Preparing Construction Sites for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is right around the corner (May 15 – November 30 for the Pacific; June 1 – November 30 for the Atlantic), but here in Houston, Texas, we know that it’s never too early to start preparing and devising an emergency plan.
In April 2019, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office released a report stating that the annual estimated cost of hurricane-related damage is around $54 billion to the nation’s GDP. Construction sites are at an especially high risk for damage due to the nature of the work.
Preparation is key to maintaining business continuity and reducing downtime as much as possible. Whether you are thinking about how to create a plan of action, how to protect your equipment or material, or how to recover post-storm, we’ve compiled tips to help you through the season
Creating an Emergency Action Plan
Create a detailed emergency action plan (EAP) for the site, including a site inventory of equipment and material and a relocation plan for material and equipment (including barges and workboats) if your site is near water.
You should also compile an organizational chart and brief all managers on their responsibilities as a team leader. In the event that the site is not safe for employees, managers should attempt to call and notify their direct reports as soon as possible. The safety of employees should be the main goal of the action plan.
Your EAP should include:
- A list of employees trained on site shutdown procedures
- The organizational chart, as well as numbers to resources like your insurance company, local authorities, and suppliers of material or services for post-storm recovery
- Preferred method of communication (define if texting, certain communications apps, or two-way devices are acceptable forms of communication, in case phone lines are jammed)
- Who will be responsible for storing company records (including insurance documents)? Where will they be located?
- Plans for material and equipment relocation and up-to-date inventory. Consider taking photos of your inventory and photos or video of the site to document the current state of the project
Preparing Sites in the Path of a Storm
The EAP should include guidelines for securing and protecting any site equipment and material.
- At around 36 hours to landfall, you should be monitoring the path of the storm and decide on whether or not the emergency plan will be activated. Suspend all work once a hurricane warning (imminent landfall within 24 hours) is issued
- Anything that can be stored indoors should be moved
- Have a relocation plan specifically for any hazardous or flammable materials
- Any boats or barges should be secured on land (if possible; if not, secure them as best you can at a dock)
- Sandbags, ground anchors, tie-down straps and netting should be used to cover materials (and signage) that cannot be moved indoors to keep them from being swept away by wind or storm surge
- Disconnect power to non-essential equipment to prevent power surges, flooding, or electrocution
- Clear all debris from the site
- Take all important records and papers (and any computers or electronic devices) with you when you leave the site
- Lock doors, fences, etc. to prevent theft
Post-Storm Cleanup and Recovery
Designate a team who will be available to help assess sites post-storm. Then, after the storm has passed and authorities have determined it is safe to travel (and it is safe to access the site), the post-storm assessment team should meet to assess any damage to the site, structures, equipment and materials.
- Never wade or work in areas with high water. The water could be contaminated, contain snakes, ants, or debris, or be hiding holes and dips in the ground
- Do not turn the electricity back on until all water has receded and wiring has been evaluated for damage. Firefighting can be extremely difficult post-storm, especially if roads are still damaged or blocked in certain areas
- Assess your inventory for any evidence of theft. Unfortunately, theft and looting can be common after storms
- Take photographic evidence of any damage to present to your insurer when filing claims
Remember that the greatest threat from tropical storms or hurricanes comes from water – specifically, storm surge. Storm surge is the deadliest factor during the storm.
Visit OSHA’s website for more information on emergency preparedness and response.
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