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If your company doesn’t have a plan and protocol for before, during and after tropical storms, the time to get it done is now.
The climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches on Sept. 10, LWCC Safety Services Consultant Evan Canzoneri recommends preparation efforts cover the three P’s: people, property and papers.
People
Give employees as much information as possible, including details on whether the business will close or remain open, and, in the case of the latter, who will remain on site and how to handle injuries. Provide updated contact information and an accurate evacuation plan for any employee remaining on-site in a storm. The state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance provider recommends these other factors to consider:
- If there is an employee who must stay on site, ensure they have nonperishable food, water, flashlights, a portable charger for their phone and medical supplies. If there is an official evacuation order, abide by it and allow employees to leave.
- Before sending employees back to work, check your facilities for safety hazards and necessary repairs.
- Have cash on hand to pay employees in the event banks are closed or electronic payments are not possible.
Property
Preparing your property to weather a storm will minimize hazards, avoid potential disasters and expedite reopening. This includes:
- Repair and fill above-ground tanks with fresh water.
- Fill fuel tanks for generators, fire pumps and all company-owned vehicles.
- Remove as many goods as possible from the floor and away from windows or relocate them to a more secure site.
- Shut off the natural gas supply to minimize fire loss.
- Disconnect the main electrical feeds to the facility, if possible, to prevent a potential fire caused by short-circuiting of damaged equipment.
Papers
Protect your company’s key documents. After the storm hits can be one of the most difficult times to access paperwork. To prepare:
- Create digital copies of your business records with cloud-based access.
- Download documents onto external hard drives and place those drives in another location away from the potentially affected building.
- If digital records are not an option, protect physical copies. Use a stormproof container that guards against water and fire. Keep this container elevated to avoid high water and keep additional copies of your documents in a second location.
- Have any documents needed for insurance or audit purposes readily available.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated since its original publication to reflect that LWCC is the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance provider.
