How To Prepare Construction Sites For Cyclone In Queensland

Queensland is frequently affected by natural disasters like cyclones the months between November to April are known for tropical cyclone season. Thereby, making plans for cyclones ahead of time can help prevent accidents and save time post-cyclone clean-up. Similarly, when it comes to construction sites in Queensland they must be planned for tropical cyclones by structural engineers to prevent any accidents. During cyclones, loose materials are at risk of tumbling down and potentially causing a threat to the equipment and even for bystanders. Having a plan for a cyclone will ensure your project begins as soon as the cyclone is over without sustaining heavy losses.

A written record of your storm preparedness strategy

When you start working on your strategy to prepare for cyclones in Queensland with the help of structural engineers, make sure it is written down and available to everyone in your team. Sharing your approach with your whole firm ensures that everyone is on the same page and that everyone is doing their part to prepare a job site and stay safe throughout the cyclone.

Keep the Site material secure

You have to keep preparing for the worst when it comes to a tropical cyclone. You never know when a category 5 cyclone is about to hit the coast of Queensland. A category 5 cyclone has a minimum wind speed of 250 km/h. When the wind speed is that high it can carry loose material along with it. These loose materials can cause damage to property and life. Thus, it is important to keep the site material secure. Even heavy equipment like cranes and other equipment must be kept secure to prevent any snowball effect to start.

Protect structure under construction

Boarding up your structure and blocking any openings protects both your work and the structure's integrity. Covering any windows or big apertures reduces the danger of interior wind damage and protects installed windows and wiring. To maintain the integrity of your project, lay more sandbags around the perimeter of the job site to divert the flow of water and prevent the possibility of flooding.

Prepare for Flooding and Water Removal

Needless to say, a cyclone or tropical storm brings a lot of rain, which might cause flooding on your job site. Water removal services are frequently required not just to restart operations but also to maintain the integrity of neighbouring structures. Depending on the stage of the project, the softened ground might give way during construction, generating setbacks and even disasters if not managed appropriately or proactively prepare well ahead in time by structural engineers. After a rain, bringing in a pump to remove access water should be a top priority, removing the water off your working site and restarting the work.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. The same goes for disaster management plans for construction sites. This is why it is important to plan in time for cyclones as well. Especially in a state like Queensland which is prone to cyclones, having a consolidated cyclone plan for construction sites planned by structural engineers is a must.

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