OSHA, NOAA release severe weather support program

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide a severe weather resource that can be used by businesses, employees and individuals across the country. The jointly produced website focuses on flooding, which can result from a variety of severe weather events and impact areas ranging from lowlands near the ocean to inland regions that sit near rivers and lakes. Because flooding is particularly disruptive and potentially dangerous, it's especially important for businesses to address it from a health and safety perspective.

How does this resource help my company?

Preparing for a flood helps businesses protect their employees and assets from damage while helping the company get back to work more quickly once the danger has passed. The website noted that businesses have a responsibility to keep their workers safe in the face of natural disasters. That's true in terms of flood response, the effects of a flood at company facilities and work sites, and during the recovery efforts that frequently occur in terms of cleaning up and bringing operations back to their normal state.

The website includes several sections that offer more specific guidance on addressing the different needs that come with an impending flood, including:

• Preparedness: While some aspects of flood response only come into play when a real danger exists, there are plenty of steps businesses can take to keep their staff and resources safe well before the next threat arises. This section of the website addresses the outline of an effective evacuation plan, details of relevant OSHA standards, descriptions of how weather alerts from the NOAA can differ, and links to additional information and guidance.
• Response/Recovery: Dealing with the aftermath of a flood introduces many potential dangers that must be thoughtfully considered and addressed. This part of the site offers guidance on driving during flood conditions, which is an unfortunately common cause of fatalities during such disasters. It also provides links to OSHA information about the many secondary — but no less serious — hazards that can arise following a flood and how to address them.
• OSHA Resources and Additional Resources: These pages share links to a variety of information and guidance from OSHA, the NOAA and other government organizations for handling flood response.

Effective disaster management is a key component of overall EHS planning. To learn more about how Dakota Software can support your health and safety compliance efforts, get in touch with us today.