OSHA Offers Gustav Recovery Help

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said it will be offering the full resources of the agency to assist in protecting workers in the recovery effort in the wake of Hurricane Gustav along the Gulf Coast.

“After the hurricane has moved on, the danger has not — especially for those involved in cleanup and recovery from this storm,” said Edwin G. Foulke Jr., assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. “Cleanup after a storm of this magnitude can be particularly dangerous, and employers and employees need to take the proper precautions to avoid serious injury.”

OSHA’s hurricane recovery Web site at http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/hurricaneRecovery.html offers QuickCards and fact sheets on dozens of different employee hazards or hazardous situations, including information on flood cleanup, chain saws, heat stress, and dangers from molds and fungi.

Public service announcements are being provided to area television and radio stations informing listeners on topics such as flooding, electrical hazards, chain saws and fall hazards.

Employers and employees looking for more information or with specific questions should call the department’s toll-free helpline at 866-4-USA-DOL (487-2365).