Disasters could cause considerable problems to businesses. Without proper planning or a backup plan, the company could suffer significant losses and even force it to close. These disasters are not only natural disasters but those man-made ones as well. Natural disasters include floods and hurricanes, while man-made disasters are caused by humans, including system crashes and cyber-attacks. We listed some of the common disasters you may face in your business and how to handle them.
Tornadoes
There is an average of 35 tornadoes experienced in the UK each year. If your company is in a tornado-prone area, have a disaster plan in check to save lives and business. Have regular maintenance of your building and fix or upgrade any weakness to make it more durable to withstand tornadoes. Create an evacuation plan, and practice it in the workplace to equip everyone. Prepare cash reserves to cover your business for at least three to six months. Also, get insurance that will protect your company from various disasters, including tornadoes.
Fires
Fires caused a significant financial loss in UK businesses. From January 2009 to December 2019, the loss due to this disaster was over £100,000. It caused damage to buildings, income loss, equipment damage, and business disruption. To protect your business from fire, ensure proper electrical installation and storage of combustible products or materials. Regularly maintain your building and immediately fix any potential fire risks.
Ensure emergency exits are available, and employees know how to get through them. Equip the workplace with various things to suppress or control fire, such as fire alarms, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers. Ensure that your staff knows how to use the latter in case of emergency. Consider installing window openers with control, too.
Suffocation due to smoke inhalation is the usual cause of deaths in fire incidents. The electric window openers can work with the fire alarms, automatically opening the windows if smoke is detected. It will prevent smoke from building up, thus preventing people inside the workplace from inhaling it. It also offers natural ventilation allowing fresh air to get in. Back up data in cloud storage to still be accessible in case of damage to your physical storage.
Cyber-attacks
In this age of technology, where most companies use computers and the internet in their operation, cyber-attacks are rampant. Hackers find ways to attack the systems and steal information or make money. These attacks could be in the form of links, downloads, and emails that look like they are from legitimate sites. Unsuspecting users may access them without knowing that they come with malicious software that allows unauthorized access to business information. It could also cause the system to malfunction and be inaccessible to authorized users. Strengthen the security of your system from these cyber-attacks. Some examples are using firewalls and updated anti-virus software. Educate employees to avoid accessing non-business-related sites on work computers and be careful when accessing links, responding to emails, and downloading applications.
There are several other disasters or crises that your business may experience. However, having a proper plan before, during, and after the disaster can help minimize the loss in your company.
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/firefighters-firefighting-fire-dark-6689112/
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