Tornadoes pose significant risks to businesses in their path, often developing rapidly with little to no warning. To mitigate these risks, business owners can take proactive steps to prepare for severe weather. Proper preparation can help reduce financial losses and ensure business continuity. Stay informed about changing weather conditions and heed active alerts from the National Weather Service and local forecasters.
Tornado Watch: Stay vigilant and monitor weather updates.
Tornado Warning: Take immediate action and seek shelter.
Preparing Commercial Properties:
Tornadoes are destructive and capable of doing significant damage to any structures in their path. That said, there are steps you can take to improve the resilience of your building and mitigate risk.
- Ensure your property meets current building codes for improved resilience. If you are building a new commercial property, be sure to work with your contractor on building materials recommended for your geographical area.
- Routinely bring inside or secure any loose outdoor objects that could become projectiles.
- Secure and anchor down any roof-mounted equipment like HVAC units and satellites.
- If possible, install impact-resistant windows and reinforced doors.
- Remove any dead branches or trees that could fall on the building or other property.
- Familiarize your team with the locations of utility lines and shutoff valves in case they are damaged.
- Maintain proper drainage systems to handle heavy rainfall and potential flooding.
- Implement leak detection and water intrusion technologies for early identification and remediation.
- Conduct routine maintenance and inspections, repairing loose and degrading building materials.
- Review and update your commercial property insurance, business income, and extra expense coverage annually.
- Back up important data and documents either off-site or in the cloud.
- Designate reinforced interior rooms or hallways on the lowest floor without windows as tornado shelters, and clearly mark them with signage.
Building / Property Occupants:
- Establish policies and protocols for severe weather. Designate shelter locations and safety procedures.
- Clearly mark all safety locations and exits with emergency plans.
- Assign team roles and responsibilities in severe weather. A few important questions to consider:
- Who is responsible for putting away equipment and preparing the building?
- Is there machinery that needs to be shut down?
- Are there doors that need to be closed?
- Do certain power grids or other electrical components need to be shut down?
- Who is responsible for communicating the plans and procedures for building occupants?
- Who is responsible for documenting before and after state for insurance purposes?
- Run drills to practice your preparedness and audit any area of necessary improvement.
- Stock a tornado preparedness kit with flashlights, radios, first aid supplies, water and non-perishable food.
- In the event of damage, be sure to notify your insurer as soon as possible.
- Cooperate with insurer's investigation and provide requested information or assistance. The more information you can provide on the pre-damage state of the property and its contents, the more smoothly your claim process will go.
Outdoor workforces:
- Develop and communicate emergency procedures and protocols to workers in advance.
- Ensure workers have access to weather alerts and know when to pause work.
- Provide instructions for securing equipment to prevent projectiles or damage.
- Direct workers to descend from ladders and seek shelter in nearby structures.
- Keep emergency kits readily available.
While tornadoes can strike with little warning, taking proactive preparedness measures is crucial for protecting your business, employees and assets. Regularly review your emergency plans, maintain your property, and ensure adequate insurance coverage. By staying vigilant, communicating procedures clearly, and seeking professional guidance, you can minimize downtime and losses when severe weather strikes.
All articles are written by licensed insurance professionals. However, these articles are not intended to be used as legal advice. If you have questions regarding your specific policy or claim, please contact your broker or reach out to a member of the RBN team.