Safety first
No invoice is worth a life.
Storm cleanup kills people every year, mostly through power lines, falling limbs, chainsaws and generator exhaust. Slow down and work the basics.
Downed and tangled power lines
- Treat every downed or sagging line as energized. Lines can re-energize without warning when crews restore power or a generator backfeeds.
- Don’t touch a tree, fence, puddle or vehicle that a line is touching. Call 911 and the utility.
- Line clearance is a job for utility crews and qualified line-clearance arborists. OSHA keeps unqualified workers and their tools at least 10 feet from energized overhead lines.[source]
Chainsaws and trees under tension
- Wear a helmet, eye and ear protection, chaps, gloves and boots. Never cut above shoulder height or alone.
- Storm-bent trees and limbs (“spring poles”) store energy and can whip when cut. Read the tension before every cut.
- Look up for hanging limbs before you walk under a canopy, and keep a clear escape path.
- Don’t climb or cut a tree that is resting on a house or a line until you know exactly how it will move.
Generators and carbon monoxide
- Run generators outside only, never in a house, garage, camper or tent, and keep them away from windows, doors and vents.[source]
- Never plug a generator into a home’s wiring without a proper transfer switch. Backfeeding can kill line workers.[source]
- Headache, dizziness or nausea near a running engine? Get to fresh air and call 911.
Heat, water and the crew
- Drink water every 15 to 20 minutes, rest in shade, and watch new crew members closely.
- Floodwater can hide holes, wires and sewage. Stay out of it when you can, and wash cuts right away.
- Check the National Weather Service before each day; follow-on storms and heat advisories are common after a hurricane.[source]