
anchored
Top tips if you have
suffered from an extreme weather event:
- Stay out of
damaged buildings and watch out for
fallen power lines or broken gas lines.
- Look for and
extinguish small fires to eliminate fire
hazards.
- Leave the gas on
at the main valve, unless you smell gas
or think its leaking. If the gas is
turned off for any reason, it must be
turned back on by a professional.
- Look for
electrical system damage. If you see
sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if
you smell burning insulation, turn off
the electricity at the main fuse box or
circuit breaker.
- Open any closet
and cabinet doors cautiously. Contents
may have shifted during a storm and
could fall, creating further damage or
injury.
- Use
battery-powered lanterns or flashlights
to inspect your premises. Kerosene
lanterns, torches, candles, and matches
may tip over or ignite flammables
inside.
- Watch for loose
plaster, drywall, and ceilings that
could fall and inspect the entire length
of chimneys carefully for damage.
- Contact your
insurance company immediately. Insurers
are trained to provide you with
information and guidance in events like
this.
- Take pictures of
the damage, both of the premises and its
contents to help your insurance claim.
The big step that you
need to take is creating a Business
Continuity Plan, which details all the steps
you will need to take to get your business
up and running again after a disaster. This
may include getting back ups of important
data, spare accommodation, emergency
equipment (E.g.: Spare PC’s), contacting
suppliers / customers, and arranging for key
staff to know their roles in such a
situation.
For more information on Disaster Recovery
visit our free article here.
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