The Flood Hub

This blog been written by a member of the Newground Flood Team.

Flooding is one of the most serious risks facing businesses in England and Wales. Around 185,000 businesses are located in flood risk areas, yet many are unaware of the threat they face. Without preparation, a flood can cause devastating disruption, and unfortunately, many businesses without a plan never fully recover, even if they are insured.

 

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Why Business Flood Planning Matters

Research shows that around half of all small businesses have no formal business or contingency plan. That means many companies are not prepared for flooding or other emergencies. Having a clear flood plan can be the difference between your business recovering quickly or closing its doors permanently.

The first step is to understand your flood risk. You can check your flood risk online through the Government’s flood risk map. When assessing risk, consider not only whether your business could flood but also:

• The depth and duration of floodwater
• How different sources of flooding (surface water, rivers, sea, groundwater) could affect your site
• The knock-on effects for staff, suppliers, and customers

Once you understand your risks, you can develop a flood plan tailored to your business.

 

What to Consider When Creating a Business Flood Plan

A good flood plan doesn’t just focus on responding to a flood when it happens, it also looks at how to prepare in advance and reduce the impact. When writing your plan, think about:

Staff safety and wellbeing
You have a duty of care to protect your employees. Your plan should include evacuation arrangements, provisions for those needing extra support, and steps to ensure staff can leave the site safely (including moving cars to higher ground).

Buildings and facilities
If you rent your premises, you may be reliant on your landlord for repairs after a flood. Consider temporary working arrangements, alternative office space, or remote working so you can continue operating.

Equipment and stock
Flooding can damage machinery, equipment and stock that may not be easily replaced. Where possible, raise items off the ground, move them upstairs, or install property-level protection such as barriers and flood doors.

Supply chains
Think about how your suppliers and customers would be affected by a flood. Identify backup suppliers, consider keeping buffer stock, and make agreements that cover missed deliveries or contracts.

Business continuity
Data is one of your most valuable assets. Make sure all files are automatically backed up to an off-site server or cloud system. If your server room is on the ground floor, invest in protective measures to keep it safe from water.

 

 

Practical Business Flood Planning Tips

• Make sure you have appropriate flood insurance, see our Business Flood Insurance resource here for more information.
• Take photographs of buildings, machinery and stock now, so you have a record for insurance claims.
• If sewage is present after flooding, contact your water company for a clean-up.
• If your site uses or stores hazardous chemicals, build in enough warning time to safely move or secure them.
• Explore Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures, our PFR booklet explains what options are available.
• Create a flood kit with essentials such as high-vis vests, radios, gloves, a staff register and key contacts.
• Assign flood wardens and clearly outline their responsibilities.
• Test your plan with a flood drill, just as you would with a fire drill.

 

To help get you started with developing a business flood plan, you can download a business flood planning guidance booklet here.

You can download a business flood plan template here.