BBB Business Tip: Keeping customers and employees safe during a tornado or thunderstorm

Checklist: How to protect employees and customers during thunderstorms and tornadoes (PDF download)

Natural disasters can cause a significant impact that could take businesses months or even years to recover. The most effective way to prepare for these disasters requires efficient communication and a Disaster Preparedness Plan (Canada, U.S.) to protect employees, customers, and property.

The best way to be informed is to follow the instructions of local government officials, listen to local news or battery-operated radio for up-to-date information, and go to a public disaster shelter. After knowing how to prepare for tornadoes and thunderstorms, it is also essential to take quick action.

As a reminder, any severe weather watch means a natural disaster is possible, while a severe weather warning means the weather is in the area.

How to Protect Employees and Customers 

During a Tornado  

• Protect all people in a safe area.
• Have effective communication with employees, customers and close contacts.

Protect people in a safe area

• Direct all employees and customers to the designated safest spot of the building that employees are familiarized with, which could be a basement. Stay away from elevators to avoid getting trapped in case power goes out.
• If the business does not have a basement, make sure the staff knows how to get quickly to a windowless area in the center. See more information on how to prepare a safe room on a property.
• If the business workspace is outdoors, get to a building or a low-flat location as quickly as possible.
• Have a designated employee on each shift know how to access a safety kit and be familiarized with a weather radio (Canada, U.S.).
• If a business uses delivery vehicles, communicate with vehicles to identify the nearest tornado safe area, and list each employee location.

 Have effective communication

• Prepare an easy and efficient way to communicate up-to-date emergency information with on-site employees and those on the go.
• Sign up for automatic weather alerts. U.S. the National Weather Service or in Canada use the WeatherCAN app.
• Implement a business communication protocol to update close contacts and employees as the situation changes immediately.

During a Thunderstorm 

• Understand the hazards and how they may affect different business models.
• Protect employees and customers inside and outside the physical location.

Hazards that occur during thunderstorms

• According to the Red Cross, a thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch, 2.5 centimeters, in diameter or has wind gusts of at least 58 mph or 93 kph.
• Lighting from thunderstorms can be deadly, heavy rain can cause flash flooding, and high winds can damage homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages.

Protect the employees and customers inside a business location 

• Avoid electrical equipment and telephones if the equipment is not well-grounded. Use battery-powered items if possible.
• Try to securely shut the windows and doors of a building or shelter.

Protect the employees and pedestrians outside a business location

• Recommend people move inside as people can be struck by lightning before the storm starts to rain.
  • It is recommended to stay inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder.
• If employees drive or deliver items, it is important to remind them not to drive through standing water during a storm or after, as flash floods can sweep cars off roads. If possible, it can be safest to have them exit the road and park with blinkers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching any of the metal in the vehicle.
• If lightning strikes someone, call 911 for professional medical care. Check the person injured for burns and begin CPR if they have stopped breathing. People who have been struck by lightning do not retain an electrical charge and can be handled safely.

Read advice on dealing with life after the storm. 

Sources:

• Canadian Government information found in the following links on tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning and seasonal severe weather. 
• U.S. information found in following links on Ready.gov/Tornadoes and Ready.gov/thunderstorms.

BBB of Central Oklahoma, BBB Serving Arkansas, and BBB Serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky contributed to this article.