Hurricane Danny – the first hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic season – started brewing recently in the Caribbean. Depending on its track and intensity it may or may not have any significant effect on our province, but one thing is for sure – Danny is only one of several hurricanes to watch for this season.
With hurricanes come strong wind and rain that poses additional hazards for outdoor construction – slippery surfaces, flying debris, that cold and damp chilled to the bone feeling – just to name a few.
On top of that, there is often a sense of urgency in repairing damage to municipal infrastructure and/or private property caused by hurricanes. And with urgency sometimes comes unnecessary risks.
Regardless of how urgent a job appears, always plan out your work, and conduct a risk assessment and a toolbox talk with your team before beginning work. Two good resources to get you started are the ‘Hazard Alert: Windy Conditions’ flyer from the Occupational Health & Safety Branch of Service NL (which summarizes hazards, identifies contributing factors, and recommends precautions related to windy conditions) and NLCSA’s toolbox talk form.
