COVID-19 Update: Tornadoes Complicate Shelter at Home Orders

Although 2020 has given us an unusual spring with the coronavirus pandemic keeping people shut in their homes and many workers away from their jobs, one constant of spring weather is still present—tornadoes.

At least 33 people were killed after tornadoes began ripping through the South on Easter Sunday, destroying homes and storefronts and leaving over 1 million people without power from an intense storm system. 

People in the path of storms are questioning whether it is wise to seek safety in a community shelter which may offer protection from storms yet put one at risk of COVID-19. Weather experts and public safety leaders recommend that your first priority should be to protect yourself from a potential tornado. If a warning is issued for your area, you are more likely to be affected by the tornado than the virus.

Once the tornadoes pass, people are still in danger during damage clean up, including facility managers caring for buildings in affected areas. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises workers to follow these precautions if their workplace is in the path of a tornado this season:

• Continue to monitor your local radio or television stations for emergency information and the potential of additional storms. Be aware of possible structural, electrical, or gas-leak hazards.
• If such hazards are identified, report them to the proper local authorities and/or utility.
• Do not touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed power lines.
• Wear proper clothing when walking on or near debris, including boots and gloves.
• Be careful around sharp objects, including nails and broken glass.
• Use the proper safety precautions when operating generators, chainsaws, or other power tools.
• Take steps to prevent heat illnesses and dehydration.

Learn 10 steps to safe disaster recovery if a tornado strikes your workplace.