Winter has a way of bringing the unexpected. Yes, the first snowfall can be magical and winter sports can be quite enjoyable, but the cold and snowy season can also expose your organization to a variety of risks.
Regions are experiencing harsher winters lately than they have in years. Records are being broken for the coldest temperatures and most snowfall. We know this all too well in Michiana!
It doesn’t matter whether or not your business traditionally experiences the chill of winter, the impact of winter storms can be far-reaching. It is important for all organizations to ensure they are properly prepared.
A winter storm can shut down schools, close businesses, make roads hazardous or even impossible to traverse, cause power outages, freeze pipes, lead to roof collapses, and more. These storms can significantly impact individuals, homes, businesses, the government, and our nation’s economy.
During Boston’s record-breaking snowstorm in 2015, an economic forecasting firm estimated that a single snow day, where the businesses and state offices were forced to shut down, cost the Massachusetts economy $265 million. Wow.
The Insurance Information Institute reports that “severe winter weather caused 15% of all insured auto, home, and business catastrophe losses in the United States in 2014.” These insured losses from snow, ice, freezing, and other related causes totaled $2.3 billion in 2014. And nearly $1.7 billion of that total came in just a few days – during the Polar Vortex event on January 5-8, 2014. That was only 4 days. $1.7 billion in 4 days. Imagine the impact if we experienced winter weather of that severity several times each season.
What types of risks should you be considering as you plan for winter weather? Your first thoughts are probably snow and ice. But I’d encourage you to broaden your definition of disaster. Think about all the possible scenarios that could result from winter weather. Here are some risks to consider:
- Frozen water pipes are the leading cause of property damage from winter weather.
- Ice-related falls can become a big problem for anyone visiting your facility – employees, customers, deliveries.
- With the buildup of sleet, wet snow, and freezing rain on trees and power lines, the winter becomes a prime time for power outages.
- Fire is a risk regardless of the season, but this risk increases in the winter as the use of furnaces, fireplaces, and space heaters becomes more regular.
- How ready is your business’s roof for the winter temperature drops and the weight of snow, sleet, and frozen rain? Roof inspections and routine maintenance are necessary to prevent a potential roof collapse.
- The combination of snow on your roof, the freezing temperatures, and heat escaping from your home can create ice dams, or chunks of ice along edges of your roof.
- Travel bans could impact your employees’ ability to get to and from work, as well as your company’s ability to keep up with delivery schedules.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning is not a danger that most consider when thinking of winter. But the increased use of furnaces, propane stoves, and portable generators in the winter leads to the perfect recipe for the silent killer.
- Winter weather can also bring the seasonal flu. Each flu season, there are almost 17 million lost workdays!
This list is by no means exclusive, but hopefully it gets you thinking about what your company needs to consider as part of your disaster preparedness efforts. Yes, winter weather can be unpredictable. But by being proactive, your organization can be much better equipped to handle what Mother Nature throws at us this winter.
