Storm Safety: How Companies Can Protect Workers in Harsh Weather

Author: Lily Meyers

Weather isn’t always predictable, so safeguarding your workforce should never be neglected. Last year showed a high number of fatal work-related accidents, with the majority being lost to falls from heights. It’s the company’s responsibility to prevent accidents as much as possible and ensure that workers feel safe in the conditions that they’re put in. 

This article will help construction businesses create a secure safety plan for their workers and evaluate their current procedures and see if there needs to be improvement.

Emergency Response Plans

A lack of preplanning for emergencies like weather disasters can become fatal for your workers and expose them to greater risks when working. If your team doesn’t know what to do, or where to go, valuable time gets lost. 

Risk assessments should be routinely carried out to evaluate any potential risks during dangerous weather, and pinpoint where to be cautious. You should designate assembly points that are accessible and clearly marked out so that workers know exactly where to go in a crisis. 

Education and Training 

Providing the team with thorough awareness training on warning signs and appropriate responses will ease any uncertainty about how to act in a weather emergency. Stressing the importance of keeping up to date with forecasts and warnings will create layers of security for everyone, as they’ll be harder to miss. 

It’s easy to freeze in stressful situations, so getting everyone used to drills and simulations will decrease the likelihood of fight or flight instincts clouding their judgment. 

Protective Workwear

Every construction company knows the importance of PPE in sectors like this, but it’s also handy for keeping people safe during storms. You need to make sure that everyone’s workwear is up to high standards and isn’t damaged or worn down. Having the appropriate gear on can be the difference between a minor and major injury. You also need to provide workwear that’s size inclusive, as ill-fitting gear can prove to be just as dangerous as no gear at all. 

Consistent Communication

Miscommunication in any sector can cause problems, but if warnings and serious information gets lost or unsaid, it can put workers in harm’s way.  Having systems and correct equipment in place that alert all workers of weather warnings at once with clear acknowledgement will give people time to prepare. 

Securing the Worksite

It’s not just workwear and warnings that make a good emergency routine. The worksite can become 10x more dangerous in erratic weather conditions, and it can loosen equipment and tools to make them more hazardous. 

If you know a storm is coming, check and secure machinery and structures so they aren’t damaged in any lightning strikes or wind. Any loose tools automatically become a risk to others if they’re not securely kept. Put them in designated storage so they don’t become projectiles. 

Evaluations and Inspections

Sometimes plans are only secure in the short term, so it’s best to regularly evaluate and improve your processes to keep up to date with new advice. It’s also an opportunity to put in place any lessons learned from previous storms and keep evolving your safety procedures. 

Employee feedback can be one of the most valuable tools in knowing what works and what doesn’t, so ask for honest reviews from the workforce to see where they feel most comfortable. You can also consult a third party to conduct an evaluation for you for reassurance. 

For more advice on safety in construction, you can see government guidelines here.