Disaster Advice

Health Safety

The disaster or fire, water damage scene can be a minefield of both practical risks and legal requirements. Various considerations must be given to known or expected hazards and the control of risk. Many duties exist both by the consumer, contractor and employer. Assessments must be made by people with a broad understanding of the situations or hazards possible. Obviously if you are not aware of a hazard you cannot asses the risk. In the disaster scene many small hazards can be compounded to create a synergistic effect that is many times greater than the individual risk.

The mixture of household chemicals can for example produce toxic gases or vapours. Usually safe materials such as asbestos can become friable or damaged to such an extent that they become airborne and inhale able. It is for these reasons special care must be exercised when inspecting a damage scene. Remember your five senses, coupled to experience or knowledge may be required when making initial inspection and continual monitoring may be required as situations may develop from ongoing works or damage.

Advice

Following personal assessments and equipped with relevant PPE.

Typical health and safety assessments

Falling debris
Cuts and abrasions needle stick or sharp objects. e.g. carpet gripper, glass
Slip, trip or fall
Electric shock
Gas leaks
Biological contamination from floods.
Damaged asbestos.
Soot inhalation, (toxic dust)
Structural collapse
Working alone
Attached neighbours who may still have electricity ON and pose a risk through adjacent walls.
Mould developed after a few days. (see mould section)
Biological amplification

Health and safety in domestic properties revolves around a common sense approach to personal safety, however where commercial properties, workplaces or contractors are involved, strict legislation exists which is aimed at protecting all persons on site including visitors and may even include trespassers. The legislation is aimed at protecting any person which may be affected by any circumstance, occurrence or material which could affect their safety or well being and basically revolves around adequate risk and hazard assessments.

Commercial Health and Safety Assessments

These would follow similar guidelines but may include other areas such as:

Asbestos log or management records (see asbestos section)
Radiation hazards from monitoring equipment e.g. fire detection equipment.
Machinery, equipment under load or pressure or stress.
Written risk and hazard assessments.
Construction Design Management (CDM) compliance).
Site toolbox talks to convey information.
Dynamic or rolling risk assessments.
Ventilation system assessment for spread of contaminants.
Secondary effects from damage or spread.
Collapse of structure or components.
Site Controls
Identification of competent contractors
Coshh and MDS information

Compliance to various regulations e.g.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Management of health and safety at work regulations
Workplace welfare regulations.
Coshh control of substances hazardous to health.
Waste disposal regulations.
Control of asbestos at work regulations CAWR 2002
Asbestos specifically regulation 4 (management)
Control of lead regulations
Manual handling
Management of asbestos at work regulations.(see asbestos section)
Contractor competence issues
CDM. Construction Design Management