In light of Hurricane Florence, the National Association of Tower Erectors reminds us that protecting property from high winds can involve a variety of actions, from inspecting and maintaining your building to installing protective devices. Most of these actions, especially those that affect the exterior shell of your building, should be carried out by qualified maintenance staff or professional contractors licensed to work in your state, county, or city.
Many of the hazards posed to workers will occur immediately after the storm has passed, such as cleanup and restoration work, according to the association. Workers and volunteers involved with flood cleanup should be aware of the potential dangers involved and the proper safety precautions. Work-related hazards that could be encountered include: electrical hazards, carbon monoxide, musculoskeletal hazards, heat stress, motor vehicles, hazardous materials, fire, confined spaces and falls.
The rush to fix a problem or deploy a site can seem overriding, but the cost of an accident is far more disruptive to a company than any service outage, notes NATE. The association wants everyone to be aware of several flood and hurricane-related safety resources.
They include:
- National Weather Service Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources
- The Weather Channel Hurricane Safety and Preparedness
September 12, 2018
