Storms and floods

It's important for employers and workers to be prepared for the threat of a natural disaster.

This page has important health and safety information about what to do before, during and after a natural disaster strikes.

View the flood safety fact sheet (PDF, 0.5 MB).

Work health and safety laws when cleaning after storms and floods

Employers and workers involved in the storm and flood recovery efforts must still remember their obligations under Queensland's health and safety laws.

These laws are in place to protect Queenslanders. By being vigilant and maintaining safety during this difficult time, you can help reduce the risk of death, injury and illness to yourself, your workers and others involved in the clean up and repair effort.

Electrical safety during storms

There are things you can do before, during and after a flood or storm to be electrically safe.

Find more information about electrical safety during storms including:

preparing your property for storms and floods
cleaning up after a storm or flood
property or connection damage
solar PV safety
electrical appliances and equipment
generators.

Steps for planning to do work safely

Check that an electricity clearance has been given before attempting to use it.
Identify any likely asbestos containing materials or dangerous chemicals.
Assess what work needs to be done.
Work out the order of the work to be done so that new risks are not introduced, e.g. think about how you will get access to the areas where the work is to be done, or the possibility of creating instability from removing things in the wrong order.
Consider what could go wrong during the clean up and repair work.
Work out what tools and equipment will be needed to do the work safely.
Check the correct equipment is available and is in good working order.
Check that the people required to operate the equipment have the right skills and competencies and ensure supervision of less skilled workers is available.
Check that people allocated to perform work are not fatigued.
Make sure that workers have the correct personal protective equipment (for example rubber-soled shoes, gloves, hats, sun protective clothing and high visibility vests) and it is worn correctly.
Check that appropriate first aid, clean drinking water and hand hygiene measures are available and there is access to medical treatment in the event of an injury occurring.
Check that there is access to toilet facilities.
Highlight any counselling services available to staff and encourage their use.

Managing volunteers during flood cleanup and recovery

Even under circumstances involving flood recovery cleanup and recovery activities, persons conducting a business or undertaking (e.g. local councils and employers) and workers (including volunteers) have duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the Act).

For the purposes of the Act, a person is a volunteer if they undertake work for an employer without being paid a wage or salary. They may, however, be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses they incur directly while carrying out the volunteer work (e.g. reimbursement for direct outlays of cash for travel, meals and incidentals). Out of pocket expenses do not include loss of wages or salary while carrying out the volunteer work.

This should not be an onerous requirement. The best way to manage the health and safety of volunteers is to treat them as you would a paid worker.

Risk management

Local councils, other organisations or employers involved in coordinating cleanup or recovery activities it is important that you assess the potential for hazardous conditions and/or exposures before attempting any activity in a flood affected area.

Identify the hazards – information on common cleanup hazards and protective measures.
Assess the level of risk – the likelihood of exposure to the hazard, and the consequences (what harm could be done).
Control the risk – identify and implement a control as per the hierarchy of controls.
Review the control measures – to ascertain the effectiveness of the control implemented and to make sure you haven't introduced a new risk.

Based on an initial assessment of hazards, you may need to provide workers or volunteers with the appropriate information, training, supervision or equipment to safely perform cleanup and recovery work.

Find more information about asbestos hazards or electrical hazards

Inductions

Volunteers should be made aware of the potential dangers and the proper safety precautions through a group safety briefing or induction before commencing any recovery or cleanup work. This will help lessen the risk of volunteers hurting themselves, other volunteers, workers or others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.

Before volunteers start their work you should outline:

personal safety issues (hydration, fatigue, breaks, hygiene etc)
cleanup crews should work in teams, particularly as experience levels between volunteers can differ and they can look out for each others safety
existing and potential hazards and the proper safety precautions
health and safety procedures (e.g. instructions for equipment they will be using)
how to use personal protective equipment provided
tasks and boundaries of their role (e.g. only take on work they know they can safely carry out, know their own limits and consider the impact of any existing health issues, areas not deemed safe to enter by authorities yet)
who to talk to if they have any health and safety concerns and how to report any health and safety incidents and hazards
what situations they should remove themselves from
emergency procedures
how they can report injuries that may occur while doing recovery work and how to access first aid treatment.

Designate team leaders

You should designate a person/s with health and safety knowledge and skills to be responsible for the management of volunteers and their health and safety.

Personal protective equipment

For most work in flooded areas, or areas that have been subjected to flooding, volunteers will need suitable personal protective equipment to prevent injuries such as cuts and scratches or infections from contaminated water.

In many cases volunteers should be requested to bring or be provided with protective clothing such as long sleeve shirts and pants, suitable enclosed footwear, heavy work gloves and a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Find more information about personal protective equipment.

First aid

Providing first aid equipment is a legal requirement and is necessary to meet the health and safety needs of volunteers if they are injured during the course of their work. The type of equipment, facilities or personnel you will need should be based on a risk assessment and be appropriate for the types of injuries and illnesses likely to occur.

