Tornado Safety for the Flooring Industry

Tornado season is here. For members of the flooring industry, tornadoes pose a significant danger for buildings, inventory, equipment, vehicles, and most importantly, your employees. Whether you’re running a busy showroom, managing a warehouse full of materials, or sending installers to job sites, here are tips for staying safe.

Prepare before tornadoes strike: Planning ahead can make all the difference in a crisis, and that starts with knowing your risk. Tornadoes can form in any state and at any time of year, though they most often hit the Central Plains, Midwest, and Southeast during springtime. If you operate in these areas, prioritize preventive measures.

Steps to take now

• Assess your business’s risks: Take stock of what’s vulnerable and how to safeguard your people and assets. Where can employees and customers shelter? Is it possible to move valuables out of harm’s way?
• Check your insurance coverage: Tornado-related damage can devastate businesses. Make sure your policies provide sufficient protection for your inventory, equipment, vehicles, and any business interruption. For peace of mind, all WFCA members can request a complimentary insurance review from Stacy T. Eickhoff at Risk Strategies.
• Prepare your team: Post tornado safety protocols in visible areas and conduct drills to ensure everyone can respond quickly under pressure. For installers and delivery drivers, provide training on how to identify and handle tornado conditions while on the road.

Tornado watches vs. warnings: It’s important to understand the difference between a tornado watch and a warning:

• Tornado watch: Conditions are ripe for tornados. Stay alert, review your safety plan, and keep an eye on weather updates. Make sure your team is ready to act if conditions worsen.
• Tornado warning: Someone (or radar) has spotted a tornado, meaning you need to act immediately. Get to a safe location and ensure your employees do the same.

Safety tips for flooring showrooms, warehouses, and installers – Here’s what to focus on based on where you are:

Showrooms: If you run a showroom, the most important priority is your customers and employees. Identify and practice going to a safe shelter such as a safe room built using FEMA criteria or a storm shelter built to ICC 500 standards. A small, interior, windowless room (or basement on the lowest level of a sturdy building) is the next best way to stay safe. It’s also a good idea to anchor shelving units to the walls to reduce falling hazards. Keep emergency supplies on hand in the saferoom, such as non-perishable foods, water, and first aid items.

Warehouses: Reinforce large doors to prevent them from blowing in, and secure materials so they don’t tip over or become airborne. Keep heavy items low to the ground to avoid injuries. During a tornado warning, your team needs to shelter in a pre-designated safe room.

On the road: For installers and other employees who spend their days driving to customer sites, tornadoes present a different set of challenges. Train your drivers to recognize tornado signs like an approaching cloud of debris or a “freight-train” roar and seek shelter. Remind your team to never take cover under an overpass, as this creates a wind tunnel effect that increases danger. If there’s no safe shelter nearby, instruct employees to lie flat in a ditch and cover their head with their arms.

After a tornado: Once the storm has passed, safety remains a top priority. Keep these tips in mind:

• Provide support for employees: Tornadoes can be traumatic. Encourage workers to talk about their experiences and check in on their well-being.
• Inspect your business safely: Do not re-enter severely damaged areas until authorities confirm it’s safe. Be cautious of fallen power lines, broken glass, and other hazards.
• Document damage for insurance: Take photos or videos of damage to buildings, inventory, vehicles, etc., to support your insurance claim. Your insurance policy requires you to take immediate steps to limit further damage (e.g., cover broken windows with plywood to prevent water from entering). However, keep everything — do not dispose of damaged items until the insurance adjuster confirms next steps in writing.
• Protect your team: Make sure all employees have proper protective equipment like work gloves, masks, long pants, and sturdy boots before they help with cleanup.

Tornadoes are unpredictable, but with preparation, training, and the right safeguards, your flooring business can stand resilient against whatever the skies send your way. Stay alert and be safe.

For more information, see resources from the National Weather Service and American Red Cross.

NOTE: The information above was provided by Risk Strategies. As a trusted resource for the WFCA,  Risk Strategies offers exclusive business insurance solutions tailored to the flooring industry. Click here from more details.