While Hurricane Dorian churns in the Atlantic with its sights currently set on the east coast of Florida, storm preparations should be well underway. As you are busy organizing efforts to secure your job sites, we at Peckar & Abramson offer some quick reminders that may prove helpful:

• Review your contracts, particularly the force majeure provisions, and be sure to comply with applicable notice requirements

• Even if not expressly required at this time, consider providing written notice to project owners that their projects are being prepared for a potential hurricane or tropical storm and that the productivity and progress of the work will be affected, with the actual time and cost impact to be determined after the event.

• Consult your hurricane plan (which is often a contract exhibit) and confirm compliance with all specified safety, security and protection measures.

• Provide written notice to your subcontractors and suppliers of the actions they are required to take to secure and protect their portions of the work and the timetable for completion of their storm preparations.

• Protect project documentation. Backup and remove computers from field offices and remove permits, plans and other paper documentation to a safe and secure location.

• Document the physical condition of your project as thoroughly as possible with interior and exterior photographs and videos.

• Thoroughly document your storm preparations with photographs and reports.

• Obtain emergency contact information for all essential personnel and develop a plan for notification of the resumption of work to all those who will be affected by the job shutdown.

• Confirm that you have a copy of current builder’s risk insurance policies and contact information for the agents and underwriters.

Most importantly, stay safe and bear in mind the quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin:
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

We wish you and yours the best at this difficult time and hope that Dorian turns north and heads harmlessly out to sea.