Find more information about first aid and emergency plans.

Working at a height

Install handrails if necessary, such as when working on a roof or from a platform above the ground where people are carrying out work that could cause them to fall, or the fall itself could cause a serious injury.
When using a ladder:
- make sure the ladder is sufficiently sturdy
- use the ladder for the purpose it was designed for
- try to secure ladders before use
- do not use a ladder on soggy/soft ground.
Ensure surfaces are stable and access to areas with unstable floors is safe.
Be aware of anyone working below and the potential for things to fall on them.

Find more information about working at a height.

Demolition

Check that your demolition work requires a licensed demolisher. Call Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 362 128.

If the work doesn't require a licensed demolisher, make sure the work is undertaken by people who understand the structure, or the part of the structure, they are demolishing.

Check the location of any underground, overhead or concealed services (e.g. gas, water, electricity) prior to commencing any demolition work.

If a building needs to be demolished and it contains asbestos, there are extra precautions that must be taken, including:

remove all asbestos before demolition is commenced
If it is not reasonably practicable to remove the asbestos before demolition, or an emergency demolition of a building which contains asbestos is required, then methods to minimise airborne asbestos fibres must be used during the demolition - for example using a wet spray method
asbestos removal licences may be required - call Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 362 128.

Asbestos – removal of, and work on asbestos containing material

Most building materials that contain asbestos in a domestic home are safe if they are in good condition, sealed and left alone. However, that may change if the materials are damaged. As a general rule, if your home was built before 1990, it may contain some asbestos materials.

To minimise health risks, make sure you wear protective clothing when cleaning-up and take the necessary pre-cautions when handling asbestos cement debris, such as keeping the debris damp.
Avoid removing asbestos materials unless absolutely necessary, e.g. only remove asbestos sheeting that is already broken and dislodged.
Consider contracting a licensed asbestos removalist to safely remove the asbestos rather than removing it yourself.
Avoid breaking asbestos material.
Avoid walking on corrugated asbestos roofs as they may collapse from the weight.
Do not use power tools or any abrasive materials on asbestos containing surfaces.
Avoid using high pressure water to clean the surface of asbestos materials.
Make sure asbestos materials are wet during removal and other work; isolate electricity to wet areas.
Wear disposable coveralls with a hood as well as an approved particulate respirator (Class P2 – this will be marked on the packaging) when removing asbestos.
Thoroughly wash hands, shower and wash hair after handling or after suspecting you may have handled asbestos materials.
Double bag/wrap all asbestos materials and waste and call your local authority to find out where to properly dispose of any asbestos products. Don't mix asbestos waste in with other waste.
Keep asbestos waste within the confines of your property. Do not leave hazardous wastes on kerbside or other public access areas - for example, asbestos.
Safe work procedures can be found in Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation.
Contact your local council for any changes to normal waste collection and for specific disposal advice.

View the list of National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratories for asbestos sample analysis.

Chemical hazards

Reduce this risk by operating generators and other fuel-powered equipment outdoors wherever possible. For example, pumps used for water removal from a basement. Chemical processing and handling equipment that has been flood or storm affected should be checked prior to operation, ensuring electrical installations are checked by a qualified electrician. For gas supply systems e.g. town gas or fixed tank installations contact your supplier regarding the safe return to operation. Ensure the appropriate decontamination of clothing and equipment after handling or coming in contact with chemicals. Wash down clothing with water and launder separately. Service station operators should also be aware of the Effects of flooding at service stations on underground storage tank systems.

Storms and floods may have buried, moved or damaged hazardous chemical containers including corrosives, oils, pesticides and industrial chemicals. To safely handle and dispose of hazardous chemicals, the following should be considered:

Try to identify chemicals and their hazards using labels and markings. If water has removed the label, seek expert advice and chemical identification from a waste management consultant.
If a container may cause potential risk, (e.g. bulging under pressure, leaking, or in a precarious position), isolate the immediate area and call '000'. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is equipped and trained to deal with these situations.
Wear personal protective equipment such as chemical resistant gloves, protective eyewear, closed footwear and long sleeved shirts and pants to minimise exposure to skin.
Isolate chemicals from general waste.
Segregate chemicals based on the condition of the container (damaged or undamaged) and based on reactions with one another, for example oils and dry pool chlorine may cause a fire.
In Brisbane, contact the city council on 07 3403 8888 to arrange collection of hazardous waste. For more information see Brisbane City Council's Flooding in Brisbane - a guide for residents.
Areas outside the Brisbane region should contact their local authority for advice on disposal of the waste.
Take precautions to protect the area from further damage during the clean up, such as preventing mobile plant (e.g. earth-moving equipment) coming into contact with containers, particularly gas cylinders.
Monitor atmospheres in enclosed spaces using a suitable air monitoring device (e.g. gas detector) where plant and equipment exhaust is generated. Ensure exhaust gases are ventilated to prevent the build up of contaminant exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide. Reduce this risk by operating generators and other fuel-powered equipment outdoors wherever possible. For example, pumps used for water removal from a basement.
Chemical processing and handling equipment that has been flood or storm affected should be checked prior to operation, ensuring electrical installations are checked by a qualified electrician.
For gas supply systems e.g. town gas or fixed tank installations contact your supplier regarding the safe return to operation.
Ensure the appropriate decontamination of clothing and equipment after handling or coming in contact with chemicals. Wash down clothing with water and launder separately.

