Plumb Safety: Protecting Your Business Against Weather-Related Claims

When looking at property claims, one of the significant factors is weather-related losses. Severe weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires are becoming the norm across the country. Catastrophic (CAT) events have been increasing in both frequency and severity with new areas being affected that have not been before. While weather is unpredictable, there are some definite steps you can take to control how severe weather affects your business, and to help minimize claims on your business property insurance policy.

Hurricanes

With hurricane season upon us, hurricane preparedness should be on all our minds. With hurricanes comes heavy rain and strong winds, which can cause substantial damage to your buildings and property. Though you may not be able to prevent all storm damage, there are ways you can help protect your buildings and prepare your operations for any large disruptions.

• Have a plan: Implement a disaster plan complete with roles for staff to assume in the event of a catastrophe. Train your staff on the plan and run disaster drills to familiarize themselves with their tasks and safety protocols. Utilize resources like IBHS’s Hurricane Ready Checklist and EZ-PREP guide to create an emergency preparedness and response plan.
• Protect the property: Inspect the roof for structural damage and the property for any potential exposures and repair or replace damage where necessary. Consider investing in protective equipment such as impact-resistant doors and windows.

• Invest in a generator: Power outages can bring your business to a standstill. A generator is essential to maintain business operations and a safe work environment when disaster strikes. Make sure generators are routinely maintained and in working condition.
• Secure outdoor equipment or merchandise: Any business equipment or product that is stored outside should be properly secured or brought indoors. Any stock that cannot be stored inside should be stacked low. Loose stacks should be bundled to help prevent damage to structures from blown debris.
• Conduct regular tree maintenance: Loose tree branches can break through windows, structures, and cars. Make sure trees are trimmed and maintained throughout the property to avoid breaking and falling branches.

Wildfires

Wildfires are not only getting larger, but they are also becoming more intense. For businesses located in areas prone to wildfires, taking proactive safety precautions and preparation can be critical in helping to reduce property loss and injuries due to wildfires. To help you protect your business from wildfires, consideration should be given to the fire resistance of your structures, the condition of those structures, and the land and nature such as brush and vegetation surrounding your property.

• Install a roof that is rated Class A: One of the crucial protections against wildfires and airborne burning embers is your roof. Low- and steep-slope roofs are rated from Class A to Class C based on their fire resistance, with Class A providing the most protection from fire. Some roofs are not rated for protection against fires. If your roof is unrated, (e.g., wood shake roof), or if you are considering replacing your roof, re-roof with a Class A-rated roofing material.
• Clean the debris: Clear debris such as pine needles and leaves from gutters and roof. It is recommended to incorporate this into a routine maintenance plan for your buildings at every season change and after any storm or high-wind event.
• Have a buffer: Create a buffer around your buildings (0-5 foot building ignition zone). Pay special attention to the 5 feet immediately surrounding your building. This area should be designed and maintained to keep fire or embers from igniting materials and spreading fire to your building. Ensure landscaping debris and dead plant material do not accumulate in this zone. Be sure to not store combustible items—such as wooden pallets, propane tanks, and flammable liquids—in this zone. Small amounts of flammable liquids that are needed onsite should be stored in fire-rated cabinets at least 30 feet away from the building.
• Upgrade your vent screens: Flying embers can enter your building through vents in your roof, walls, and beneath the building. Make sure vents have a metal screen 1/8 inch or finer to block embers from entering and igniting your building. Be sure to check screens periodically and remove accumulated debris, birds’ nests, etc. Install spark arrestors with 1/2-inch mesh screening at the outlet of all chimneys.

Winter Weather

In these winter months, proper precautions need to be taken to protect your business from the cold weather and the many problems it may bring. Roofs can be loaded beyond their design by the accumulation of snow and ice. Fire protection equipment may freeze leaving a major portion of the facility unprotected.

• Watch for snow loads: The roofs of industrial and commercial structures are vulnerable to large accumulations of snow, ice, or other precipitants. The weight of snow or ice can easily cause overload, which can result in collapse. During heavy snowfall, be sure to check accumulations. Large amounts of snow should be shoveled off the roof if possible, to reduce stress on the structure or hire a licensed contractor to remove snow and ice if it is in the “Danger Zone”. Clear clogged drains to avoid ponding, especially on pitched roofs.
• Prevent Frozen Pipes – Frozen pipes can burst, causing damage once they thaw and water starts flowing again. Locate the pipes that are most likely to freeze. Insulate the pipes with foam jacketing or utilize approved heat tape. During extreme cold, let hot and cold-water trickle at night since the movement of warmer water prevents freezing. Remember that a hot water supply line is also susceptible to freezing if the water is not moving and the water temperature inside the pipe is cold. Avoid what may be a common habit of using low nighttime thermostat settings during cold weather. The extra fuel and heating cost will be minimal compared to the cost of a disastrous frozen pipe incident.

Preparation is Key

Often, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature when it comes to weather events and how it will affect your buildings and operations. An insurance policy can help protect your building when you suffer a weather-related loss, but it is crucial to take steps to reduce your risk and prevent losses.

It is important to also take actions toward preparedness and disaster planning. With disaster planning, you are looking beyond reacting to situations but also preventing business disruptions through a business continuity plan to support the recovery process following a disaster.

A continuity plan enables a business to minimize downtime and costs of recovery following a loss. Some aspects of a business continuity plan may include:

• Replacement contingencies for critical business equipment that can cause bottlenecks
• A communication system after an emergency (Ex: message templates, telephone recordings)
• Disseminating a payroll policy in the event of office closure due to an emergency
• Setting safeguards on documents, records, and reports crucial to an operation

For a preparedness plan to achieve its highest potential, it is important that it is thoroughly communicated and carried out by all employees. Making yourself aware of the risks you face and establishing a plan to protect those around you and your property will increase your businesses resilience against all types of disasters or emergencies.

IBHS offers a free toolkit, OFB-EZ, that can help you get started on a business continuity plan. It provides you with a step-by-step guide with checklists to examine your operations, identify its specific risks, and build your plan to keep you functioning in the event of a major disaster by allowing you to continue to perform the most critical operations.