Keeping Employees and Customers Safe During a Thunderstorm

8/25/2022 (Permalink)

Storm in Seattle, WA

As a business owner in the Seattle, WA area, the health and safety of your employees and customers are of paramount importance from both production and ethical standpoints. Ensure their well-being during thunderstorm weather by keeping your commercial buildings up to code and enacting necessary safety procedures.

Remove Employees and Customers From High-Risk Areas

Should a rainstorm ever become serious enough to threaten the safety of the employees or customers of a business, all persons must be immediately relocated from any hazardous areas of the property.

• In commercial buildings, remove any employees stationed near skylights or windows and prevent patrons from accessing these areas.
• For extremely vulnerable areas, such as water parks and open-air stadiums, close the facility until long after any storm has ceased.
• During emergency situations, remove all employees and customers from the premises or provide adequate shelter for them.
  
  

Keep Trees Trimmed

In addition to aesthetic benefits, regularly trimming the trees outside commercial buildings makes them less susceptible to falling over in the high winds of a severe rainstorm. Remove any damaged or oversized branches and invest in the long-term health of any landscaping on company property.

Maintain Lightning Rods

Contrary to popular belief, lightning rods do not change the likelihood of a building being struck by lightning. However, should lightning ever try to strike the building, a lightning rod will provide a safe path into the ground, diverting it away from the people inside. Once installed, lightning rods will need to undergo periodic inspections every 3-5 years.

Quickly Restore Damaged Property

Any storm damages that occur on commercial property should be tended to as swiftly as possible. Finding the right storm damage restoration company to clear debris and make repairs can be the difference between satisfied customers and a negligence lawsuit.

As the owner or manager of a company, it is up to you to protect the people who work for or frequent your business. By planning for rain storm emergencies, you can properly maintain the integrity of your business.