As a business owner, you understand that the potential for property damage exists. You have an emergency plan for handling natural disasters like an earthquake, but there are other situations you might not be fully prepared for: fire, parking lot damage, or having adequate food storage.
Having an umbrella liability insurance policy is smart, but it won’t prepare you for an emergency.
Here are 3 preparations that should be part of your plan, no matter what:
1. Get the right fire extinguisher and practice using it
You have a fire extinguisher, but do you know how to use it? Is it the right class?
Before you rush out to buy a fire extinguisher, it’s important to know which type you need. There are five main classes of fire extinguishers (A, B, C, D, and K), and selecting the right one is essential.
? Class A extinguishers are filled with air-pressurized water and are only appropriate for ordinary combustible materials like paper, wood, and plastic. This type of extinguisher should never be used in a grease, electrical, or class D fire.
? Class B extinguishers are filled with a pressurized carbon dioxide that works on fires caused by flammable liquids like gas, grease, and oil.
? Class C extinguishers are filled with a non-conductive substance and are used for electrical fires. They don’t leave any residue behind, so they’re safe to use on computers or TVs.
? Class D extinguishers are used for fires caused by combustible metals like magnesium, titanium, and sodium. These are commonly used in chemical labs.
? Class K extinguishers are used for grease fires and are mostly found in kitchens.
? Multipurpose extinguishers are also available. An extinguisher rated ABC is filled with monoammonium phosphate. This is the type of extinguisher you should have on hand for your business. However, the substance leaves a sticky yellow residue behind that can damage your laptop, so be careful if you have to use it.
Once you have the right fire extinguisher, you and your staff should know exactly how to use it. This preparation is essential.
Buy several miniature ABC fire extinguishers at your local hardware store and take your staff out to a safe area to practice pulling the pin, engaging the extinguisher, and approaching the fire in a sweeping motion.
Do not start a real fire for them to practice! Place a construction cone or a solid object in the distance to indicate the target area instead.
2. Serious parking lot damage
A severely damaged parking lot can affect your customers’ ability to visit your store. This is especially true if your parking lot is full of potholes. Many disabled people require flat, even surfaces just to get out of the car. You’ll lose their business if your parking lot is uneven and torn up.
It’s not just earthquakes that pose a threat to your parking lot. Water – the substance we rely on for life – has equal, if not more potential to destroy your asphalt.
When water pools on top of asphalt, it damages the entirety of the asphalt, all the way down to the subgrade. Pools of water create structural damage you can’t see until it’s too late. For example, sinkholes are caused by water compromising the subgrade until one day the asphalt collapses under the weight of a car or a person.
It’s not cheap to re-pour your parking lot
Imagine the cost of having to re-pour your entire parking lot. Even if you don’t own the property, your business might need to close for a few days until it’s completed.
The best solution (especially if you live in an area with heavy rainfall) is to install a drainage system underneath your subgrade. Water will drain to the subgrade and will be further drained to a lower gradient instead of pooling up and causing damage.
3. Your three-day emergency kit isn’t enough
Most people store the recommended three-day supply of food, water, and supplies. That’s great, but what if your store is full of customers when a disaster strikes? While you can take the stance that it’s not your problem, you probably won’t feel great about unwrapping a granola bar in front of a bunch of hungry people who have nothing.
Store some extra food and water just in case you’re in a situation where you need to use it. You may find yourself in a situation with other people, or not. In any case, if disaster strikes while you’re at work and you’re stuck for more than three days, you’ll be thankful you saved extra.