Weather and Lightning
General info only. These talks don't replace your company's safety program, your site rules, or OSHA rules. Follow those first, and ask your safety lead if something here doesn't match.
Start here
Weather can change fast. Wind, lightning, and heavy rain make normal work dangerous. Today we talk about when to stop and where to go.
Key points
- Check the forecast before the shift and during the day.
- If you hear thunder, you're close enough to be hit. Stop work and get to a safe spot.
- A safe spot is a fully enclosed building or a hard-top vehicle with the windows up. Open sheds and tents don't count.
- Stay off roofs, steel, cranes, and lifts when storms are near.
- Wait about 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out.
- High wind can blow material off decks and tip lifts. Secure loose stuff and follow the wind limits for your equipment.
- Rain makes surfaces slick and trenches weak. Check them before work starts again.
Bottom line: No task is worth getting caught outside in a storm.
Talk it over
- Where is our safe shelter on this site?
- Who makes the call to stop work for weather?
- What loose material up top could blow off in high wind?
Before you wrap up: have everyone sign the sign-in sheet, write today's date and the topic, and note any questions or hazards the crew brought up. Need a sheet? Use the free toolbox talk template.
Next talk: Heat Stress →