Construction Law

Safety Tips for Your Jobsite During Hurricane Season Part 1 featured image

Safety Tips for Your Jobsite During Hurricane Season Part 1

The summer months in Florida present many challenges to jobsites. Blazing heat, consistent rainfall, and the threat of a hurricane or tropical storm are always looming. Although there are several practical ways construction professionals can mitigate threats, protecting your jobsites against the effects of a hurricane comes with a lot of challenges and the need for a lot of preparation. 

Unfortunately, hurricanes do billions of dollars worth of damage annually and present a variety of high-risk factors to coastal cities and construction sites. In this two-part article, St. Petersburg construction attorneys will discuss several ways that construction professionals can mitigate the risks that a hurricane presents to a jobsite. 

Understanding the Risks

In addition to presenting many dangers, tropical storms and hurricanes can impact construction sites. Here are a few of the primary risks that a hurricane presents:  

  • High Winds: Hurricanes produce winds well over 100 miles per hour. Winds this strong can rip trees from the ground, destroy the foundation of homes and buildings, push vehicles down the road, and bring down power lines. On construction sites, hurricane force winds can do a lot of damage from pushing or knocking over large equipment to destroying any work in progress or turning tools and materials into projectiles. 
  • Flooding: Every Pinellas County contractor is aware of the dangers that a hurricane presents, but there’s more to worry about than powerful winds and heavy rains. Storm surges are also a concern. In some cases, a storm surge can rise well over 20 feet with strong winds pushing water onto the shore. Flooding presents a lot of problems to construction sites, including large quantities of water mixed with chemicals and other toxic substances endangering the public. Other issues include erosion, the killing of vegetation, and severe water damage to the materials and equipment on a jobsite.     

Begin with a Risk Assessment

During a natural disaster, construction sites can easily become compromised. Because construction sites pose many risks, site managers need to assess potential threats. This begins with a risk assessment. Although risk assessments are often associated with the early stages of a project, they actually need to be performed during all stages, especially when a hurricane threat is on the radar. In the second part of this article, St. Petersburg construction lawyers will discuss how project managers can identify risks and create an emergency plan. 

If you would like to speak with an attorney from our St. Petersburg construction law firm, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.