What Storm Chandra showed Irish businesses this week
27th January 2026
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group met as Storm Chandra response continued and noted that flooding risks would remain into Wednesday and Thursday due to saturated ground and further rain.
6 counties
Met Éireann warnings included a nationwide Status Yellow wind warning and a Status Yellow rain warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford.
Travel disruption
Iarnród Éireann reported flooding related closures including Greystones to Enniscorthy closed with bus transfers and disruption on DART and commuter routes.
For business owners, these updates matter because they point to the real drivers of cost: unsafe premises, delayed access, supply chain interruption and people risk.
Health and safety risks during flooding and clean-up
Flood recovery work is high risk. The combination of water, electricity, debris and time pressure can lead to serious injuries. Your risk assessment and safety statement should address flood scenarios, even if flooding is not an everyday concern.
- Isolate power before anyone enters affected areas. Assume electrics are unsafe until checked by a competent person.
- Control slips and trips. Wet floors, silt and hidden holes create immediate fall risks.
- Treat floodwater as contaminated. Provide suitable PPE such as gloves, boots and protective clothing, and reinforce hygiene controls.
- Manage manual handling. Moving waterlogged stock and furniture increases strain injuries, especially when teams are rushed.
- Control contractor work. If you bring in restoration contractors, confirm method statements, permits and supervision, and document who is responsible for isolations and access control.
- Look after wellbeing. Flood events are stressful. Clear communication and realistic work plans reduce fatigue related errors.
Public health guidance also emphasises planning for flooding and safe clean-up practices, including documenting damage and taking precautions around utilities and contaminated materials.
People and HR decisions during weather warnings
Flooding and severe weather create difficult choices on attendance, travel and operational continuity. A clear approach helps protect staff, reduce disruption and avoid inconsistent decisions across teams.
When a Met Eireann warning is issued, review who needs to be on site, who can work remotely, and whether travel can be avoided. The safest decision is often to postpone non essential journeys, especially for staff driving for work.
- Working from home arrangements should be clear, including who can work remotely at short notice, what access is needed, and how managers will set priorities.
- Your driving for work policy should set out when travel should be cancelled, who can approve essential journeys, and what to do if routes are flooded or roads are closed.
- Travel and attendance expectations should be consistent, so staff know how to report if they cannot travel safely and what approach applies during closures.
- For lone workers and home visits, agree check in points and escalation routes, and make it clear that staff can stop work if conditions are unsafe.
- Record key decisions and communications during the warning. A short log supports learning and can be helpful if incidents or claims follow.
If these policies are not documented, a severe weather event is often the moment the gaps show. A short review now can reduce pressure when the next warning arrives.
Where the insurance and safety picture overlap
Flooding is one of the clearest examples of how health and safety and insurance are two sides of the same business risk.
- Property damage and business interruption: water ingress can damage buildings, plant, stock and IT, and can stop trading for days or weeks.
- Employers liability: injuries during clean-up, workplace transport incidents and slips on wet surfaces can lead to claims and regulatory scrutiny.
- People and HR: decisions on remote working, travel and site closure reduce injury risk and help demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to protect staff during a warning.
- Motor and fleet: driving through floodwater can damage vehicles and create recovery risks. Fleet downtime can also interrupt deliveries and services.
- Public liability: customers and visitors may be exposed to hazards if access control is weak during recovery.
Insurers and loss adjusters often look for evidence that you took reasonable steps to prevent further damage and to control access. That is exactly what a good flood plan and risk assessment helps you demonstrate.
A practical claims readiness checklist for flooding
Official guidance recommends early notification, evidence gathering and careful record keeping. These steps also help your broker advocate for you during a claim.
- Contact your broker and insurer as early as possible and follow the policy notification requirements.
- Photograph and video damage, and mark water levels for reference where safe to do so.
- Keep an inventory of damaged items and do not dispose of items until agreed, or photograph items before disposal if necessary.
- Take temporary measures to prevent further loss where safe, and keep receipts for emergency repairs and protective actions.
- Track downtime and extra costs, including staff overtime, temporary premises, hire equipment and lost sales where you can evidence them.
These actions support both safe recovery and a smoother insurance process.
Prevention steps to reduce future downtime
Many of the highest impact controls are simple and low cost when planned in advance.
- Check flood risk information for your location and review your emergency plan at least annually.
- Identify critical equipment and stock and plan how it could be moved or protected quickly.
- Review drainage and maintenance schedules, including gutters, yard drains and interceptors.
- Plan for safe shutdown and restart of utilities and machinery, and confirm who is authorised to make those decisions.
- Test your communications plan for staff, customers and suppliers, and keep key contacts accessible offsite.
- Review your severe weather, remote working and driving for work policies so managers can make consistent decisions on travel and attendance.
How NFP Ireland can support your organisation
NFP Ireland can help you connect the safety and insurance pieces so your flood planning reduces both harm and financial disruption.
Our teams can support you to review flood related risks, strengthen documentation, and improve claims readiness so that when an event happens, you can respond quickly and confidently.
- Flood focused risk assessment review and practical site controls
- Insurance programme review including property, business interruption and liability exposures
- Claims readiness support including evidence capture guidance and downtime tracking
- Business continuity advice and supplier resilience planning
- HR policy support for severe weather, remote working and driving for work, including manager guidance and communication templates.