The part of a flood that isn't water
Cleanup is only half the disruption. Inbound trucks keep arriving, customers keep expecting orders, and staff need to know where to report. One flooded section can block aisles, strand equipment or stop receiving because there's nowhere dry to put the goods.
Planning ahead won't prevent the disruption, but it cuts down the improvising. The decisions below are ones an operations manager can make before anything happens: which zones are critical, where stock can shift, and how customers and carriers hear about delays.
Start by ranking functions by how fast their absence hurts. Shipping to one large customer may matter more this week than slow-moving storage, and a single conveyor or dock door may feed several lines. Write the ranking down and share it with the managers who will decide under pressure. Review it after any near miss and after changes to the layout, customers or equipment, because it drifts.
Choices that come up early
- IfOnly part of the floor is wetThenClose off that zone and reroute picking and receiving around it.
- IfThe receiving area is wetThenAsk carriers to reschedule, or send them to another dock or building if you have one.
- IfSome stock is wet but sellable stock is still dryThenShip from the dry zones first and tell customers about delays early.
- IfThe whole building is affectedThenLook at temporary storage elsewhere and give customers a clear update schedule.
Map these before an event
| Function | Depends on | Workaround to explore |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Dock doors and staging space | An alternate dock, or pause inbound loads |
| Storage | Racking and floor space | Move critical stock to higher levels or another area |
| Picking and shipping | Aisles, scanners, forklifts | Reroute travel paths, switch to manual steps |
| Office and systems | Network and workstations | Remote access or temporary workstations |
| Customer service | Accurate delay information | Pre-written messages and a current contact list |
Records a business-interruption claim leans on
Common questions
Does running at partial capacity affect a claim?
It can. Policies measure reduced operations differently, so ask your insurer and keep records of both normal output and affected output.
Should customers hear about it right away?
Usually. Send a short factual message and say when the next update will come, so they can plan around it.
General information for Commerce City, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.