The recent flooding in certain parts of the country due to the remnants of a tropical storm is having a huge financial impact on homes and businesses. Here are some tips on what employers can do before, and after a flood event to protect property and valuable assets.
First, remember that floods are a natural part of life in many areas of the country. Floods are byproducts of hurricanes and torrential downpours. With the exception of flash floods, floods can be forecast with sufficient advance notice to allow emergency preparations before it affects an area. Flash floods will hamper emergency preparations because heavy rain will raise the water level of streams, causing the land to flood within a few hours. If there is a continual downpour of rain that has the potential to reach a danger level or if a mudslide is likely to occur, notify a member of senior management or your company’s Emergency Assessment Team (if you don’t have one, it’s a good idea to establish one). If water is observed, a member of senior management, the facilities manager, and a department supervisor are to be notified immediately. Management should communicate this with all employees, ensuring that they know who these individuals are and how to reach them.
The Emergency Assessment Team will assume responsibility for:
- Considering what precautionary measures are appropriate
- Directing the implementation of appropriate precautionary measures
- Moving all essential records to a vault or other protected site away from the affected area
- Shutting off the main water valve and main power switch if there are ruptured water lines or valves
- Cautioning all personnel to be extremely careful before walking on any floors covered with water, as equipment power cords lying on the floor could cause electrical currents
- Contacting the fire department, if deemed appropriate
Detailed Procedures for Flood or Water Leakage
Follow these procedures in the case of flood or water leakage:
- All electrical equipment should be shut down by turning off the appropriate circuit breakers;
- Equipment should be covered with protective plastic sheets, if available
- All data and magnetic media is to be removed to a safe place
- Management is to be notified
- Employees are to contact the department manager or other supervisor to contact appropriate persons to stop water entry and/or remove water
- If equipment of magnetic media has been damaged, personnel are to contact the vendor for instructions before resuming work
- Judgment is to be used to determine the severity of the situation which will then dictate the actions to take
These tips and a lot more are in the HR Guide to Business Continuity Planning, a comprehensive instructional volume on how to keep your organization functioning in the event of a catastrophic event, including hurricanes, power failures and flooding.