The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) has published Severe Weather Guidelines for the crane and rigging industry.
Several SC&RA members created recommendations and emergency planning guidelines for severe weather conditions including tornadoes, hurricanes, winds, thunderstorms and snow.
The guidelines, created for the association's members, outline job preparation before, during and after severe weather and include timelines for preparation work. The intent is to minimise risks and reinforce safe work practices.
“The crane and rigging industry now has a tool to help companies and employees prepare for inclement weather,” said SC&RA senior vice president Beth O’Quinn. “Our fundamental goal with this guidance is to make the workplace safer when weather becomes a factor.”
The procedures outlined in Severe Weather Guidelines are not designed to replace the need for individual planning, says the SC&RA, but to provide overall planning guidelines and supplement programmes that companies already have in place.
The publication contains sample checklists and templates for companies with limited resources, or who are trying to get their weather preparedness up to speed as soon as possible.
“Acknowledging the unpredictability of severe weather events, we incorporated suggestions surrounding preparedness levels and lead times for implementing work stoppages based on weather forecasts,” explained O’Quinn. “We encourage all SC&RA members to download the free, members-only resource and begin formalising their plans to deal with severe weather.”
Severe Weather Guidelines for the Crane & Rigging Industry can be found at www.scranet.org/membersonly
