skip to main content
Travelers Home Page
  • About
  • Careers
  • Agents
  • Investors
  • Contact Us

Register now
Problems logging in?
  • For Individuals
    • Overview
    • Products
      • Car
      • Home
      • Renters
      • Condo
      • Landlord
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Travel
      • Weddings
      • Umbrella
      • All Products
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • Insurance 101
      • Home Central
      • Travelers Garage
    • Affinity Group Discount
    • Online Service
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • For Business
    • Overview
    • Products & Solutions
      • Overview
      • Boiler & Machinery
      • Commercial Auto & Trucking
      • Cyber
      • Environmental Liability
      • Excess Casualty & Umbrella
      • General Liability
      • Global Insurance
      • Inland Marine
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • National Programs
      • Ocean Marine
      • Property
      • Small Business Owner's Policy
      • Surety Bonds
      • Workers Compensation
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Industries
      • Overview
      • Agribusiness
      • Architects, Engineers & Surveyors
      • Auto & Truck Dealers
      • Business Services
      • Construction
      • Education
      • Energy & Renewable
      • Equipment Dealers
      • Financial Institutions
      • Food Services
      • Health & Related Services
      • Hospitality & Recreation
      • Manufacturing
      • Marine Industries
      • Museums & Fine Art
      • Non-Profit
      • Oil & Gas
      • Public Entities
      • Real Estate
      • Retail
      • Technology
      • Transportation
      • Wholesale & Distribution
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Services
      • Overview
      • Risk Control
      • Claim
      • Premium Audit
      • Online Customer Tools
      • Risk Management Information Services
      • Travelers Client Advantage
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Small Business
      • Overview
      • Automobile Insurance
      • Business Owner's Policy
      • Data Breach
      • Employment Practices Liability
      • Professional Insurance
      • Umbrella Insurance
      • Workers Compensation Inurance
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Large Business
      • Overview
      • Casualty
      • Cyber
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • Property
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Multinational Business
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • By Topic
      • By Industry
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Claim Center
    • Claim Center
    • Should I File a Claim?
    • Report a Claim
    • Roadside Assistance
    • Find a Service Provider
    • Check Your Claim Status
    • Manage Your Claim Experience
      • Claim Reporting Next Steps
      • Claim Guide Library
      • Workers Compensation Resources
    • About Travelers Claim
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Prepare & Prevent
    • For Individuals
    • Home Central
      • Buying & Selling
      • Home Maintenance
      • Home Renovation
      • Home Safety
      • Moving
      • Smart Home
    • Travelers Garage
      • Buying & Selling
      • Car Maintenance
      • Distracted Driving
      • Safe Driving
      • Teen Driving
      • Boating
    • Insurance 101
    • Weather
    • For Business
    • Industries
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Nonprofit
      • Small Business
      • Technology
    • Topics
      • Business Continuity
      • Cyber
      • Driver and Fleet Safety
      • Facilities Management
      • Internet of Things
      • Product and Services Liability
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Workplace Safety
    • Travelers Risk Index
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • About Travelers
    • Overview
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Careers
      • Community
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Sustainability
      • History
      • Investors
      • Media Resources
      • News
      • Travelers Championship
      • Travelers Institute
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a Quote
    • Find an Agent
    • Report a Claim
    • Pay Your Bill
Main Navigation
  • For Individuals
      • Insurance for Individuals
      • Products
        • Car
        • Home
        • Renters
        • Condo
        • Landlord
        • Boat & Yacht
        • Travel
        • Weddings & Events
        • Umbrella
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
        • Insurance 101
        • Home Central
        • Travelers Garage
      • Affinity Group Discount
      • Online Service
    • Get a home quote

      It’s easy to get a free quote for home insurance from Travelers in just a few minutes.

       

      Get a home quote now
  • For Business
      • Products & Solutions
        • Commercial Auto & Trucking
        • Cyber
        • General Liability
        • Management & Professional Liability
        • Property
        • Small Business Owner's Policy
        • Surety Bonds
        • Workers Compensation
        • More
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy & Renewable
        • Financial Institutions
        • Healthcare
        • Manufacturing
        • Real Estate
        • Technology
        • Transportation
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
      • Services
        • Risk Control
        • Claim
        • Premium Audit
        • More
      • Pay Your Bill
      • Small Business
      • Large Business
      • Multinational Business
      • For Business Overview
    • The Manufacturing Risk Landscape [Tool]

      The Manufacturing Risk Landscape [Tool]

      Every manufacturing site has its risks. From mobile machinery to cargo theft, explore how Travelers can help in this interactive risk landscape.

      Learn more
  • Claim Center
      • Claim Center
      • Should I File a Claim?
      • Report a Claim
      • Roadside Assistance
      • Find a Service Provider
      • Check Your Claim Status
      • Manage Your Claim Experience
        • Claim Reporting Next Steps
        • Claim Guide Library
        • Workers Compensation Resources
      • About Travelers Claim
    • Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Securely share information with your Claim team.

      Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Upload a File
  • Prepare & Prevent
      • For Individuals
      • Home Central
        • Buying & Selling
        • Home Maintenance
        • Home Renovation
        • Home Safety
        • Moving
        • Smart Home
      • Travelers Garage
        • Buying & Selling
        • Car Maintenance
        • Distracted Driving
        • Safe Driving
        • Teen Driving
        • Boating
      • Insurance 101
      • Weather
      • For Business
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy
        • Manufacturing
        • Nonprofit
        • Small Business
        • Technology
      • Topics
        • Business Continuity
        • Cyber
        • Driver and Fleet Safety
        • Facilities Management
        • Internet of Things
        • Product and Services Liability
        • Supply Chain Management
        • Workplace Safety
      • Travelers Risk Index
    • Our Pressure Test

      Nonprofits: Know Your Risks. Take Our Pressure Test [Tool]

      Are you doing enough to help your nonprofit run and grow safely? This 5-minute test can help identify what may be your biggest nonprofit risk

      Take the test
  • Home
  • Prepare & Prevent
  • Weather
  • Hurricanes
  • Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses

Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses

By Travelers Risk Control
business open sign after a hurricane business open sign after a hurricane

If your business is in the projected path of a hurricane, you need to act quickly to protect your employees and your property. There are several key steps you can take now that will go a long way towards keeping your employees safe while minimizing damage to your business.

Use the following checklist to help you to prepare your business for a hurricane: 

  • Pay close attention to forecasts in order to know when to take action.  
  • Confirm that your employee contact lists are up to date.
  • Secure all doors and board up windows to protect against flying debris.
  • Clean out floor drains and catch basins and check sump pumps.
  • Anchor and fill above-ground tanks with water or product to keep them in place during the storm.
  • Fill the fuel tanks on your emergency generator and fire pumps. Fill your vehicles’ fuel tanks, as well.
  • Check to see that your fire protection equipment is working.
  • Make sure your important records are protected — or duplicate them and move them offsite to a safe area.
  • Shut off process piping carrying gas or flammable liquids in case a pipe breaks in the storm.
  • Shut down production processes safely and turn off the electricity for non-critical equipment.
  • Evacuate your employees.

Do not forget to tie down sheds, small outbuildings or similar structures that may not be designed for high winds. Move any items inside that could blow away in a powerful windstorm. Items including yard storage, benches, chairs, plant urns, signs or potted flowers could become flying debris and cause substantial damage during a storm.

Plan for Hurricane Recovery

Once the winds have died down, use your employee call list to make sure everyone is safe and secure. Then assemble a qualified recovery team to begin getting your business back on its feet.

The recovery team should include people qualified to repair electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection systems, as well as general maintenance people for cleanup. Assign a recovery team leader who should make sure the team has cleanup supplies and necessary replacement parts and equipment. The team leader should also assess the damage and develop an action plan that addresses priorities including:

  • Safety hazards, including downed power lines, exposed electrical wires and leaking gas.
  • Structural damage to buildings or damaged foundations.
  • Impaired fire protection equipment and alarms.
  • Critical production equipment and valuable stock required to restore production.
  • Completion of temporary repairs so people can access the building safely.

The recovery team should also follow these steps:

  • Require strict precautionary measures for any cutting or welding, including a formal hot work permit system such as found in NFPA 51B, Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work.
  • Eliminate any unnecessary ignition sources and enforce “No Smoking” regulations.
  • Establish a procedure for removing storm- or reconstruction-related debris.
  • Temporarily repair any holes or damage to building walls.
  • Assess and prioritize damaged contents to see what can be salvaged.
  • Photograph and/or videotape any damage.

In addition, the recovery team will need to assess and repair fire protection equipment, security alarms and sprinkler systems and notify the fire department if any of those systems will be out of service. They should be cautious during electrical restoration and make sure that an electrician has checked, thoroughly dried and tested all systems and equipment before energizing electrical circuits. Any wet insulation should be stripped and replaced. All mechanical equipment and systems should be checked for leaks and damage, and cleaned and dried, as needed. Also, the water supply should be checked for possible contamination.

Be sure to maintain adequate security by performing a continual fire watch until normal operations can resume. Provide your employees with portable radios or cell phones and instruct them how to contact emergency response units.

Finally, keep your employees informed about any unsafe conditions and keep them updated on the progress of salvage operations.

More Prepare & Prevent

Employment communications

Employee Communication & Safety

After disaster strikes, your first consideration should be your employees. Learn about employee safety and communication after a disaster.

Illustration of truck part of supply chain driving to store

Where is Your Supply Chain the Most Vulnerable? [Infographic]

Compare your results to those who took the Supply Chain Pressure Test and learn about potential risks from weak links.

Extreme weather and your business video

Extreme Weather and Your Business [Video]

Disaster events can affect any business, and getting back up and running may take longer than you think.

Top Stories
close up of a clock

Workplace Emergency Action Planning

Find out about action plans for your business.

  • Learn about safety considerations

Related Content

  • Business Continuity Planning in 4 Steps
  • Supply Chain Inventory Management Backup Planning
  • Hurricane Facts and Myths

Talk to an Agent

Find an agent near you to discuss your specific coverage needs.

  • Start now

See All Hurricane Safety Content


Travelers logo

Travelers and The Travelers Umbrella are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.
© 2019 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

  • Travelers on Facebook
  • Travelers on YouTube
  • Travelers on Twitter
  • Travelers on LinkedIn
  • Travelers on Instagram
Products & Services
  • For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • Claim Services
  • Prepare & Prevent
Our Company
  • About Travelers
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Sustainability
Connect
  • Customer Support
  • MyTravelers®
  • For Agents
Legal & Compliance
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accessibility
  • Producer Compensation Disclosure