Hurricane season is back and expected to be more active than average this year. This means it’s time to start thinking hurricane preparation to protect your projects. The financial and project impact is much higher without preparation.
Hurricane Preparation Tips for Your Construction Sites
You may not be able to prevent all damages brought on by a hurricane, but you can prevent some and lessen most others with preparation. As you begin your preparations, keep in mind the following tips:
Create a hurricane preparation plan.
You need a plan that covers what to do during pre-construction, once a storm is named, during a hurricane watch, during a hurricane warning, and after the storm. Designate a person in charge of implementing your plan and training your response and recovery teams.
Keep an eye on the weather.
Designate a team member to monitor the weather once a storm has been named. Remember, a storm doesn’t have to be considered a hurricane to impact your projects. Flooding often causes more damage than high velocity winds.
Secure job sites.
Keeping your sites cleaned and well-maintained will make emergency procedures much easier. Take photographs to record the status of all your projects before a storm hits. Deploy a flood barrier around your job sites for flood prevention. Dismantle and secure all scaffolding and move all potential projectiles indoors before the storm hits.
Train your employees.
You should conduct periodic employee trainings on your hurricane preparation plan. Make sure everyone understands the plan and how to implement it. Provide special training for the members of your response and recovery teams.
After the Storm
Once local authorities give you the green light, return to your project sites to begin the cleanup. Start by assessing the damage and taking pictures. Use extreme caution while navigating your work sites, especially if there’s still standing water. The same goes for re-entering buildings after a storm. Watch for jagged or sharp debris in the water and compromised structural elements within buildings.Activate your recovery team. Make sure all individuals involved in the cleanup process are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Protecting Your Projects
You and your team work hard to complete your projects on time and with high quality. The weather is one factor outside of your control. Don’t be caught in a hurricane or other storm without a proper hurricane preparation plan. Remember, flooding from hurricanes typically causes more damage than the high-velocity winds. Use this guide to hurricane preparation for construction sites to get started.
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