Business owners must consider the potential impact of earthquakes and related hazards on buildings, employees, and operations. Plan how you will respond during and after an earthquake, and take steps now to reduce potential damage. What you do to prepare before the earthquake is crucial to a successful and speedy recovery.
Most businesses have not taken measures to protect assets, employees, and operations from earthquake damage. During an earthquake, buildings — or their components and contents — can collapse, topple, break apart, and be left inoperable or unusable. Businesses can temporarily lose the ability to generate income when earthquakes damage private property or public roads, utilities and facilities.
Take Action
- Develop a business continuity plan.
- Conduct an audit of general earthquake vulnerability and a hazards risk assessment.
- Establish a contingency plan.
- Conduct a non-structural assessment of your business, including inventory.
- Hold regular drop, cover and hold on drills for employee safety.
- Encourage employees to have family plans and emergency kits.
- Seismically retrofit buildings or occupy/rent buildings that are built to earthquake code.
- Ask your insurance agent about your earthquake insurance options.
When considering a site for a new business:
- Evaluate the site for hazards, such as risk of liquefaction and proximity to faults.
- Locate near lifelines, such as transportation, power, and water.
- Design and build to meet seismic codes.
Resources to Help You Get Started
- Ready Business Quakesmart Toolkit
- Business page of Ready.gov
- Open for Business (OFB-EZ) Toolkit for disaster planning
- CPACE for Seismic Strengthening