THE Environment Agency is advising all Worcestershire businesses to take some steps to prepare for flooding.
Last summer alone, nearly 7,000 businesses flooded, with the total damage estimated at about £1.3bn. Many of these had never flooded before.
"Small businesses are more at risk from flooding than fire and the effects can be 30 times as costly as burglary," said the agency's chief executive Barbara Young.
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"Yet many businesses still do not have any measures in place to protect their property or staff from flooding."
The first step businesses should take is to find out whether their premises are in an area at risk of river or coastal flooding by using the Environment Agency's free online postcode checker.
Those which are at risk can register for the free floodline warnings direct service that provides flood warnings by telephone, mobile, e-mail, fax or pager whenever a flood warning is issued in the area.
The Environment Agency is also encouraging all businesses to use its straightforward template to develop a flood plan, as those not at risk of river or coastal flooding can still be affected by surface water flooding in cases where drainage systems are unable to deal with intense rainfall.
The plan should include a list of important contacts, a map showing key equipment, protective materials and service shut-off points, and basic strategies to protect property, ensure staff safety and minimise business disruption if a flood occurs. Questions businesses should ask themselves include:
* Does my insurance policy cover all types of flooding? Do we understand the different flood warning codes and what they mean in practice?
* Are our staff familiar with flood safety procedures?
Do we all know how to shut off gas, electric and water supplies?
* Can we store valuable equipment and stock above flood level or take other protective action?
* Are there any flood protection products we should be using?
Ms Young added: "By checking their flood risk and following our simple preparation guide, businesses can cut the cost of damage by as much as 90 per cent and make sure they are protecting their staff and premises."
For information about how to prepare for flooding and to find out if your business is at risk, visit www.environment-agency. gov.uk or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188.
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