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Stacy Frilling said tornadoes can form quickly and with little or no warning.
That’s the main reason companies need to have a written plan in place that tells employees what to do in such situations, said Friling, head of risk management accounts for Johnson County-based Travelers Insurance. he says.
He also said workplaces should conduct tornado drills at least once a year so that employees have a plan in place in the event of a severe weather emergency.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration website states that employers have a responsibility to protect the safety and health of their workers and provide a safe and healthy workplace.
Why is preparation important?
With tornado season just around the corner, Frilling spoke in an interview with the Capital Journal last week about steps businesses can take to prepare.
He said twisters are most common in the spring and early summer in the Plains states east of the Rocky Mountains, known as “Tornado Alley.”
Kansas ranks second among U.S. states in the number of tornadoes recorded since 1950, behind Texas.
Over the past 30 years, the Sunflower State has averaged 81 tornadoes a year, according to the National Weather Service’s Topeka office website.
The last fatal tornado in Kansas was in 2012 and in Shawnee County in 1983.
Shawnee County’s last tornado occurred on May 21, 2019, when an EF-0 twister on the Enhanced Fujita scale touched down just east of Rossville. Damage was limited to trees and power lines.
What should a tornado plan include?
A company’s tornado plan should identify where employees and visitors will go to protect themselves from potential tornadoes, Frilling said.
The best place to do this is in an underground facility, such as a basement or a specially designed tornado shelter.
But if going underground is not possible, Frilling said companies need to find the safest location above ground, such as an interior room with no doors or windows on the lowest floor of a building.
He advises businesses to stock their rooms with disaster survival kits containing tornado-specific safety items, including portable radios, extra batteries, flashlights, and a whistle to call for help if someone is trapped under debris. He encouraged them to keep it on hand.
Employees should be instructed to hunker down and cover their heads until the tornado threat passes, Frilling said.
Companies need to store important documents in safe, fireproof and waterproof locations, he said.
Businesses should have a plan in place to contact family members and employees who are not at work during a tornado event.
“One option is to have an out-of-state relative or friend serve as a family contact or set up an employee call center,” the Travelers website states. “Make sure all family members and care providers (teachers, daycares, etc.) have emergency contact information and that employees know the steps to contact the call center.”
What is the difference between watch and alert?
Frilling also said businesses should make sure their employees know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible. A tornado watch is issued when weather conditions are suitable for a tornado to form.
A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Shawnee County’s practice is to sound outdoor sirens throughout the county when a tornado warning is issued for any part of the county.
The National Weather Service advises people to evacuate immediately if a tornado warning is issued.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
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