Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/71917
BUSINeSS/TOOLS Business As Usual? Act now to prepare for, mitigate and recover from potential loses to your business. Protecting a business during severe weather or any natural or man-made disaster is an important step for owners and managers. Preparation is key to protecting a business, and getting it up and running again. The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has devel- oped practical and affordable business protection steps that most business owners or managers can implement on their own or with limited outside assistance. These include: • Complete a risk and vulnerability assessment. This is the process of identifying, quantifying and documenting the proba- bility and overall severity of various types of threats or hazards that could damage your facility and cause a disruption in your business. IBHS offers resources through the Open for Business® program and other commercially focused publica- tions and training materials to help simplify the process. • Identify recovery priorities. In planning for possible disaster, you should focus first on your most important business functions. These should be your recovery priorities. Once you have identified which business functions need to be restored most quickly, start putting in place measures to protect or duplicate these functions in a secure location. • Protect against flooding. Spring rains and snowmelt increase the threat of flooding in many parts of the country, and storm surge is a threat in many coastal areas. While proximity to water is the No. 1 risk factor for flooding, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood and scope of flood damage— and to protect your equipment and inventory. Contact your insurance agent to discuss the potential purchase of flood insurance. • Schedule a roof inspection and develop a maintenance plan. The roof is the first line of defense against the elements, making it one of the most vulnerable points on a commercial building. A compromised roof can result in significant damage to internal fixtures, furniture and equipment. What's more, rooftop equipment or pieces of the roof itself can take flight during a windstorm, causing damage to the building, nearby vehicles or neighboring property. • Protect against high wind damage. Recent storms such as hurricanes Ike (2008) and Irene (2011) make it clear that hur- ricanes are not just a coastal problem; they can travel hundreds of miles inland and cause significant damage to non-coastal areas. Take steps to protect your business against high winds. Schedule an inspection of your building's exterior and make any 24 STORM&SecURITy PROTecTION / 2012 FORECAST needed repairs, such as filling gaps to keep wind-driven rain out and trimming branches or removing weak trees. If your business is in a hurricane-prone area, see IBHS guidance for protecting windows and doors and other structural elements of the build- ing. Also, do not forget to consider the human factor in hurricane readiness. • Inspect building and make repairs. Get outside and inspect your premises, looking for problems such as damaged gutters and drainpipes, broken windows, and minor leaks. Repairing damage now can prevent even more damage in the event of a severe rainstorm or windstorm, and get you ready for future storms. Also consider lightning protection. • Inspect and repair wiring and HVAC systems. Not all loss events are weather-related. Faulty wiring, heaters and HVAC systems are just some of the causes of internal fire or water damage. Conduct a comprehensive internal site inspection to look for maintenance issues that need to be addressed. Use the IBHS Seasonal HVAC Checklist. Also, consider implementing a plan to make sure all employees know electrical safety practices. • Protect data centers. Information and information technol- ogy are the lifeblood of most businesses. However, both data and data equipment are at risk if you do not take steps to protect them from weather and other causes of loss. Review the systems you have in place to protect your data center and the equipment your employees use to receive, transmit and store information. Include data protection and access in your business continuity plan. • Learn the benefits and risks of using generators. Power outages resulting from man-made or natural disasters, or site-specific events, can disrupt your business operations. Consider the costs and benefits of a generator. Don't forget about proper maintenance and safe operation if you expect the generator to work when it's needed most. • Work together. Your employees play a critical role in your business's success. They need to be a critical part of your business continuity planning and your organization's recovery in the event of loss. Think about how you can communicate with your employees as to your expectations following a disaster. And use this time to provide them with information about how they can strengthen their homes and communities against the risks that threaten them. These tips and more can be found in the Commercial Section of the IBHS Web site: www.disastersafety.org.