Understanding Natural Risks
Natural risks affect every environment on Earth. No space is free from natural phenomena that human beings consider negative: high winds, floods, storms, epidemics and pandemics, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and heat waves. Given the current state of affairs in our world, more organizations than ever are coming face-to-face with the reality of their preparedness (or lack thereof) for natural risks.
Generally Speaking

For the indefinite future, organizations should prepare to deal with a broad range of natural risks. However, generalization, particularly regarding future events, can be problematical. As many futurologists have discovered— should they live so long—making generalized predictions can lead to embarrassment. For example, I am certain that climates are changing and that the world is heating up. However, I cannot predict exactly when and in what locations higher temperatures will occur. In any event, I encourage everyone to consider the natural risks in their risk profiles and mitigate those risks as much as possible. This can be achieved through the improvement of structural and non-structural elements, appropriate levels of protection for data that can be easily (and inexpensively) backed up, the development of strategic alliances and, as always, proper orientation and training for life safety.
Climate Change
Now and in future, we should be concerned about climate change and its effects, especially in regions where heat waves make work difficult and sometimes unbearable in small workspaces that lack proper ventilation or air conditioning. Prolonged heat waves can injure employees, lead to wildfires, power surges, or blackouts, all of which could result in data loss. As our world heats up, we must prepare to protect ourselves with better environmental controls in our offices and include more comprehensive data backup and recovery measures.
Epidemics and Pandemics
Like other natural risks, I regard their likelihood as strong but the timing of their occurrence impossible to predict. Unlike other natural risks, they do not lead directly to the deterioration of organizations or their data, but they can pose a serious threat to public health. The direct business effect of the 2020 novel coronavirus pandemic is mainly seen in the government enforced orders to close organizations in all sectors. Indefinitely thereafter, many workers will worry about health and safety matters in their workplaces, with specific concerns about contracting COVID-19. Higher standards of sanitation will be necessary in workplaces, particularly those that attract large numbers of patrons during peak operating periods. As always, there are concerns about second waves of infections, and public health authorities warn that if one were to occur, more (and possibly longer) closures would be necessary. Businesses should investigate the provision of off-site service (work-from- home options, virtual appointments, relocating outdoors, etc.) to continue operating. In a pandemic-related economic downturn that leads to service limitations, many organizations could face permanent closures.
In the coming issues I will continue to address other risk categories.
This article is reproduced from the July 2020
This article was published in the
July 2020
edition of The TMC Advisor
- ISSN 2369-663X Volume:7 Issue:5
©2020 TMC Consulting