Safety After a Water Loss

3/31/2022 (Permalink)

Numerous potential safety hazards exist in performing water cleanup and restoration projects. In water damages, our team at SERVPRO of Piatt/DeWitt Counties may be working in dark, hard-to-reach areas. Safety concerns must be taken seriously and properly addressed before proceeding with emergency services and restoration work.

Safety is our number one concern and everyone’s responsibility on a water damage work site. Water damage safety includes protecting employees as well as making sure residents and owners are not in working areas of the property.

In addition, SERVPRO of Piatt/DeWitt Counties follows the IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration, informing and protecting occupants from whatever safety issues may arise during a project.

A hazard is anything that may cause harm or pose a threat to life, health, property, or the environment. Water restorers must first identify all potential hazards currently within the home or business. This requires an in-depth understanding of the type of hazards commonly found in a water-damaged environment such as electrical hazards, structural hazards, and biological hazards. 

Identifying Hazards

To properly protect anyone present on a jobsite, SERVPRO of Piatt/DeWitt Counties identifies hazards at the onset of each project.

We look for potential hazards within the building, as well as any processes or activities that will expose workers or bystanders to harm. Some considerations examined at this time would include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Overhead hazards, such as ceilings, filled with water that may collapse
• Electrical shock hazards due to water intruding electrical systems
• Slip, trip, and fall hazards possibly due to wet floors or deteriorated wood subfloors
• Contaminated water
• Inadequate lighting hazards
• Occupant or bystander safety during work activities and/or unauthorized entry 

Consider At-Risk Individuals

SERVPRO of Piatt/DeWitt Counties considers whether the occupants of a water-damaged structure are exposed to health hazards. If any occupants are either very young (under two years of age) or very old, and if any occupants have a history of respiratory disease, allergies, or have recently been ill, precautions should be taken for their health.

Mold and other microorganisms that grow in damp, humid conditions may cause health effects. Advise potentially at-risk customers that they should leave the affected work area and possibly leave adjacent areas when mold is present or the water source is contaminated.

Focus On the Differentiators

Every water damage restoration project is different. The building or structure provides variables that may change with every project, such as the electrical system, type of building materials, or hazardous materials in the building.

The water loss itself provides variables, such as the sanitation of the water, hazardous substances in the water, length of time the water has been in the structure, and presence of mold contamination. Our team makes identifying and resolving safety hazards a top priority before proceeding with any project.

Observing appropriate safety procedures will help keep employees stay safe and healthy while they work in unsafe and unhealthy environments as part of their job.

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes uniform and comprehensive provisions to protect workers against workplace safety risks and health hazards.

SERVPRO of Piatt/DeWitt Counties as a team is responsible to provide a safe work environment for employees by establishing safety programs, training employees in safety procedures, and providing them with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).