Here’s a staggering statistic. The leading cause of death of Hurricane Wilma in 2005, was storm cleanup [1]. It was not the actual storm that killed most of the residents, it was the cleanup.
Yet another statistic that is surprising – a total of 12 deaths were incurred during Hurricane Sandy storm cleanup in 2012 [2].
Scary, yet sobering.
Not surprisingly, on October 8th 2016, OSHA released a warning following Hurricane Matthew, urging safety vigilance during cleanup.
Here’s why: Live power lines and sharp debris, can kill instantly. Contaminated flood waters, and hazardous waste emit chemicals and contaminants that can cause all kinds of detrimental health issues. It’s a no-brainer that crews, and even residents, will be exposed to these hazards during cleanup. Thus, according to OSHA, personal protective equipment should be worn in all of these situations to prevent death or injury.
Here are protective measures released by OSHA:
- Use personal protective equipment.
- Assume all powerlines are live.
- Evaluate all work areas for hazards.
- Employ engineering or work practice controls to mitigate hazards.
- Use portable generators, saws, ladders, vehicles and other equipment properly.
- Heed safety precautions for traffic work zones.
By now unfortunately there has been a total of 39 deaths in the USA due to Hurricane Matthew’s wrath. Our prayers and thoughts are with those who are affected by the Hurricane Matthew.
Remember to stay safe and get some appropriate PPE before your begin any sort of home damage or cleanup in general.
[1] http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2005-11-08/news/0511070562_1_hurricane-deaths-storm-deaths-tree-limbs
[2] http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/hurricane-sandy-claimed-16-workers-2-nyc-article-1.1331744
