Although tornados can pop up unexpectedly, how your company responds to one should be planned. Having a severe weather safety and tornado preparedness plan in place is important so everyone can stay safe during a storm, and minimize risks during recovery. Tornado season is among us, so it is crucial to implement a tornado preparedness plan if you don’t already have one.
Have a Plan
Developing a comprehensive tornado safety plan should be your first priority. The fundamentals to consider when developing your tornado safety plan are:
Taking shelter
- Basements and shelters below ground are ideal.
- Alternatively, choose interior rooms with no windows.
- Avoid cafeterias, gyms, and auditoriums that have flat roofs.
Accounting for employees
- Using a badge system will allow you to know who is in the building, or not, when a storm approaches.
- Alternatively, have a loud warning system and conduct practice drills so employees know what to do when they hear the sirens.
- Use a roster to account for employees as they arrive at the designated shelter.
Handling the aftermath
- Keep in mind that floods, downed power lines, heat stress, debris, and spilled chemicals can cause hazards even more dangerous than the storm itself.
- Specific guidelines should indicate when management can safely give the “all clear” for employees to return to work or home.
- Designate certain employees to be responsible for setting tasks including power restoration, systems check, clean up, and making emergency service calls so you aren’t left scrambling to decide who does what during it.
Be Equipped
While there are basic supplies anyone caught in a tornado should have on-hand, businesses must be equipped with more than the standard disaster kit. It is crucial to develop your everyday logistics and practical execution with the needed equipment.
At the very least a basic disaster kit should include:
- Battery-operated NOAA weather radio
- One gallon of water per person per day
- Three day’s supply of non-perishable food
- First aid kit
- Flashlights and batteries
- Cell phones and cordless power banks
Training
Even the strongest tornado safety plans and intentions are likely to be unsuccessful if employees do not receive thorough training and conduct regular practice drills.
- Regularly practice your severe weather safety plan, having employees go to their designated shelter location and ensuring that management understands how to account for employees and customers.
- Role-play various scenarios that might fall outside of your plan.
- Update your tornado safety plan and procedures as practice runs reveal opportunities for improved procedures.
About Sine Insurance
At Sine Insurance Group, we are dedicated to providing you with custom-tailored insurance policies to protect your assets. Our comprehensive packages have been expertly crafted to serve St. Louis and the surrounding areas for the past 25 years. For more information about our products, contact us today at (636) 947-1177.