Planning for a Catastrophe

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I work in a software company designed and structured an app for field staff. That day we made a tour of our flow and could not miss a shot of our work :)
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Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires can strike with little warning, bringing business operations to a halt and deeply affecting the lives of employees. In recent years, we’ve seen how quickly a crisis can disrupt not just infrastructure but also the human fabric of a workplace. For employers, the stakes are high: protecting people, maintaining productivity, and ensuring legal compliance — all while navigating uncertainty.

To minimize disruption and support recovery, businesses must proactively develop and communicate clear disaster response strategies. This includes crisis management protocols, employee communication plans, and recovery frameworks that prioritize both operational continuity and employee well-being. A well-prepared organization can respond swiftly, reduce confusion, and help employees return to work safely and confidently — even in the face of personal loss.Continue Reading Ready, Set, Recover: Building a Crisis-Ready Workplace

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Kelvin Zyteng, Unsplash

In Florida and other hurricane-prone areas of the Gulf Coast and Southeast, hurricane preparation is part of the job. For construction projects, the risks are immediate and costly: Unfinished structures, unsecured materials, and critical-path equipment can be destroyed in hours. Every year, contractors and owners learn — often the hard way — that planning for a storm in the middle of one is too late. The time to build resilience is before the first tropical storm forms.

For projects under construction, risk management starts in the contract. The agreement should do more than recite a standard force majeure clause. It should clearly allocate responsibilities for securing the site before a storm and for resuming work after. Those obligations should be detailed, measurable, and realistic for the type of work being performed.Continue Reading Building Resilience into Construction Contracts Before Hurricane Season

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Tim Mossholder, Unsplash

Preparing for a natural disaster is crucial for all businesses, but a small business may face unique challenges such as document loss, remote work, and recovery.

Preventing Document Loss

From tax documents to employee records, keeping documents from being lost is an important step in preparing for a natural disaster. The IRS provides helpful guidelines on how a small business can prepare for a disaster, including keeping a disaster loss workbook (Publication 584-B) that a business can use to inventory its business equipment. Further, having important tax documents such as federal 941s, 940s, 944s and W-2s and state sales tax returns in an electronic database that is backed up regularly can prevent these documents from being lost in a disaster. The same goes for payroll and employee documents — keeping an electronic copy of them (e.g., pay information, employee emergency contacts, pay period information) will provide security in times of a disaster. For any documents that are kept in physical form, it is important to ensure that they are kept secure in a locked filing cabinet in a locked room, both in times of a disaster and in the regular course of business. While certain physical files may be necessary, it is advisable that all employee-related files and information be backed up and saved on some secure electronic platform that can be accessed after a natural disaster, even if you maintain those physical files in your office.Continue Reading How Small Businesses Can Prepare and Recover from a Natural Disaster

Double exposure of Hurricane Ida approaching New Orleans on August 29, 2021.
Brian McGowan, Unsplash

As hurricanes pose increasing threats to Louisiana’s industrial infrastructure, it is essential for industry managers and executives to understand the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s (LDEQ) emergency declaration process. These declarations are not merely procedural — they carry significant operational, regulatory, and environmental implications for Louisiana industry.

LDEQ may issue an emergency declaration in anticipation of, or immediately following, a major weather event such as a hurricane. This action is typically coordinated with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness and other state and federal agencies. The declaration is based on expected or actual disruptions that could affect facility operations, public safety, environmental protection, and access to resources.Continue Reading Storm Ready, Rule Steady: What To Know About LDEQ’s Emergency Declarations in the Face of Hurricane Season

The 2025 hurricane season is projected to be more active than prior years’ seasons. Hence, it is important that companies operating facilities that could be impacted ensure that they have proper disaster preparedness plans in place. While proper disaster preparedness plans will help reduce potential harm caused during a storm, proper contract provisions can help reduce liability to a company both before and after a storm. Most companies’ commercial contracts contain force majeure clauses that are intended to provide protection to facilities impacted by natural disasters, such as hurricanes. However, such clauses are generally not construed broadly. Contracts should include clear and direct provisions that excuse lack of performance due to pre-storm shutdown procedures for companies pursuant to internal disaster preparedness plans. Further, contracts should address post-storm concerns arising from slow facility startup and reduced production rates during the restart process to ensure companies are not at risk of breaching production obligations under a contract.Continue Reading An Ounce of Prevention: Draft Contracts with Pre and Post-Storm Considerations

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1, and the TSR (Tropical Storm Risk) forecast is for 8 hurricanes, of which 4 may be intense, and 16 tropical storms. This season is forecasted to exceed the statistical norms. 

In weathering these storms, many businesses will face property damage, often accompanied by loss of income. Most commercial property policies incorporate business interruption coverage and extra expense insurance. The complexity of a business interruption claim, however, combined with the disruption of cash flow to pay continuing expenses creates a difficult scenario for business owners in these situations.

In general, lost profits and extra expenses may be covered if they are caused by physical damage to covered property and other covered conditions such as damage to a “dependent business” or an evacuation order, among others. Your insurance policy will define the parameters of coverage, and limit coverage for certain losses, such as for power loss occurring outside the covered property.Continue Reading How to Build a Strong Business Interruption Claim: A Practical Guide

X-Press Pearl, a container ship operated by Singapore based X-Press Feeders caught fire near Colombo Port in May 2021
Nilantha Ilangamuwa, Unsplash

In the high-stakes world of maritime operations, preparation isn’t optional—it’s critical. From hurricanes and oil spills to onboard fires and equipment failures, emergencies can strike without warning. The consequences of being unprepared—financial, legal, operational, and reputational—can be devastating.

Jones Walker maritime practice attorneys Luis Llamas and Buddy Bardenwerper authored the Marine Log article “Boom!

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A hurricane, natural disaster, or any other crisis in the workplace can bring a business to a screeching halt and devastate the lives of a business’s most valuable asset — its employees.

To minimize the impact of a natural disaster, companies should have various plans in place before disaster strikes, such as a crisis management plan, a communications plan, and a disaster response and recovery plan. These plans must take into account the effect a catastrophe may have on workers and include ways to help impacted employees return to work as soon as practical to ensure continued productivity of the workplace even in the face of personal loss. Any enacted plan should also consider the application of relevant federal and state laws to ensure compliance and avoid any employment-related lawsuits or any agency enforcement actions following a natural disaster.Continue Reading Planning for a Catastrophe – Tips for Ensuring Proper Communications

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Lisa Bresler, Unsplash

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1, and TSR (Tropical Storm Risk) forecasts 17 to 25 named storms this year. In weathering these storms, many businesses will face property losses, often accompanied by business income losses. Most commercial property policies incorporate business interruption coverage and extra expense insurance. The complexity of a business interruption claim, however, combined with the disruption of cash flow to pay continuing expenses creates a difficult scenario for business owners in these situations. 

In general, business interruption and extra expense losses may be covered when they are caused by physical loss or damage to covered property, other covered conditions such as damage to a “dependent business,” or an order of the civil authority, such as an evacuation order, as defined in the policy. There may also be limitations on coverage, such as for power loss occurring outside the covered property, among others.Continue Reading Preparing a Business Interruption Claim Best Practices

Businesses today must plan for more than just supply and demand. Hurricanes, floods, fires, and other potential hazards pose serious threats to businesses everywhere.

With any disaster or hazard, the need for timely and proper communication is vital. The tools and information provided below are available to help businesses stay prepared and access critical information…