Now that Hurricane Ian has exited the area, it is now time to cleanup and recover. Here are some hurricane cleanup safety tips.
- Take pictures of all of the damage prior to starting to cleanup
- Have a first aid kit handy
- Be sure you had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years
- Avoid walking in flooded areas as they may contain contaminants or harmful debris that you can’t see
- Make sure ladders are on stable ground and walk areas are clear to avoid falls
- Only use portable power generators in an exterior well ventilated area to avoid carbon monoxide poisonings
- Do not approach down powerlines
- Avoid contact with building debris as the debris could contain hazardous material such as asbestos
- Wear proper safety equipment such as goggles, N95 respirator masks, gloves, and work boots
- Beware of mold when entering a flood-damaged building
- Separate wastes by waste type: yard, building, electronics, household, hazardous, etc
- Leave the power tools such as chainsaws to the experienced to avoid injury
- Beware of alligators, snakes and other animals that have been displaced from their normal habitat
- Stay hydrated and take frequent breaks to avoid heatstroke
- Avoid lifting items more than 50 pounds
- Use teams of two or more people to lift heavy or bulky items
- Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) must be used in all wet locations
Please review these hurricane cleanup safety tips with everyone assisting in your hurricane cleanup.
