Thunderstorm Safety

A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter or has wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can cause flash flooding, and high winds can damage homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages.

Know the Difference

Severe Thunderstorm Watch - Severe thunderstorms are possible in and near the watch area. Stay informed and be ready to act if a severe thunderstorm warning is issued.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property.

Every year people are killed or seriously injured by severe thunderstorms despite advance warning. While some did not hear the warning, others heard the warning and did not pay attention to it. The information in this section, combined with timely watches and warnings about severe weather, may help save lives.

Be Prepared for Thunderstorms and Severe Weather

• Learn about your local community’s emergency warning system for severe thunderstorms
• Discuss thunderstorm safety and lightning safety with all members of your household
• Pick a safe place in your home for household members to gather during a thunderstorm This should be away from windows, skylights and glass doors that could be broken by strong winds or hail
• Make a list of items to bring inside in the event of a severe thunderstorm
• Make trees and shrubbery more wind resistant by keeping them trimmed and removing damaged branches
• Protect your animals by ensuring that any outside buildings that house them are protected in the same way as your home
• Consult your local fire department if you are considering installing lightning rods
• Get trained in first aid and learn how to respond to emergencies
• Put together an emergency preparedness kit:

̶    Water—one gallon per person, per day

 ̶   Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare
̶    Flashlight
̶    Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
 ̶   Extra batteries
̶    First aid kit
̶    Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
 ̶   Multi-purpose tool
 ̶   Sanitation & personal hygiene items
̶    Copies of personal documents
̶    Cell phone with chargers
̶    Family & emergency contact information
 ̶   Extra cash
Responding appropriately during a thunderstorm


• Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for emergency updates. Watch for signs of a storm, like darkening skies, lightning flashes or increasing wind.
• Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are likely to occur. Many people struck by lightning are not in the area where rain is occurring.
• If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, take shelter in a substantial building or in a vehicle with the windows closed. Get out of mobile homes that can blow over in high winds.
• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger from lightning. If thunder roars, go indoors! The National Weather Service recommends staying inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.
• Avoid electrical equipment and telephones. Use battery-powered TVs and radios instead.
• Shutter windows and close outside doors securely. Keep away from windows.
• Do not take a bath, shower or use plumbing.
• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.
• If you are outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground; water; tall, isolated trees; and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts and sheds are NOT safe.


Take the appropriate steps to stay safe

Plan, Provide and Train: 3 Simple Steps for Preventing Deadly Falls

Falls from heights are the leading cause of death in construction, and they cause many injuries and deaths in other industries as well.

OSHA says that falls from heights can be prevented and employee lives can be saved if you take three simple steps:

• Plan
• Provide
• Train

Plan

Plan ahead to get the job done safely. When your employees are working from heights, such as on ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, you must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task. A little prior planning on your part makes every job safer for employees.

Provide

Provide the right equipment. Workers who are 6 feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide personal fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear.

Also remember that different ladders and scaffolds are appropriate for different jobs. Always provide workers with the kind they need to get the job done safely.

If workers use personal fall arrest systems, provide a harness for each worker who needs to tie off to the anchor. Make sure the equipment fits, and have a qualified supervisor regularly inspect all fall protection equipment to ensure it's still in good condition and safe to use (even though workers should inspect their equipment before each use).

Train

Train everyone to use the equipment safely. Falls can be prevented when workers understand proper set-up and safe use of equipment. But to develop that understanding they need training on the specific equipment they will use to complete the job and the hazards they may face. Workers should also be trained in the in the care and safe use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems, and other equipment they'll be using on the job.

Training Points

Here are some specific training points suggested by OSHA to prevent falls in different hazard situations.

To prevent falls from ladders:

• Choose the right ladder for the job.
• Maintain three points of contact.
• Secure the ladder.
• Always face the ladder.
• Don't stand on top or on the top step of a stepladder.
• Don't overreach.
• Don't place the ladder on an unlevel footing.

To prevent falls from scaffolds:

• Use fully planked scaffolds.
• Ensure proper access to scaffold.
• Plumb and level.
• Complete ALL guardrails.
• Ensure stable footing.
• Inspect before use (by competent person).
• Don't stand on guardrails.
• Don't use a ladder on top of a scaffold.
• Don't climb on the cross-braces.

To prevent falls from roofs:

• Wear a harness and always stay connected.
• Make sure your harness fits.
• Use guardrails or lifelines.
• Inspect all fall protection equipment before use.
• Guard or cover all holes, openings, and skylights.
• Don't disconnect from lifeline.
• Don't work around unprotected openings or skylights.
• Don't use defective equipment.

OSHA extends annual fall prevention Safety Stand-Down to 2 weeks, announces 2015 dates

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced the dates of its second annual Safety Stand-Down for construction fall prevention.

Citing widespread participation in last year’s event, OSHA has increased the stand-down from one week to two, setting the dates for May 4-15.

During the two-week period, employers and workers pause during the workday for to discuss safety topics and participate in demonstrations and training on how to use safety harnesses, guard rails and other means to protect workers from falls.

“With the economy on the rebound and housing starts on the rise, now is the time to for all of us to renew our commitment to sending workers home safe every night,” Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said in a prepared statement. “Last year’s Stand-Down showed us what employers and workers sharing that commitment can accomplish. Responsible employers understand that safety is not a luxury – it is a necessity.”

OSHA has also launched a website for this year’s event which provides employers with information how to conduct a stand-down, fact sheets in both English and Spanish and other safety materials. The site also lists this year’s stand-down events which are free and open to the public.

The group said more than 10,000 employers and 1 million workers participated in last year’s stand-down, numbers OSHA would like to triple with this year’s event.

Falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry. The two-week stand-down is part of OSHA’s fall prevention campaign which it started three years ago.

- See more at: http://www.equipmentworld.com/osha-extends-annual-fall-prevention-safety-stand-down-to-2-weeks-announces-2015-dates/#sthash.Ivgc1haS.dpuf

The Great Multitasking Lie

• ​Many people think they are good multitaskers, but that is actually a myth, especially when it comes to cell phone use while driving. This infographic from the National Safety Council will show you why.
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• Multitasking is a myth

  
  
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Why cell phone distracted driving is severely under-reported

• Why cell phone distracted driving is severely under-reported

  
  

  ​We know cell phone-related car crash deaths are a problem. We just don't know how big the problem is. NSC partnered with Nationwide Insurance to produce a white paper and an infographic, which show how the number of crashes may be greater than we think.

• There is no simple way to know whether a cell phone was involved in a crash
• Drivers in crashes aren't admitting to cell phone use of may even be killed
• It is difficult to obtain cell phone records
• Witnesses' memories and statements can be inaccurate

• Key Causes of Under-Reporting

Hands-free is not risk-free

• Hands-free devices: A false sense of security

  
  

  ​Think using a hands-free device while driving makes you safer? Think again. You may be surprised at how this NSC infographic shows the cell phone conversation is distracting. In order to stay safe, you need your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your mind on driving.

• Hands-free is not risk-free

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

• Employers can play a leading role in ending to distracted driving by putting cell phone policies in place. This infographic from the National Safety Council will show you how.
  
  

• Reduce the risk of the #1 cause of workplace death

  
  

  ​Did you know the leading cause of workplace death is car crashes? NSC estimates aquarter of crashes involve cell phones. Learn more about this workplace danger in this infographic and how employers can take the lead by putting cell phone policies in place.

Driving Down Distraction