Ensuring that your business is protected against adverse conditions is one way of illustrating an ability to continue on providing a service whatever the weather, and no less during the current wet weather and associated flooding, says FM Global.

Stefano Tranquillo, vice-president and operations manager, Northern Europe Operations at the company comments on what steps businesses should take to protect themselves against floods: “Parts of Britain are already underwater and roads have turned into rivers after torrential rain battered counties from the South West to the West Midlands today. With forecasters predicting that conditions are set to get worse as rain and gale force winds continue to sweep up the west coast to Scotland, it is crucial that businesses with facilities in flood areas take action to protect themselves against the risk of flooding.

“For a facility located in a known flood zone, it is not a case of if it will flood, but when. Flood damage and disruption is caused by many factors, including contaminated water and the duration of the flood. Facilities that exist within flood zones should focus on two main strategies: keeping the floodwater out of important buildings where practical, and limiting what gets damaged when water does enter a structure.”

FM Global has issued the following checklist for businesses seeking to protect themselves as well as long-term strategies that should be put in place:

Immediate actions
• Move critical items out of basements and away from low lying areas – including stock, equipment and vehicles.
• Protect key electrical, computer and telecommunication equipment by raising it.
• Reduce the chance of a fire during flooding by shutting off electricity and gas.
• Fill sandbags and place around critical entry points, or install flood doors and shields.

Long-term strategies
• Consider permanent physical changes to a facility, where practical, to keep floodwater out of key area.
• Permanently elevate important items above predicted flood levels.
• Provide walls and curbs around critical substations or equipment rooms to greatly reduce the impact floodwater has.
• Finally, if the residual flood risk warrants it, businesses must develop a flood emergency response plan.

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