Geophysical Investigation and Planning to Save Your Business from Disasters

Is your business prepared for a man-made or natural disaster? Now that’s a question almost every small business owner should have an answer for. People generally are clueless as to how to remain prepared for a disaster and combat to save their business. By different kinds of hazards a business can encounter, we are discussing how to plan for a disaster and get your business out of trouble and keep it up and running again as soon as possible.

Fire

Fire is among the common of all. It causes injuries and deaths and burns billions of dollars in property damage every year. Knowledge remains the key to ensure people know the it procedures. Some other factors you must consider include:

• Meet Fire Department to discuss your operations and fire response capabilities; especially any materials or processes that can either cause a fire or contaminate the environment.
• Have the facility inspected and ensure you are up-to-date on regulations related to fire.
• Ask your insurance provider for fire protection and prevention tips.
• Educate employees on how to prevent fires when at work, how to stop the fire, how to evacuate, and where to report the fire.
• Keep fire wardens in every area to monitor evacuation procedures.
• Establish processes for safe handling and flame storage to avert combustible materials from accumulating, including smoking materials.
• Install fire extinguishers appropriately and train employees to use them.
• Place and maintain smoke detectors and consider placing a fire alarm that can call the fire department automatically.
• Consider installing fire hoses, sprinkler systems, and fire-resistant doors and walls.

Floods and Flash floods

Floods are the widespread and common natural disasters businesses face. Most countries experience some extent of flooding after heavy thunderstorms, spring rains, or winter snow thaws. Flash floods are like water walls that develop in minutes. Flash floods cause due to dam failure or intense storms. Some preparations that you can do include:

• Examine your risk. Are you in a flood-hit location?
• Review the emergency plan of your community to establish evacuation routes and higher grounds.
• Develop a procedure regarding warning and evacuation for your company.
• Inspect manufacturing facilities for areas that can be hit by flooding. Also, identify equipment and records that you can move to a higher area.
• Obtain a warning alarm from departments that use seismic recording systems for flood and other natural disaster forecasts.
• Flooding is possible so stay tuned to mainstream and social media. Be mentally prepared to evacuate. Also, tune in to local radio stations for further information.
• Flooding can occur soon, so, take precautions at once. Be prepared to shift to higher ground and if advised, evacuate immediately.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes can damage corporations’ buildings; disrupt electricity, gas, and telephone services. Also, they can trigger flash floods, landslides, avalanches, huge ocean waves, and fires. Aftershocks can occur for weeks after the occurrence of an earthquake.

In many structures, the biggest fear to people regarding earthquakes remains for machinery and non-structural aspects such as partitions, ceilings, windows, and lighting fixtures. Earthquakes can suddenly occur without warning. Some preps you can do for the next “Big One” include:

• Gain historical and recent seismic and geophysical investigation report for your area.
• Discussing with any relevant engineer and ask him what to do to strengthen your building, which includes:
• Inserting steel bracing to frames.
• Inserting sheer walls into frames.
• Strengthening building and columns foundations.
• Replacing unreinforced walls (brick filler).
• Follow safety regulations with major and new construction renovation.
• Inspect, develop, and assess preventive measures regarding damage to non-structural systems such as communications, air conditioning, and pollution control systems.
• Move heavy and large objects to lower the floor or shelves. Keep heavy items away from the people-centric place.
• Secure filing cabinets, shelves, tall furniture, computers, desktop equipment, copiers, printers, and light fixtures.
• Secure heavy machinery and fixed equipment to the floor. Larger machinery can be placed on casters and connected to tethers that are attached to the wall.

Technological Emergencies

These include any disruption or loss of power source, utility services, life support mechanisms, equipment, or information system required to keep the business up and running. Such technological emergencies can be pre-planned for:

• Identify every possible critical operation, including:
• Utilities including gas, water, electric power, hydraulics, municipal compressed air, wastewater treatment services, and internal sewer systems
• Alarm and security systems, life support systems, elevators, lighting, ventilation, heating, AC systems, and electrical distribution system.
• Pollution control equipment and manufacturing equipment
• Communication systems – voice and data computer networks
• Transportation systems including highway, railroad, air, and waterway
• Determine the influence of service disruption.
• Ensure that crucial maintenance and safety personnel are completely familiar with all structural systems.
• Devise procedures for system restoration. Establish the need for backup systems.
• Set up preventive maintenance schedules for systems and equipment.

Hazardous Materials Incidents

These are materials that are either combustible or flammable, toxic, noxious, explosive, oxidable , corrosive, radioactive, or irritant. They need to be properly handled, stored, labeled, and disposed of. All these precautions are generally written in the state regulations that are applicable to the companies along with the materials you are keeping. Consider the following:

• Obtain data sheets for material safety for all hazardous materials at your premises.
• Call your local fire tender in rising response procedures.
• Train employees for proper handling and storing hazardous materials. Also, equip them to identify and report spills.
• Develop a response plan for hazardous material including:
• Notification of employees, management, and emergency responders.
• Evacuation processes.
• Guiding and organization for emergency response teams to contain and control spillage of a hazardous material as per the regulations.

Wrap Up

It is all about preparedness before time. By the time your ankles are underwater, it is already too late. A small budget and homework now will assure you can match up later; so take it as an investment. If you don’t prepare, investing in the below-mentioned items will keep you afloat:

• Weather Radio and seismic report.
• A risk assessment and fire inspection for the other hazards identified above.
• Specialty Insurance for an earthquake.
• Data back-ups, data storage, and off-site file.
• Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS systems) for critical systems.
• Preventative equipment maintenance.
• Batteries, flashlights, and fire extinguishers.