COVID-19: Business owners preparing for changes in operations

When facilities or operations are changed, especially under temporary or hurried conditions, the risk of damages can increase. (Photo: Mongkolchon Akesin/Shutterstock)

A hotel is asked to lease its premises for the operation of a temporary medical facility to actively treat COVID-19 patients. A warehouse is asked to lease its premises to another organization to make temporary use of their facilities for the purpose of convalescing patients. A paper packaging company is required to manufacture protective face masks for medical staff. A gin manufacturer agrees to change distilling operations to produce much-needed hand sanitizer lotion.

The coronavirus outbreak means that many companies have been requested or are actively seeking to change the occupancy at premises to meet current market demand or to support community needs — even large automobile manufacturers are switching production in order to produce parts for crucial respirators. Although such changes are necessary and to be highly commended, this can also result in new risk exposures to a location that may not have been previously considered or evaluated.