Not only do businesses have to deal with the metaphoric storms of Brexit but also real-life weather conditions! Thankfully #Lorenzo is due to weaken but will still bring fierce winds, flooding, power outages, fallen trees and potential damage to property.
Here are our 5 top tips to be #WeatherAware
1 Make sure everyone is safe
Goes without saying really, check the weather reports and make sure that you and all employees and customers are safe – ideally, indoors. Seek and take the advice of authorities and have a communication plan for your staff.
2 Secure stock & premises & know emergency numbers
Protected stock or equipment to avoid potential damage. Lock windows and doors and set the alarm, if you have one. Secure loose objects or anything that can be blown around. Park vehicles in a garage if you have one or keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls or fences.
Make sure you and your staff know incident helpline numbers for fallen trees or blocked roads, reporting a power cut or reporting flooding.
3 Ensure Road users know the risks
Staff who drive to/from work or as part of their role are asked to pay attention to any road signs and temporary arrangements put in place during severe weather. Longer journey times or cancellations to road, rail, air and ferry services along with road closures should be expected
High-sided vehicles are most affected by windy weather, but strong gusts can also blow a car, cyclist, motorcyclist or horse rider off course. This can happen on open stretches of road exposed to strong cross winds, or when passing bridges or gaps in the hedges.
4 Contact your insurer as soon as you can
Most will have a 24-hour emergency helpline, where you will be able to get advice on next steps and arrange for repairs to be made. If you hold your buildings contents and business interruption policies with different insurers, remember that you may need to speak to more than one company. Easily find your policies in bluezone manager!
5 Take Photographs of all the damage
Don’t forget to record all the damage and take lots of photos, this will help with any claims from your insurance company. If safe to do so incidents or near misses should be recorded for insurance or continuous improvement purposes.