How do we work safely on our job sites during heavy wind?
Weather plays a very crucial role in how we work quite safely on our daily job sites. Extreme weather conditions just as High and strong wind is an unavoidable part of weather that can pose many hazards for workers.
Our task is to:
- Secure and protect our workers, visitors and the public from hazards ad other possible dangerous occurrences on a construction site.
- Provide securement.
- Facilitate safe passage.
Hazards and dangerous occurrences developed by wind can include, but are not limited to:
- Dropped loads or other temporary stored materials or objects from elevated surfaces.
- Struck-by incidents, due to objects blown around.
- Eye injuries are caused by flying dust and debris.
- The Equipment or machinery or other devices or appliances are damaged due to being tipped over by powerful winds.
- Dropped loads or other temporary stored materials or objects while performing a lift in high winds.
- Increased loads on tarped or hoarded structures cause a tip-over or collapse.
- Failure of scaffold or scaffolding structure, hoarding and site protection fencing due to improper material and design.
- Accidental movement of overhead power lines.
Eliminating/mitigating hazards related to high winds
- Eliminate and mitigate the risks via suspending a piece challenge that poses a risk due to wind conditions (i.e., roof work, lifting operations).
- Various on-site activities involving aerial lifts, cranes and sheathing materials must be appropriately and securely evaluated with high wind conditions.
- Additional Personal Protective Equipment may be needed (safety goggles against flying dust or debris).
- Always Park heavy equipment and light-duty vehicles or other related machinery so that the heavy wind is not blowing directly against the side used to enter/exit the vehicle.
- Never try or reach for dropping objects (i.e., losing a hardhat in the high wind). This can lead to slips, falls and strain/sprains.
Eliminating/mitigating hazards related to high winds
- All transient load hoarding has to be evolved to maintain loads to which it’s far probable to be subjected, inclusive of high wind, snow masses and falling particles/substances.
- Fencing for security and protection purposes must be set back an appropriate distance from the edge of an excavation – which varies depending on site conditions and requirements.
- Where a scaffold structure is enclosed by a tarp or other cover, induced loads (i.e., high and extreme wind) must be considered. In this case, look for a consult with the manufacturer’s instructions/guidelines notes for the scaffold or seek the direction of a professional engineer.
Planning for work in Extreme Weather
Preplanning a task is critical to reducing risk to workers. Weather is a major factor in what job tasks can commence daily and/or what precautions must be in place before starting a job. Be careful and vigilant to daily weather forecasts, in particular wind speeds, and plan each task accordingly.
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| TOOLBOX TALK – HEAVY WIND HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND SAFETY MEASURES-PPT |
