Anyone paying attention to the news over the last few days has seen ample evidence of the mighty and destructive power of floods. The disasters that have hit Houston and South Asia have killed thousands, left hundreds of thousands homeless and caused billions of dollars of damage. With such disasters, there is a large element that is out of a person’s hands. However, there are quite a few steps that people can take to get ready for the worst. When floods hit, many people will be at their job and it’s important that they are not unprepared. And given the severity of the recent storms, it’s hard to overestimate how important it is to be prepared.
Do’s and don’t for workers during floods
Do:
1) Do wear protective clothing – Rubber is usually the best material for flooding. Rubber boots, gloves and goggles are useful in water and may provide some slight protection from electrical hazards. Appropriate footwear is vital as you may not know what you’re stepping on, so boots with protective, hard soles is a must. Hypothermia is also a concern during flooding so try and wrap up warm in water-resistant clothing.
2) Do turn off the mains – The impurities in water conduct electricity, meaning that anyone in contact with flooded water is potentially at risk of electrocution. Any tools or equipment that are using electricity are probably attached to the mains. As soon as an area becomes flooded, these become electrical hazards. Ensuring that the power is switched off, either through the mains switch or the fuse box, is an important step to reducing the risk of electrocution.
3) Do evacuate safely – Stick to the plan. Where you work should have an established safety and evacuation procedure in place in case there is a flood. OSHA make it clear that the burden is on the employer to ensure a workplace is prepared for flooding and all the workers receive health and safety training to deal with a flooding situation. An evacuation plan should contain a clear chain of command, a plan for routes that should be followed in an evacuation, an accounting procedure for establishing the number of personnel and a set of tasks with a corresponding list of those responsible for the job.
4) Do keep aware of the dangers of water – In the rush of evacuation it can be very easy to slip and fall due to flooded water. It is possible to drown in only a few inches of water and even easier to lose your footing. It is important to evacuate in an orderly fashion to avoid any injuries. You should be careful of standing water as you can’t be sure how deep it is, or what’s underneath. Moving water should always be avoided as it only needs to be two feet deep to be powerful enough to carry a person away.
5) Do maintain cleanliness – Hopefully you and your co-workers have been evacuated successfully and are somewhere warm and safe. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap before eating, drinking, smoking or doing anything that involves putting your hands to your face. Also, remember to decontaminate your rain gear and boots with disinfectant. Pollutants can seep into the floodwater and in particularly bad times of flooding, diseases like typhoid and cholera can develop and spread. Therefore, it is so important to look after your own hygiene, for your own health and for those around you.
Don’ts:
1) Don’t enter flooded rooms – Standing water and electrical equipment is a bad mix. Extension cords and guarding on power tools should be in good condition and used appropriately. If there is water in an area with electrical equipment, power should be turned off at the mains. Workers should never enter areas of flooded water in their place of work as the risk of electrocution is too high.
2) Don’t ignore chemicals and other biological hazards – Floodwater means that dangerous chemicals can escape their storage and seep into the water, becoming a hazard to anyone exposed. Look out for any containers that appear to be leaking. If you smell, see, or in any way notice evidence of chemicals in the water, avoid that area. Flooding can also result in sewage, garbage, dead animals and all kinds of biological waste seeping into the water and becoming a health hazard. This is why it is important for workers to stay alert and keep a sense of personal hygiene, even in such difficult conditions, as there are so many potential hazards to be aware of.
3) Don’t use frayed extension cords – If flood water has reached the level of electrical outlets and is covering power cords, you should evacuate the area immediately. Extension cords are commonly used in workplaces and if they are even slightly damaged they can be a real hazard during flooding.
4) Don’t think just because it’s a flood there can’t be fire – It may seem counter intuitive but flooding presents a real fire risk. Flooding can damage fire protection systems and electrical wiring. Significant flooding can delay emergence services and disrupt the water systems used to fight fires, making the risk due to fire that much greater.
5) Don’t mess with power lines – If you do have to evacuate, be sure to stay away from any fallen power lines. These should be treated as if they’re still energized. You should keep a clear distance between you and the power line and report the damage as soon as possible. Utility workers are properly trained to deal with this hazard and have the appropriate equipment.
Ideally, flooding will be forecasted and workers will have time off work to stay somewhere safe with their loved ones. Unfortunately, flooding is not always able to be accurately predicted, leaving workers in a difficult situation if rainfall is more severe than expected. The key is to be prepared as possible. Management should implement a comprehensive safety training program to prepare for flooding, while workers should take responsibility for their own safety by learning the correct procedure to follow.
‘Hope for the best and prepare for the worst’ is probably the best way to approach flooding. If we have learned anything in the last few days, it is how dangerous flooding can be.
