Disaster Recovery Journal Winter 2022

Ways Winter Weather Can Disrupt Business – and What to Do About It By SHANNON COPELAND A ll early indicators suggest the potential for severe winter weather. While the overall weather pattern will be milder than usual, there is a potential for strong surges of Artic air to push south and create local extremes. With cool water in the eastern Pacific, the winter weather season will likely be extreme. Although hurricanes and wildfires are known for being the costliest severe weather events, winter weather can be incredibly costly and devastating. In the first half of 2021, historic winter storms

created a record of $15.1 billion in insured losses, according to a recent report from Aon. That far surpassed the $1.1 billion in insured losses in 2020 and $2 billion in 2019. With winter weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable due to a chang ing climate, all businesses should thor oughly evaluate potential risks to protect their employees and physical assets. Safety risks and workforce availability Power outages, black ice, snow blocked streets, water availability, and school closures are all reasons employees might be stranded at the office or attempt ing to work from home but are unable to do so. Winter weather also poses additional safety risks such as falls on icy surfaces. Salting sidewalks and other surfaces with high foot traffic are simple and necessary actions to avoid additional injuries. Be

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