NU Online News Service, Aug. 30, 2:59 p.m. EDT

Businesses with hurricane damage turning to employees for cleanup need to keep worker safety in mind, especially where hazardous materials are concerned, according to Zurich.

Depending on the type of business and disaster, salvage cleanup and recovery operations can involve many exposures to workers, including hazardous chemicals, fuel and oil spills, heat stress, electrical hazards, and structural safety, Zurich says in a report, “Tips for worker safety during cleanup and recovery operations.”

While some cleanups are appropriate for employees, a major recovery operation will most likely require working with contractors and salvage specialists, Zurich says.

“The safety and security of workers in the aftermath of a disaster is critical and requires planning and consideration of several issues,” Armand Fernandez, chief risk engineering officer, North America for Zurich says in a statement.

Zurich Services Corporation encourages review of up-to-date information provided by major government and private agencies involved with such cleanup operations.

Tips for general safety and personal protective equipment include:

• Equipping workers with routine safety equipment, such as hard hats, safety glasses, heavy work gloves and steel-toed safety shoes or boots.

• Preparing workers for the same types of conditions as when working at an outdoor construction site—with extreme conditions and work.

• Pre-plan all activities or have a tool box meeting and clearly communicate plans with all workers and contractors.

• Provide clean, cool, potable water for workers. Also encourage all workers to practice good personal hygiene, such as washing thoroughly before eating or at the end of a work shift. Disinfecting solutions may be useful in these situations.

• Using chain saws and other equipment may present a noise exposure requiring hearing protection.

Much of the cleanup may be heavy work with the potential for high temperatures, which presents a significant heat stress exposure for workers, particularly those using protective clothing, according to the report.

Workers should be encouraged to drink cool, clean water several times per hour to maintain electrolyte balance.

Work should also be scheduled so that workers have a work/rest regimen of at least 15 minutes of rest per hour of work—more often in extreme hot temperatures because concentration and judgment can be adversely affected, Zurich says in its report.

Special Reports /

Employee Safety Called for During Hurricane Cleanup

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