People at greatest risk of being struck by lightning are those who work outside or engage in outdoor recreational activities. The following occupations have the highest risk of lightning strikes: Construction and building maintenance; Roofing; Farming and field labor; Logging; Explosives handling or storage; Heavy equipment operation ...
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, www.osha.gov) in collaboration with NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov) publish a fact sheet “Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors,” for outdoor workers, including workers in the construction industry and built environment. OSHA and NOAA warn that ...
Lightning Safety and Outdoor Sports Activities ... Lightning's distance from you is easy to calculate: if you hear thunder, it and the associated lightning ... Specifically for outdoor workers, we suggest an action protocol of: • Yellow Alert – Lightning is 20 -40 miles (30-60 km) distant. Be cautious.
Lightning is a dangerous natural force. Annually in the United States, cloud-to-ground lightning occurs 20 to 25 million times and over 300 people are struck by lightning. During the past 30 years, about 50 people, on average, have been killed by lightning strikes every year, and many more suffer permanent disabilities. Precautions should be taken to prevent worker exposure to lightning.
Lightning is often overlooked as an occupational hazard, but employers need awareness about lightning hazards to ensure their workers’ safety. This fact sheet provides employers and workers at outdoor worksites with lightning safety recommendations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Oceanic and ...
At work and at home: Practice the 30-30 Lightning Safety Rule: If the time between a thunderclap and lightning flash is less than 30 seconds, the lightning is close enough to strike you. Find shelter immediately. Do not leave the shelter and resume outdoor activities until 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder or last flash of lightning.
Because lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles, blue skies are not an indication of safety. If you hear thunder, you should move your outdoor workers inside or to a safe space immediately. Lightning safety for outdoor workers | 2018-06-28 | ISHN
Written and Oral Lightning Emergency Action Plans. In the fact sheet “Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors,” OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, www.osha.gov) and NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov) stress the need for written and oral Emergency Action Plans or EAPs, as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38 and 29 CFR 1926.35.
Understanding OSHA’s rules for lightning is crucial for all outdoor workers and their employers. Compliance with OSHA rules is not only a legal obligation but also a moral one. It fosters a safe working environment and demonstrates a company’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its employees.
Lightning Safety Plan. A lightning safety plan should be an integral part of the planning process for any outdoor event. Do not wait for storm clouds to develop before considering what to do should lightning threaten! An effective plan begins LONG before any lightning threat is realized. You can't control the weather, so you have to work around it!
Practice phone safety. Use mobile phones and handheld radios, not corded phones, unless an emergency. Execute your Emergency Action Plan (EAP), as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38 or 1926.35. Implement your written lightning safety protocol for outdoor workers.
Outdoor workers across various industries face numerous hazards on the job site. One sometimes overlooked yet potentially deadly threat is lightning. A leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, lightning strikes pose a significant risk to workers, surroundings and equipment. According to OSHA, in the U.S., over 300 people are struck by lightning […]
Lightning Safety Policy for Outdoor Work Sites. It is important to have lighting safety policies in place to protect outdoor workers. Use these lightning safety tips when developing your policies: Monitor weather conditions in the early morning for reports of impending severe weather in your area. If warranted, continue to monitor weather ...
The National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI) reports that 1 out of every 200 houses in the U.S. will be struck by lightning per year, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that the odds of a person being struck by lightning in the U.S. are 1 out of 1,222,000 in a year or 1 out of 15,300 in a lifetime of 80 years.
Before and during outdoor work, check local weather reports and keep an eye out for darkening clouds and increasing wind speeds, which can indicate developing thunderstorms. Lightning is unpredictable and can strike outside the heaviest rainfall areas or even up to 10 miles away from any rainfall.
c) The right to participate in their own health and safety training 5. M.C. - How long should you wait after hearing thunder before resuming outdoor work activities? a) 5 minutes b) 30 minutes c) 1 hour 6. T / F - If it’s not raining, then there is no danger from lightning. 7. M.C. - If you see lightning or hear thunder a) Tell your supervisor
Lightning strikes can severely injure or kill workers whose jobs involve working outdoors! OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, www.osha.gov) in collaboration with NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov) publish a fact sheet “Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors,” for outdoor workers, including workers in the construction industry and ...
OSHA - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document provides lightning safety recommendations for workers whose jobs involve working outdoors. It notes that lightning strikes kill about 50 people in the US each year. Workers in industries like construction, roofing, farming and utilities are at higher risk.