Guidance

Business flood plan checklists

Updated 16 November 2023

Applies to England

Taking simple steps can go a long way to protect your business from flooding. Preparing in advance will make it easier to respond to and recover from a flood.聽聽

Your business should have a flood plan. Keep it in a safe and accessible place, away from potential flood water.聽

Read our personal flood plan advice for core steps to take to stay safe in a flood.

1. Before a flood聽

Actions you can take to protect your business include:聽

• check your insurance covers you for flood damage, business interruption and lost revenue聽
• adapt your business to the risk of flooding聽
• check that your flood prevention products or flood warning systems function properly聽聽
• use your existing maintenance procedures as an opportunity to reduce your flood risk聽
• include potential impacts of a flood on staff in your health and safety assessments聽
• agree flood contingency plans with suppliers and customers and contract management聽
• plan for preventing business disruption and assisting recovery (known as business continuity)聽

2. Business flood plan checklist聽

Here are examples of information you could include in your plan:聽

• trigger points for action that make the most sense for your plan, for example water in the car park聽聽
• what should happen at these trigger points and what might change if the flood gets worse聽
• security procedures you might need to activate during a flood聽聽
• a description or map of emergency routes and evacuation points聽聽
• shut off points for gas, electricity and water, and details of any emergency power source聽
• details of items that may need special protective measures, for example hazardous or refrigerated materials, and what to do with them聽

For your data and information:聽

• safe storage of data and information, for example customer and staff records聽
• moving important documents to a location where they won바카라 사이트檛 be damaged by flood water聽

For your people:聽

• emergency contact information, including out of normal hours聽
• a note of staff who may need assistance when flooding happens聽
• details of where a first aid kit, safety equipment or medical supplies are located聽
• details of actions for your staff to take and the training they may need to carry out these roles and responsibilities聽

Make a person, or group of people, responsible for managing a flood emergency, including:聽

• carrying out your flood plan聽
• making decisions聽
• contacting relevant people on and off site聽
• speaking with public authorities聽
• managing other staff聽

You should make a list of important contacts, including:聽

• building services聽
• utilities聽
• suppliers聽聽
• evacuation contacts for staff聽

These organisations may be able to help with:聽聽

• installing flood protection products聽
• moving stock and important items to safe locations聽
• emergency storage聽
• emergency supplies聽
• medical support聽

Others who can help might include:聽

• local business and community networks聽
• chambers of commerce聽
• your local council聽

Make sure you know what you must do under relevant regulations and legislation, including:聽

• health and safety聽
• liability聽
• environmental management聽
• financial management聽

3. Immediately before a flood聽

If flooding is about to happen, check your staff:聽

• are safe聽聽
• know what to do in a flood聽
• know their role and responsibilities聽
• know how to communicate in an emergency聽

4. When a flood happens聽

Follow your flood plan. You can also follow advice in:聽

• personal flood plan
• what to do before or during a flood聽

5. After a flood聽

Follow your flood plan. You can also follow advice in:聽

• personal flood plan
• what to do after a flood聽

6. Campsites and caravan parks聽

We have specific guidance for managing the flood risk of your campsite or caravan park.