Hurricane response and recovery tool developed by OSHA

It isn’t hurricane season, but hurricanes are in the news. Max Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Center, has just retired and OSHA recently unveiled a new web resource at www.OSHA.gov to help employers and employees involved in hurricane cleanup and recovery efforts, the Hurricane eMatrix: Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix for Hurricane Response and Recovery Work.

OSHA Chief Edwin G. Foulke Jr. said: "This is an important new tool to help educate employees and employers on how to address the most common and significant hazards that they may encounter during hurricane response and recovery work. It provides practical information to employers so they can better assess risks and choose the appropriate control measures, work practices, personal protective equipment and training to protect their employees working in hurricane-impacted areas."

The tool incorporates occupational hazards information, observations, recommendations and data that OSHA gathered and distributed during its response effort to hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. It offers access to general recommendations, sampling and monitoring data, and employer/employee responsibilities applicable for any employers conducting response and recovery operations after a disaster. It also features 29 individual task- and operation-specific activity sheets that help employers evaluate hazards and provides guidance on reducing employee exposures during disaster operations like debris collection, tree trimming, utility restoration, building demolition and others.

Reprinted with permission. © CCH 

It isn’t hurricane season, but hurricanes are in the news. Max Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Center, has just retired and OSHA recently unveiled a new web resource at www.OSHA.gov to help employers and employees involved in hurricane cleanup and recovery efforts, the Hurricane eMatrix: Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix for Hurricane Response and Recovery Work.