By Lorenza Ordonez and Evan Jones
From the June 2025 Issue of Facility Executive
Severe weather events — such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding — can devastate workplaces, injuring workers and damaging physical infrastructure. As storms increase in frequency and intensity, more facilities find themselves at risk. All facility managers should take severe weather threats seriously and take practical steps to ensure that the infrastructure in their facilities is safe, resilient, and cost-effective. This piece focuses in particular on the unique threats that electrical systems face during severe storms.
The Threat Of Severe Weather For Facilities
As severe weather events become more frequent, businesses will need to increasingly contend with two major challenges: the rising costs associated with damaged equipment and the growing likelihood of workers being harmed on the job. These are no longer distant concerns, as businesses are already feeling the impact. About two-thirds of property owners in hurricane-prone states have experienced damage from natural disasters in the past five years, according to a survey by Nationwide in 2025. These events are responsible for vast amounts of unexpected equipment replacement, which can be expensive and result in downtime and lost productivity. When every minute of stalled operations can cost thousands or even millions of dollars, investing in safer, more resilient infrastructure is becoming a top priority for facility managers and other company decision makers.
A separate, but related, rising cost for businesses is insurance. As insurers become more cautious in covering properties, companies are seeing insurance costs skyrocket. Disaster-prone areas, such as coastal Florida and Texas, have seen the steepest increases, but the unpredictability of storms such as Hurricane Helene have insurers worried about areas that were once considered “low risk.” To avoid further increases in premiums, it is imperative that facility owners take proactive steps to reduce the risk of costly repairs stemming from storm-related damage.
On the personnel side, costs associated with workplace disasters — whether caused by storms or other hazards — can be staggering. Harm to employees can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and expenses and can lead to costly facility downtime during investigations. Worker injury can also trigger higher insurance premiums. During a storm, critical systems that keep workers connected and safe, such as remote monitoring or fire detection, can get damaged and go offline. It is critical that building managers have the tools to precisely track storms and the infrastructure in place to protect both their workforce and their operations.
How To Protect Your Employees And Your Building
There are several specific severe weather risks, many of which have technologies that limit their damage to facilities. Lightning and wind are two major causes of electrical hazards in any facility. When lightning strikes near a building, it can cause a surge in voltage, which can overwhelm a circuit and damage any equipment connected to it. When power surges damage equipment, including installed life safety systems, it can lead to downtime. Ensuring that your facility has adequate surge protection should be a priority, and Type 1 surge protective devices (SPDs) can keep equipment safe in the case of nearby lightning. Similarly, wind during intense storms can knock down power lines, causing voltage fluctuations that can cause surges. Downed power lines also expose workers in transport to electrical shock risks, as contact with a power line can energize a car or truck.
Real-time weather analytics tools are another key workplace safety instrument. In many contexts, being able to track when and where lightning will strike can help managers make informed decisions about when to issue safety stand-down orders. Additionally, analytics systems that track other weather events, road traffic, and power line issues can be a crucial asset for decision makers. In the event of a safety stand-down, lone worker monitoring technologies like wearables and biometric sensors can help managers determine who is in harm’s way and who is not.
Flooding is another danger whose repercussions can be mitigated through workplace technologies. One of the most impactful ways to combat flooding risks to employees and equipment is to implement ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which should be installed in any areas that are prone to flooding and are required in areas where water and electricity can come in contact. If flooding is a frequent concern for a facility, consider elevating critical equipment above floodplains, including water heaters, wiring, and outlets. After a storm, water-damaged electrical equipment should be evaluated by qualified electricians, and keep in mind that ocean water can be particularly damaging due to its salt content.
The final tool this article will discuss is an emergency action plan (EAP). According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “The best way to protect workers is to expect the unexpected and to carefully develop an emergency action plan to guide everyone in the workplace when immediate action is necessary.” Many workplaces are required by OSHA to develop an EAP, and facilities that are in disaster-prone areas are especially encouraged to make emergency plans and train employees adequately on executing those plans.
References
- Extreme Weather and Climate Change, NASA
- Nationwide Agency Forward: Commercial Lines Protection Survey
- “World’s Largest Manufacturers Lose $1 Trillion/Year to Machine Failure,” ISA
- “As Hurricanes Strike, Insurance Costs Soar for Commercial Real Estate,” New York Times
- OSHA Penalties
- What Are SPDs, NEMA
- Emergency Preparedness and Response: Getting Started, OSHA
Ordonez serves as the Global Director of Safety Sales and Strategy for Wesco. Within this role, she is the leader of Connected Safety. She is responsible for empowering a global safety organization to deliver comprehensive safety solutions and services to customers. Ordonez brings decades of expertise in safety, strategic market analysis, and sales management to Wesco.
Jones is the Communications Representative for the Electrical Safety Foundation. He has several years of experience in communications roles in nonprofit and academic settings.
Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts by sending an e-mail to the Editor at jen@groupc.com.