Mitigating Damage from Many Directions
There are many factors to consider when looking to minimize disaster damage.
If there’s one thing the supply chain has learned over the past several years, it’s that disruptions will keep coming. From natural disasters to the pandemic, global conflicts and more, keeping the supply chain humming without interruption is a challenge. But it’s also essential, and that means all aspects of your operations, including your material handling equipment, must remain reliable with as little downtime as possible.
Protecting against disruptions like floods, fires and other weather events requires a multi-pronged approach. If your facility and equipment is damaged, it can take a long time to get back up and running. Another factor that plays into the equation today is insurance, too. If you’ve dealt with fire or floods and face long-term disruption, your premiums may skyrocket. Mitigating against these events makes it easier to get and keep insurance, without high rates, so it’s worthwhile to take whatever steps necessary to do that.
Looking at individual risks, wind is one of the most difficult to protect against, and only comes into play from external factors, meaning it’s not something that will occur on the interior of your building, as other disasters might. Hurricanes and tornadoes are becoming more frequent and often more damaging than before climate change kicked in. One upside, however, is that insurance for windstorm damage is easier to obtain than against flood damage. Important steps to take include understanding how your location might impact wind damage. If building a greenfield site, for instance, in a spot known for high winds, your construction partner can help build a sturdier, more stable building.
Flooding is something you must address both from an external and internal perspective. On the inside of your building, a pipe might burst, for instance, causing a good deal of damage. However, protecting your building against flood damage on the inside is easier than from the outside. Good maintenance to ensure your sprinklers are in good working order, and that your pipes aren’t exposed or damaged can go a long way.
The risk from external flooding, however, has experienced a big uptick in recent decades. Flood zones are more widespread than in the past and with bigger hurricanes, the threat of flooding from storms is greater than before. Measures you can take include landscaping designed to protect from flooding, building in areas above flood plains, and installing flood barriers if and when a storm surge is predicted nearby. All of these steps can provide good protection at reasonable rates.
Fire is also an internal and external factor. Inside, your typical protection can include smoke detectors and sprinklers and keeping them in top working order. You can also lower your oxygen levels inside protected areas like automated or temperature-controlled warehouses to prevent fire from even being able to start. On the outside, wildfires are picking up in frequency and there are some improved building materials that can help there, as can the proper landscaping.
Mitigating damage from natural disasters and internal problems is a worthwhile step on many levels, and an essential one in today’s challenging environments.
Source: Interview with Kai Beckhaus, Wagner Fire Safety
For more information about the Solutions Community: mhi.org/solutions-community
For further articles from the Solutions Community:
Are You Data Rich, Intelligence Poor?
For a Successful Software Implementation, Focus on the People
Sustainability in the Warehouse—Part 1
How to Use Software to Attract and Retain Talent
Digitization of Intralogistics: Software
Forward Pick Area—Design and Operations
