7 Essential Ways to Prepare Your Construction Site For This Hurricane Season

Updated on July 7, 2023

The year 2022 was a costly one for the United States. Hurricane Ian, a category four monster, struck Florida, leaving many without homes or basic survival resources. The National Hurricane Center’s most recent data report concluded Ian’s damages to be a staggering $112 Billion; this calamity not only etched its name in Florida‘s history as the costliest hurricane ever but also secured its position as the third most costly hurricane to date.

Just as homeowners and property owners must take diligent precautions to minimize damages and costs that hurricanes often cause, contractors and construction site managers MUST prepare as well! If you are a contractor or manage a construction site and are worried about the damages that come with hurricane season, this article is here to ensure that you minimize costs & project-delaying damages and keep your equipment, job sites, and employees safe.

“Construction sites are extremely susceptible to losses when exposed to hurricanes… With proper planning, contractors can minimize the impact and expedite project recovery.”

Source: Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty®, “The Calm Before The Storm.”

In the face of another potentially devastating hurricane season, construction supervisors must prioritize preparations to safeguard their job sites and employees just as homeowners prepare their homes. Hurricanes pose a plethora of potentially catastrophic damage to construction sites.

Three Major Hurricane Season Safety Threats Construction Sites Commonly Face

High wind speeds can cause loose materials and debris on site to become projectiles that can damage structural aspects of the construction site.
Low-lying construction structures can be easily flooded and foundationally damaged, forcing contractors to restart entire projects.
Intense winds and storms can collapse large construction equipment like cranes or wreck entire construction sites, harm employees, and destroy nearby buildings.

This information was gathered from a recent publication by Casualty 360.

7 Essential Steps To Increase Site Safety and Reduce Project-Ending Hurricane Damages This Season:

Tip 1

Knowing What You’re Up Against: Keep A Detailed Jobsite Inventory

To safeguard your on-site materials and equipment effectively, it is crucial to understand the risks your particular construction site may pose. Kickstart your hurricane season preparations by conducting a comprehensive inventory of equipment, machinery, transportation vehicles, and tools. Remember to include files, computers, workspace trailers, and other essential project items. Maintaining an updated inventory and creating multiple copies will safeguard important information during storm-induced disruptions.

By proactively assessing and managing the risks specific to your construction site(s), you can optimize asset protection and minimize potential losses. Implementing a robust inventory management system not only streamlines operations but also ensures that you are well-prepared for any unforeseen events.

Tip 2

Assess Your Job Site Risk: Mitigating Damage from Flooding and Heavy Winds

When it comes to protecting your job site, thorough examination and proactive measures are essential. Prepare for intense, heavy rainfall by conducting a comprehensive assessment of your entire site to identify areas prone to flooding. Consider installing temporary drainage systems wherever feasible to prevent water accumulation and potential damage.

“Cranes and other heavy equipment are vulnerable to high winds or flying debris… Loose materials, jobsite machinery, and equipment can become projectiles that wreak havoc on the site, machinery and surrounding areas.”

Source: Youngjib Ham, Texas A&M Assistant Professor of Construction Science

This comment from a recent interview with Texas A&M Construction Science Professor Younghib Ham offers some important reminders for contractors about potential on-site liability heading into Hurricane Season.

Tip 3

Know When to Evacuate: Devising a Detailed Hurricane Emergency Plan

According to the United States Health and Safety Administration, a proper hurricane emergency plan should contain the following six elements (see their Emergency Plan Etool for help):

Conditions that will activate the plan
Chain of command
Emergency functions and who will perform them
Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits
Procedures for accounting for personnel, customers, and visitors
Equipment for personnel

When considering your emergency plan and evacuation strategy, it can be helpful to break tasks into categories such as what to do in the event of a hurricane watch, hurricane warning, and 24 and 12 hours before an imminent hurricane’s arrival. Be sure to allow time for heavy traffic caused by hordes of evacuees.

Tip 4

Know When To Prepare: Constantly Check For Warnings and Weather Notices

During hurricane season, you should pay close attention to weather warnings and advisories issued by reliable sources such as the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and local meteorological agencies. These warnings provide crucial information about the trajectory, intensity, and potential impact of approaching storms that can help you ensure you will never be caught off guard. By staying informed and monitoring updates regularly, you can make informed decisions regarding site operations, implement necessary safety measures, and protect your construction sites from potential damage and significant costs.

For the latest information on weather warnings and advisories, visit the National Hurricane Center‘s website at www.nhc.noaa.gov and check local meteorological agencies’ websites for region-specific alerts and guidance.

How To Stay On Top Of The Wind Using The Saffir-Simpson Scale

A detailed breakdown of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is directly accessible from the National Hurricane Center Website. Leveraging this broad scale, among other trusted resources, will allow you to strategically plan and implement targeted mitigation measures, allocate resources effectively, and make informed decisions to safeguard personnel, equipment, and infrastructure from potential wind-related risks.

Tip 5

Protect Your Assets And Eliminate Costs: Brace and Secure All Construction Site Components and Equipment

Ensuring robust bracing strategies is crucial to protect your construction site during hurricane season. To fortify your structures effectively, consider a range of bracing techniques. Begin by covering building openings and boarding up windows and glass surfaces to minimize the risk of damage.

Different Types of Bracing Strategies

Cover building openings and board up windows and glass surfaces.
Weld decking to strengthen its structural integrity.
Anchor partially installed roofs securely to withstand high winds.
Fortify masonry walls through reinforcement techniques to enhance resilience against powerful winds and significantly diminish the risk of costly water intrusion.

By implementing these specific bracing strategies, you can significantly reduce the vulnerabilities of your construction site and protect your valuable investments during hurricane season.

Important Strategies To Secure Your Construction Site Materials

Gather and store all tools in secure areas.
Tie down and/or band together large building materials like plywood or aluminum sheeting.
Anchor or shelter heavy equipment that cannot be removed.
For loose material like sand or gravel, erect windbreaks, cover it with tarps or soak it down to prevent erosion.

Securing these loose materials will minimize the potential risk for wind-induced projectiles that can wreak havoc and cause massive property damage to your job site.

Tip 6

Maximum Hurricane Protection: Know Your Property Insurance Policies

To ensure comprehensive coverage for your property, take proactive steps to optimize your insurance policies. Begin by locating your property insurance documents and creating hard copies for easy reference in the event of power loss during a hurricane or tropical storm. Reading the policy exclusions is crucial to identify any disqualifying actions that may void your coverage.

Tip 7

Keeping Your Crew Safe and Stable: Shifting Manpower to Ensure Employee Safety and Stability

In the face of a hurricane, your company’s construction projects in the region may not all be equally affected. To optimize productivity, consider organizing transportation for some workers to alternate job sites located a few hours away. This strategic approach allows them to continue working, ensuring uninterrupted progress and earning potential, rather than idling near heavily-damaged sites for extended periods.

Want To prepare Even More? Check Out This In-Depth Source:

The Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty’s 5-Phase Guide “The Calm Before The Storm” is another guide (with more in-depth analysis of the information we’ve mentioned) that you should absolutely reference when preparing your job site for this year’s Hurricane Season.

References

Find this blog post useful? Be sure to check out our other informative posts at https://247mass.com/blog/!