Bridge reparations delayed by lost files

No matter their age, when certain files are lost, they can affect business operations for decades, even centuries to come. That holds true in a Maryland town, where the loss of documents in 1910 is causing a problem for a train corporation in 2012.

According to the Cumberland Times-News, the city's Washington Street Bridge was closed in August after damages was discovered. However, officials are not completely sure whose responsibility it is to make the repairs, as ownership and maintenance documents were destroyed in a fire 102 years ago.

The source said the B&O railroad, now CSX, is probably responsible, though some vehicular bridges in the area are also owned by the government.

"They need to have clear responsibility before they can commit to spend a large amount of money on the bridge, since it carries vehicular traffic over the railroad," Cumberland director of engineering, John DiFonzo, told the Times-News.

Though digitization was obviously not available when the fire occurred in 1910, company owners can avoid similar losses now by adopting an electronic system of document management. If the physical location of a company is destroyed or compromised, the business leader can take heart in knowing files are always safe, particularly if they are stored in the cloud. This will also be very important to business continuity, because even if a storefront is damaged, the company can get back on its feet.

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