PCCA Journal 1st Quarter 2014 - page 19

PCCA Journal|1
st
Quarter 2014
19
SafetyWatch
T
ornadoes can occur with
little or no warning.
Taking precautions in
advance of the storms,
such as developing an
emergency plan, learning the warning
signs, and monitoring tornado watches
and warnings, can help you stay safe if a
tornado occurs in your area.
OSHA and NOAA are working together
on a public education effort aimed at im-
proving the way people prepare for and
respond to severe weather. They have
developed a website (
/
dts/weather/tornado/index.html) to help
businesses and their workers prepare for
tornadoes and to provide information
about hazards that workers may face in
the aftermath of a tornado.
To prepare for a tornado, businesses
should develop an emergency plan. The
plan should include details on suitable
places to take shelter, policies to ensure
all personnel are accounted for, and
procedures for addressing any hazard-
ous materials that are on-site. It is also
recommended that individuals develop
action plans for their families.
The OSHA/NOAA website provides
checklists and additional resources pages
with simple ways to make sure that you
are prepared for a tornado, including
suggestions for communications equip-
ment and personal preparedness kits.
After a tornado has occurred, as
businesses take steps to recover from
the storm, workers may face significant
hazards including the potential for ad-
ditional storms, downed electric lines,
and sharp debris. Workers should also
be aware of hazards from heat stress and
from equipment used during response/
recovery operations, such as portable
generators. Workers will need to take
special precautions to stay safe during
response and recovery operations.
Employer Responsibilities
Each employer is responsible for the
safety and health of its workers and for
providing a safe and healthful workplace
for its workers. Employers are required
to protect workers from the anticipated
hazards associated with the response
and recovery operations that workers are
likely to conduct.
Background
Tornadoes can occur anywhere and at
any time during the year. In an aver-
age year, 800 tornadoes are reported
throughout the nation. The most violent
tornadoes may have wind speeds of 250
mph or more and may last for more than
an hour. Sometimes multiple tornadoes
may occur at the same time. Tornadoes
can appear rapidly, so it is important
to be familiar with the signs in order to
stay prepared.
Early warnings about a likely tornado
can help save lives. Weather radar sys-
tems are used to detect air movement,
which could indicate that a tornado may
be likely to form. Environmental clues
may also suggest that a tornado is form-
ing. Here are some signs to look for:
• Dark, often greenish clouds or sky
• Wall cloud
• Large hail
• Funnel cloud
• Roaring noise
Preparedness
Preparedness involves a continuous
process of planning, equipping, training,
and exercising. Planning for tornadoes
requires identifying a place to take shel-
OSHA Offers Tornado Guidance
Continued on page 20
1...,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,...48
Powered by FlippingBook