Service station operators should also be aware of the Effects of flooding at service stations on underground storage tank systems (PDF, 0.08 MB).

Slips, trips and falls

Keep work areas as clear and dry as possible.
Wear suitable footwear with good grip.
Try to avoid climbing on objects or surfaces; use equipment such as ladders or step stools wherever possible and safe.
Try to make sure there is adequate light in work areas.

Download the Guide for preventing slips trips and falls (PDF, 0.55 MB).

Biological hazards

Maintain good hand and personal hygiene. Wash your hands well after contact with mud, flood water and contaminated items and equipment, and before eating and drinking.
Clean and cover cuts and wounds. Talk to your doctor if you get a wound as you may need a tetanus booster.
Where contact with flood water and mud is unavoidable, wear enclosed footwear, gloves and suitable clothing.
Take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Environmental conditions after storms and floods increase the risk for infectious diseases. Skin infections, diarrhoeal disease, respiratory infections and mosquito-borne diseases are the most common infectious diseases after storms and floods in Queensland.

Less commonly, contact with floodwater can cause serious illness such as leptospirosis and melioidosis. See your doctor if you become sick after contact with floodwater or if you need a tetanus booster.

More information about disaster management and sources of disease is available from Queensland Health.

Fatigue management

Roster shifts so that workers/volunteers have the opportunity to sleep continuously for 7 to 8 hours in each 24 hour period.
Rotate shifts forward rather than back.
Limit number of consecutive night shifts to four.
Finish night shifts by eight am.
Allow a minimum of 12 hours between consecutive shifts.
Roster at least two full nights sleep after the last night shift.
Provide frequent rest breaks during shifts.
Provide transport where possible to minimise the risks associated with commuting.
Provide an area/room for workers/volunteers to sleep before commuting home.
Schedule safety critical and complex tasks during the daytime (when workers/volunteers are most alert).

Download the fact sheet on Managing fatigue following natural disasters (PDF, 0.1 MB) and view other information about fatigue.

Psychological stress

The emotional impacts of these natural disasters on workers may not come to the surface for a little while. To minimise the risk of psychological stress on workers employers should:

Highlight counselling services available to workers and encourage them to use them.
Consult with workers when setting realistic work targets and priorities for completion of clean up and repair works.
Consult with workers about any changes to their roles, work tasks and broader business changes, and where possible allow their input in decision making.
Hold regular worker/team discussions on additional pressures/challenges.
Provide 'time out' areas for workers to distance themselves and take breaks from demanding work tasks.
Recognise and reward workers for their efforts.

Manual tasks

Use mechanical aids like wheel barrows, trolleys, earth-moving equipment.
Use long handled equipment such as shovels and brooms.
Provide adequate numbers of people to do the work.
Ensure people have adequate rest breaks.
Place rubbish skips close to where the work is being done.
Where team lifting is the last resort, ensure adequate numbers of people are provided, there is good communication about what is required and a leader is appointed.
Ensure equipment is in good working order.
Consider the physical capacity of your workers and assign their work appropriately.

Displaced fauna

Check in and under objects before attempting to move an object as snakes, spiders and other undomesticated animals may be taking refuge in the dry location. Startling these animals may cause them to become aggressive and attack.
Do not attempt to kill snakes as most snake bite incidents occur when someone has attempted to strike and kill the snake.
Engage a wildlife removal specialist to remove snakes from buildings.

Quad bike use

Wear an appropriate helmet.
Identify and assess potential hazards prior to attempting to cross any waterways, flooded or muddy terrain and be aware of washouts.
Operate quad bike at a safe speed suitable to the conditions.
Do not allow children or untrained, inexperienced people to operate quad bikes.
Be aware of hidden obstacles that may be covered by mud, debris, grass or water.

View other information about quad bikes.

Animal carcass disposal after floods

Workers who handle and dispose of animal carcasses should be aware of the infection risks from this type of work and how to protect against infection including personal hygiene measures and personal protective equipment.

Find out more about the disposal of animal carcasses and read the safety considerations when trenching to bury carcasses fact sheet (PDF, 0.2 MB)

Operating wheeled or tracked machinery in the wet

Be aware of changed ground conditions which may increase the risk of roll over, bogging or loss of stability.
Take account of decreased vision due to rain, mud and other conditions.
Be aware of possible an unstable waterway, channel or dam.

For more information about tractors.

Contact us

For more information about other workplace health and safety issues, call 1300 362 128.