Zurich Offers Information On Worker Safety In Post-Gustav Cleanup And Recovery Operations For Business Properties

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider in North America and globally, today offered information to business owners and managers about specific steps they can take to ensure their workers are safe during cleanup and recovery operations after Hurricane Gustav.

Assuring the safety and security of workers in the aftermath of a disaster requires planning and consideration of several issues. These operations can be very hazardous to workers. Cleanup and recovery of minor damage can be handled with internal resources, whereas a major recovery operation will require working with contractors and salvage specialists.

After an initial damage assessment and securing of facilities, salvage operations may be undertaken. Salvage operations may range from securing undamaged equipment and goods to salvaging of electronic equipment, documents, furniture and other items. Care must be taken while working with any equipment that is water damaged to minimize electrical hazards and damage to the equipment itself. Many of the salvage tasks require specialized skills and knowledge. Salvage of telecommunication equipment, electronic data and documents is a highly specialized task that is better left to professionals.

General safety/personal protective equipment:

• Equip workers with a complement of routine safety equipment, such as hard hats, safety glasses, heavy work gloves and steel-toed safety shoes or boots.
• Additional protective equipment, such as respirators, chemical protective gloves or suits, etc., should be provided as needed. Selection of proper equipment should be made by a qualified safety professional.
• All activities should have a pre-plan meeting and be clearly communicated to all workers.
• Clean, cool, portable water should be available for workers. In addition, workers should be encouraged to practice good personal hygiene, such as washing thoroughly before eating or at the end of a work shift.
• Commercially available disinfecting solutions may be useful in allowing workers to practice good personal hygiene.
• Use of chain saws and other equipment may present a noise exposure requiring the use of hearing protection.
• Flood and other disasters may result in hazardous material spills and leaks that can present significant environmental issues and injury potential among workers.

Structural safety:

• A visual inspection by a competent person for structural safety should be completed before entering any type of structure.
• Emergency repairs of structural areas may have to be undertaken to secure the structural elements including walls, ceilings and roofs.
• Any severely damaged areas should be reviewed by a qualified structural engineer prior to entry or any work being performed.
• Watch for damage to structural elements of the building that may be weakened by standing water or during debris removal.
• Isolate unsafe areas by use of physical barricades and other means, e.g., signage to restrict access.

Tool safety:

• Tools being used should be examined to ensure they are in good working order. Any damaged tool should be taken out of service.
• The electrical supply for power tools should be equipped with Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) protection.
• Appropriate guards and safety devices should be in place on all chain and circular saws, drills, grinders and other equipment.
• If gasoline or diesel generators or compressors are used, they should be placed in a manner to allow adequate venting of exhaust gases out of the work area to minimize creating a carbon monoxide exposure.

Work at heights:

• Assure a steady, solid work area for all work at heights.
• Use tie-off procedures if adequate guardrails are not present.
• Inspect all ladders to ensure they are in good condition and monitor placement/use to ensure they are placed and used properly.
• In unusual circumstances or when in doubt, wait to perform work at heights until adequate man lifts, scaffolding and/or other equipment is present.

Electrical hazards:

• Electrical and gas utilities may have been shut off by emergency service personnel. Ensure worker safety before they are restored.
• Care should be taken around downed power lines until it can be verified from the local utility that they have been de-energized. All downed power lines should be treated as "live" until de-energized process confirmation is received.
• Caution should be taken with the potential for live electrical lines in standing water.
• Shorted wiring and interior electrical systems may inadvertently energize standing water in basements or other areas posing a potential electrocution hazard.
• Existing or repaired systems should be equipped with GFI protection.
• Use of extension cords in wet areas should be avoided. In addition, any frayed or damaged electrical cords should be discarded.

Standing and moving water:

• Care should be exercised when entering moving or standing water. Moving water can be dangerous for even good swimmers. Standing water can hide unexpected hazards, such as holes or tripping hazards.
• Floodwaters may contain human or animal waste products as well as industrial or agricultural chemicals and petroleum products. Care should be taken to protect against skin, face and eye exposure.

Manual material handling:

• Removal of debris should be done cautiously. Watch for movement or damage to building structural members that may present worker safety hazards.
• Use proper lifting techniques – use legs – not backs – to lift, keep the load close to the body and limit lifts to about 35 – 50 pounds.
• Use buddy lifts with two or more people for larger or awkward lifts.
• Walking and working surfaces may be wet or covered with sludge or other debris. Care should be taken to avoid slips and falls. Use of proper, non-skid footwear is important.

Disease prevention/first aid

• There is a significant potential for disease from debris, waste and standing and contaminated water.
• Assure that all workers have proper immunizations – see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site (http://cdc.gov/) for suggested immunizations.
• Provide first aid kits and properly trained personnel. All injuries, no matter how minor, should be reviewed by a trained first aid professional and treated accordingly.
• Extra care should be taken in protecting broken skin – such as cuts or scrapes – to prevent disease transmission.
• Ensure a supply of clean water or disinfecting solutions in order to allow workers to practice good personal hygiene.
• Insects can be a vector for disease, so all workers should use insect repellent that contains DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide).
• Post-flooding circumstances may also create a risk of snake and other reptile bites from animals trapped in structures during flooding. Flood-displaced rats may bring disease exposure and use of rat bait stations is recommended.
• Humid, moist areas are prime breeding ground for mold and fungus growth. The sooner that debris can be removed and the space dried, the less chance of excessive mold growth. Workers should be cautioned to exercise care when working with wet debris. All debris should be disposed in an approved manner.

Confined spaces:

• A typical confined space is an area large enough for human entry with limited means of egress not intended for routine occupancy and has unusual hazards such as lack of oxygen, potential chemical exposure or mechanical hazards (such as mixer blades).
• Standing water with organic waste materials or chemicals may generate an unusual atmospheric hazard where you might not normally expect one to exist.
• Standing or moving water may have weakened structural members or moved materials creating a potential collapse or engulfment hazard.
• All potential confined spaces should be reviewed by a qualified person. Air testing should be performed to assure a safe atmosphere. Energy sources should be locked or blocked out. All of this must be done prior to entry into the space.

Heat/physical stress:

• Much of the cleanup will be heavy work with the potential for high temperatures.
• Workers should be encouraged to drink cool, clean water several times per hour to maintain electrolyte balance.
• Work should be scheduled so workers have a reasonable work/rest regimen of at least 15 minutes of rest per hour of work – more often in extremely hot temperatures because concentration and judgment can be adversely affected. Work scheduling should consider this and allow adequate rest times and facilities for workers.

For more information about hurricane preparedness visit the Zurich Web site at www.zurichna.com

The information in this news release was compiled by Zurich Services Corporation from sources believed to be reliable. We do not guarantee the accuracy of this information or any results and further assume no liability in connection with this news release, including any information, methods or safety suggestions contained herein. Moreover, Zurich Services Corporation reminds you that this news release cannot be assumed to contain every acceptable safety and compliance procedure or that additional procedures might not be appropriate under the circumstances. The subject matter of this news release is not tied to any specific insurance product nor will adopting these procedures insure coverage under any insurance policy.

About Zurich Financial Services

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich (www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors.

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