Daily Market Update - October 20, 2014

Hurricane Gonzalo hits Bermuda ... Breast cancer awareness in the workplace... Australian evacuation app takes prize in UN global challenge...

Risk Management News

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Hurricane Gonzalo hits the Bermuda
Bermuda bore the brunt of Hurricane Gonzalo on Friday, ripping down power cables and damaging buildings. It was the second storm to hit the island in a week and was the worst in a decade. Fortunately only a few injuries were reported during the 110 mph (175 km/h) winds and torrential rain. A former US Hurricane Center director says that two cyclones striking the same place is “highly unusual”. While the island began to assess the damage, the hurricane moved up the east side of the US towards Canada but was expected to be categorized as a post-tropical storm by the time it hit Newfoundland. The Insurance Bureau of Canada warned that residents and businesses should be prepared: “Hurricanes can cause a great deal of damage that impacts communities, properties and the safety of residents. IBC encourages residents to prepare their families for the storm and protect their property,” said Amanda Dean, Vice-President, Atlantic, IBC.
 
Breast cancer awareness in the workplace
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as one of the most prolific cancers it’s highly likely that workplaces will be touched by the disease at some point. Whether an owner or employee is directly affected or has a friend or relative that is diagnosed with breast cancer it can often be helpful to support awareness campaigns like this. For workplaces the awareness month highlights some risks.
The most obvious is how the business would be able to adapt if a key member of staff was unable to work due to a serious illness; it’s often something that is uncomfortable to consider but it is good practice to have contingency plans in place. While it may be possible for existing members of staff to take on some additional responsibilities in the short to medium term that is a lot easier when a clear and concisely written ‘handbook’ is available detailing what each employee does. This extends beyond a job description and should include everything that they actually do whether or not it is officially part of their job.
 
Another element of risk that should be considered is how the workplace itself may contribute to illness. Much is being done to tackle stress and physical injuries but businesses could also make sure that they are aware of current thinking on the use of chemicals in the workplace; are they linked to illnesses and does the balance of probability make it wise to avoid their use. This should also extend to contractors, such as the use of cleaning products.
 
Australian evacuation app takes prize in UN global challenge
The United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and Esri have announced a winner in the UN Global Disaster Resilience App Challenge. The competition challenged developers to create apps that support the UNISDR Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready. Guardian Evacuations—an app written by Australia’s Leon Storey and Gareck Packer that gets people to their closest evacuation center during a storm—was awarded first place in the consumer/public facing category. In the event of a disaster, the Guardian Evacuations app not only shows the user where to find the closest location evacuation center, but allows them to see traffic information, weather, and potential flood and fire risk areas in real time. 

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