Construction Safety for Summer Storms

You can’t control the weather, but you can take steps to safeguard your construction sites and workers before and after severe weather. Take safety precautions for summer storms and prepare for the worst. Have construction liability insurance in place in order to handle the aftermath, and consider the following safety measures.

Protecting your Job Sites

Most construction contractors monitor the weather since it affects day-to-day work. Weather can change in an instant so you may find it helpful to designate one person on each project to continue monitoring the weather throughout the day. Check in with local building officials on their storm preparedness plans to stay in the loop.

It’s not always possible to secure every loose material on a job site, but items that can be thrown around in heavy winds should either be tied down or removed from the site. If any hazardous chemicals are on-site, secure or remove them prior to a storm. A third-party team should also be ready to perform the proper cleanup if hazardous chemicals are spilled during a storm.

Heavy rains or winds may bring a plethora of debris to the job site that wasn’t there before the storm. A significant amount of rain could also flood your job site. Have a plan in place for how you will safely remove excess water or debris after a storm has passed. If you anticipate the need to pump water, you might be able to place your pumps beforehand so pumping can begin as soon as it is needed.

If need be, board up any windows or wholes to protect the interior of the structure from water damage. If flooding is a possibility, consider placing a sandbag perimeter around the structure. Consider what needs to be secured or removed from the structure as well as securing construction liability insurance to assist with financial losses.

Protecting your Employees 

Safety tips to prepare and protect your employees:

• Have a job site severe weather plan covering all types of severe weather (wind, rain, lightning, storms, etc.) and make sure all employees thoroughly understand the plan.
• Have an efficient process to notify workers of impending severe weather or jobsite evacuation.
• Identify and clearly mark locations for severe weather refuge. If necessary, coordinate with neighboring buildings for a safe refuge for your employees.
• Assign one worker to conduct a headcount during storm refuge and post-storm.
• Remove workers from dangerous conditions such as cranes, scaffolding and trenches that could flood.
• Review the jobsite severe weather plan at your morning meeting even if no severe weather is currently predicted.
• Obtain construction liability insurance to keep the business afloat after a severe storm. 
• Run a post-storm jobsite evaluation to avoid placing workers in unsafe conditions. 

About Daniels Insurance, Inc.

At Daniels Insurance, Inc., we have a unique understanding of the risks that people like you face on a regular basis. With the backing of our comprehensive coverages and our dedication to customer service and quick claims resolution, your business will be fully protected. For more information, contact us today at (855) 565-7616.