Lightning is a major threat to the safety of your employees and property. You can’t control the weather, but you can protect your business from harsh storms. Thunderstorms can produce winds up to 50 mph and pose a major risk of flash flooding and electrical fires. The first thing you should do to prepare for a storm is ensure that your business property is equipped with everything it needs.
Flood Proofing
Make sure that you have flood protection as part of your business insurance. Weather-related damages can cost thousands of dollars to repair and, more importantly, bring business to a screeching halt. The best thing you can do is ensure that your business is properly insured and have arrangements in place to work elsewhere or compensate employees in the result of an unexpected closure.
You should also make sure that your property is well-equipped to handle heavy winds, hail and possibly flying objects. Hurricane-proof windows, flood barriers and storm shutters should all be part of your storm prevention design.
Remove Potential Hazards
Cut down any trees on your business’s property that could fall and cause physical injury or damage during a lightning storm. You should also make sure that the parking lot and surrounding area is always free of objects that could be thrown during the midst of a storm.
Make sure that all of this is donebefore the bad weather hits; if something is still out once the lightning arrives, don’t go outside to secure it. It’s better to protect yourself indoors.
Protect Your Electricity
Surge protectors, lightning rods and pole mounted transformers can redirect lightning and spare your business from getting hit by deadly voltages. You should also have a back-up generator and unplug any electronics at the heaviest points of the storm. Although protectors and transformers can save your business, you should still take extra safety measures to protect your possessions and employees.
Make an Evacuation Plan
If the storm reaches its most dangerous peak, then you’ll need to know where the closest shelter is and how to call for help. Prepare ahead of time by creating an emergency kit that includes a radio, water, First Aid kit and flashlights with extra batteries.
Stay on Top of the Weather
Lightning storms can strike out of the blue, but some locations are more prone to storms than others. Make sure that you learn about your region’s weather patterns as well as stay up-to-date with weather alerts. You can even enable alerts on your phone to make sure that you’re always one step ahead of Mother Nature.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.
