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 built environment. OSHA and NOAA warn that “…lightning strikes can severely injure or kill workers whose jobs involve working outdoors…”
Regrettably, organizations in the construction industry and built environment from time to time neglect the occupational hazards and safety threats posed by hazardous weather, thunderstorms and lightning strikes, and endanger the lives of field personnel operating out on the jobsite or worksite.
Emergency Action Plan with a Lightning Safety Protocol
Further, in the fact sheet “Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors,” OSHA and NOAA stress the need for written and oral Emergency Action Plans or EAPs, as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38 or 29 CFR 1926.35, which includes a lightning safety protocol for outdoor workers and the elements of an emergency action plan to ensure employee safety from emergencies such as lightning strikes.
29 CFR 1910.38 Emergency action plans
Regulations (Standards – 29 CFR), Part Number 1019, Standard Number 1910.38, Emergency action plans addresses 1910.38(a) Application; 1910.38(b) Written and oral emergency action plans; and, 1910.38(c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
1910.38(a): Application. An employer must have an emergency action plan whenever an OSHA standard in this part requires one. The requirements in this section apply to each such emergency action plan.
1910.38(b): Written and oral emergency action plans. An emergency action plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review. However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.
1910.38(c): Minimum elements of an emergency action plan. An emergency action plan must include at a minimum…
29 CFR 1926.35 Employee emergency action plans
Further, Regulations (Standards – 29 CFR), Part Number 1926, Standard Number 1926.35, Employee emergency action plans “…applies to all emergency action plans required by a particular OSHA standard. The emergency action plan shall be in writing (except as provided in the last sentence of paragraph (e)(3) of this section) and shall cover those designated actions employers and employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire and other emergencies.”
More in the next blog post about lightning hazards and lightning safety for the construction industry and built environment…
(Source: https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/OSHA_FS-3863_Lightning_Safety_05-2016.pdf)
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