Summertime Safety Tips: Keeping Yourself and Employees Safe in Inclement Weather

Working safely in the summer doesn't just mean staying hydrated and coolopens in a new tab. Recyclers also need to be prepared for different types of adverse weather conditions. Use these tips from the ReMA Safety Team to ensure that when working in the summer, you do so safely or not at all.

This is a good time of year for recyclers to review their action plans, particularly for inclement weather. Lighting storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes can crop up in certain parts of the country, so it's important to make sure your action plan reflects those potential hazards.

Inclement weather can also lead to potential road hazards including potholes, or uneven surfaces such as lifted sidewalks, so pay attention to those potential spots, fill in the holes and check for unlevel surfaces.

According to Jerry Sjogren, ReMA's Senior Director of Safety, recyclers should have a weather alert protocol to help keep them and their operations notified when inclement weather approaches.

"Watch the weather forecast the night before and the day of," Sjogren added. "And teach your employees to keep an eye on the sky. Being in mobile equipment, for example, during a thunderstorm can be incredibly dangerous and they could get electrified. Take the time to pull your employees out and get them indoors to a safe location until the storm passes. There are also lightening detection systems that are worth considering for the workplace."

During inclement weather, employees should seek shelter indoors and stay away from open doors and windows. Remember the saying, "When thunder roars, go indoors." Sjogren also recommends staying away from tall objects like trees or metal structures, if you are the tallest object then chances are you may get struck.

"Identify safe areas in your operations where staff can go in case of lightning, high wind, or tornadoes," Sjogren said. "If there is a tornado, the safest areas are in the middle of the building or the lower basement level. However, stay away from the basement if you're in a flood plain."

If you're in an area with risks of hurricanes or tornadoes, Sjogren recommends recyclers keep an eye out and remove any loose debris that might be around your operation.

"Of course that can be hard at a recycling operation," Sjogren said. "But if you think high winds are coming, tie things down to minimize the risk of flying objects hurting people or causing property damage. When I worked in the sand and gravel industry, we used to tie belts down on the conveyer systems so they wouldn't get damaged."

He also advised recyclers to file an insurance claim if the operation is struck and sustains damage.

"Often computer and phone systems can get damaged from lightning strikes, so it's important to document everything that's been damaged and notify an insurance company as soon as you can so they can take care of your situation," Sjogren said.

Photo by NOAA on Unsplash.