Protecting Your Assets in Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather Risk Is Rising and Contractors Need an Asset Evacuation Plan
Extreme weather is becoming a larger operational and financial concern for construction companies. In Arch Insurance’s 2026 global construction risk survey, 77 percent of participating organizations reported increased exposure to weather and climate related events during the previous five years. Flooding was identified as the dominant climate related threat by 82 percent of respondents.
Construction businesses often prepare their employees and jobsites for severe weather. Mobile equipment, trailers, and company vehicles should be included in that planning.
Know What is in the Affected Area
Before a storm, managers need to determine which assets are located at jobsites, low lying storage yards, temporary staging areas, and other vulnerable locations. That process becomes difficult when equipment assignments are maintained through text messages or outdated spreadsheets.
GPS location information can help the company identify which tracked assets are inside the affected area. Managers can then prioritize high value equipment, trailers containing tools, vehicles needed for emergency response, and assets that are difficult to replace.
Create a GPS Supported Relocation Process
Begin by establishing geofences around jobsites, primary storage yards, and designated storm storage locations.
When severe weather threatens, review the location of each tracked asset. Assign responsibility for moving priority equipment. After relocation, verify that the asset has arrived at the approved location.
Battery powered GPS trackers are appropriate for many trailers and equipment assets that do not have a continuous power source. GPS and Track offers compact equipment trackers with geofence capabilities and cases designed for demanding exterior applications.
Company pickups and service vehicles can use real time fleet trackers, allowing managers to monitor current locations and confirm that vehicles have returned to the designated yard.
After the event, GPS data can assist with the asset audit. Managers can verify which equipment remains at the storage location and identify assets that may have been moved during emergency operations.
GPS is One Part of Resilience Planning
A GPS tracker should not be treated as a substitute for proper evacuation, insurance, drainage planning, equipment elevation, or physical storm preparation. A tracker may provide location visibility, but it does not make an asset immune to water, wind, debris, or structural damage. The objective is to improve coordination before and after the event.
Construction companies cannot prevent severe weather. They can improve their ability to locate, relocate, verify, and recover the assets required to restart operations. GPS and Track helps contractors keep equipment, trailers, and vehicles visible when changing conditions make asset accountability especially important.
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