Writing a Construction Safety Plan for Hurricane Season
Keep your employees safe and your worksite as secure as possible with our hurricane prep tips.
Hurricane Preparedness Plan for Your Construction Site
When severe weather hits, will your jobsite be ready?
Buildings under construction are at high risk of catastrophic damage during a hurricane. Materials and debris can become projectiles, water can easily flood the structure and expensive equipment may be lost or damaged.
You need to be prepared. Don’t wait until the last minute to protect your project from an approaching hurricane. Developing a severe weather plan for your construction sites will keep your team and jobsite safe in the eye of the storm. Use our storm season tips and advice from the National Weather Service to get ahead of the storm and keep your workers and worksite safe.
How to Prepare for Severe Weather on Your Jobsite
Take the following steps to write a severe weather plan for your construction site.
1. Prepare Before Severe Weather Strikes
Consider keeping hard copies of contact lists, plans and other important documents in a safe place. These documents should include:
- An emergency evacuation plan.
- Emergency contact information for employees.
- List of hurricane preparation materials, equipment and their sources.
- Vendors and contractors who can provide recovery services and replacement supplies.
- Procedures to follow in the event of exposed electrical wires, hazardous material leaks or structural damage.
- A contact list of backup personnel to call if recovery teams are unable to return to work.
It’s important to have the right gear on hand to secure equipment and cover incomplete structures before a storm comes your way. Make sure each member of your team knows where they’re stored.
Hurricane Preparation Materials and Equipment
Materials | Equipment |
|---|---|
Duct tape | Concrete anchors |
Garbage bags | Generators |
Fuel | Ground anchors |
Misc. hardware and fasteners | Pumps |
Netting | Sandbags |
Plastic sheeting | Shoring and bracing |
Plywood | |
Rope | |
Water | |
Wire |
2. Monitor the Weather Closely
Designate a team member to keep an eye on the weather once a Tropical Storm Watch is issued.
- Check sites like The Weather Channel and Accuweather for the latest severe weather alerts.
- Invest in a weather radio powered by batteries, solar or a hand crank to receive weather information during power outages.
Keep in Mind
National Weather Service says that hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 each year.
3. Secure Structures and Equipment
Once the National Weather Service issues a Hurricane Watch, it’s time to prepare your jobsite for the storm ahead.
- Use rope, sandbags, ground anchors and other items to weigh down materials that could easily fly away.
- Cover materials with plastic sheeting, netting or garbage bags to prevent water damage.
- Stack loose materials together and secure them with rope or duct tape to keep them from dispersing.
- Complete work on partially completed structures to minimize damage, if time allows.
4. Remove Materials and Equipment When Possible
If you’re able to remove loose materials or expensive equipment, do so immediately after a Hurricane Warning is announced.
- Have your construction dumpster picked up or cover the container with a tarp.
- Remove or tie down portable bathrooms.
- Remove hazardous chemicals to prevent them from being released into the environment.
- Remove materials, tools or equipment that can be damaged by rising water.
- Move heavy equipment and machinery to a garage or other covered structure.
- Tear down and store lightweight fence screens and jobsite signage.
- Move any portable electronics, jobsite plans and other important documents from the construction trailer to a safe location offsite.
- Turn off power to the site and make sure fuel is available for power generators.
Keep in Mind
According to the National Weather Service, on average 12 tropical storms — six of which become hurricanes — form over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico during the hurricane season.
5. Safeguard the Building Structure
Now that you’ve secured or removed materials and equipment, it’s time to defend the structure. Whether you’re working on a renovation or you’re constructing a new building, water can significantly damage the interior.
- Board up door and window openings.
- Tarp or board up any other large openings.
- Place sandbags around the perimeter of the structure as reinforcement.
6. Evacuate the Worksite
It’s important to have an evacuation plan in place for your construction site. To determine when you need to leave, you should be familiar with the warning terms used for hurricanes.
- Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watches mean that a hurricane or tropical storm is possible in the specified area.
- Hurricane/Tropical Storm Warnings mean that a hurricane or tropical storm is expected to reach the area, typically within 24 hours.
Stay tuned to weather alerts via radio, TV or social media and evacuate as soon as local authorities give the word. Before storm season, learn your community’s emergency plans and the location of nearby shelters so your employees have a safe place to go if they can’t make it home.
Keep in Mind
Over a typical two-year period, the U.S. coastline is struck by an average of three hurricanes, one of which is classified as a major hurricane with winds of 111 mph or greater, according to the National Weather Service.
Returning to Your Construction Site After the Storm
7. Carefully Assess Damage
Once you get the announcement that it’s safe to return to the area, it’s time to assess the damage and start cleaning up.
- Be careful when walking in standing water, which may contain sharp or jagged objects.
- Use caution when entering the building because structural elements may be weakened.
8. Plan to Remove Water and Debris
During a hurricane, water will inevitably flood your worksite. Removing it is important for the safety of your property and neighboring structures. Standing water can soften the ground, compromising structural stability.
There's also a good chance you'll have debris in your yard that the wind dragged in. Be sure to clear heavier items as soon as possible to avoid them sinking into soft, soggy ground.
- Place pumps in excavations or basements before the storm hits.
- Have dehumidifiers and fans available to dry out the space.
- Discharge water to the stormwater system.
- Have contact information on hand for a tanker truck to haul away excess water.
- Rent a dumpster to safely dispose of materials that were damaged by the storm.
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Communicate Your Hurricane Preparedness Plan with the Team
Finally, the most important step is to keep your team informed about hurricane precautions.
- Discuss your hurricane action plan so your team knows exactly what to do when a storm hits. Ask your crew to read and sign off on the plan.
- Establish who will take control in the event of a hurricane. This person will put the plan in motion and assign emergency responsibility roles.
- Designate two teams – one for hurricane response and the other for hurricane recovery. Whether this is necessary depends on the size of your crew and worksite.
Prepping a construction site for a hurricane is an essential step to keeping your team safe. We hope this list keeps you and your team out of harm’s way the next time severe weather hits.
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