The past few weeks have provided an eye-opening reminder of how fast floodwater moves. In August, severe storms swept across the Midwest and Ohio Valley, bringing flash flooding to communities across the region, barely a month after catastrophic flooding tore through Texas Hill Country along the Guadalupe River and destroyed homes and businesses. For dealerships in the path of severe storms, the risk does not end when the rain stops; it often peaks during cleanup. OSHA has released a set of three flood-safety infographics for outdoor workers, and the guidance lands squarely on how dealerships operate when storms hit. Across the three pieces, the agency covers the health hazards hidden in floodwater (pathogens, fuel and chemicals, submerged debris, displaced snakes and insects, and downed power lines, all of which call for PPE and safety perimeters); the way flood risk shifts with terrain (coastlines facing surge, hillsides prone to mudslides and paved flash-flood zones where water rises fast); and the danger of moving vehicles through floodwater under the banner “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” For a store with inventory parked outside and staff moving cars as conditions worsen, the throughline is simple: Floodwater conceals dangers you cannot see, and no vehicle is worth putting an employee into moving water. New OSHA Flood‑Safety Guidance WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR DEALERSHIP By Lauren Bailey Vice President of State Legal & Regulatory Affairs, ComplyAuto WHERE DEALERS GET HURT: THE CLEANUP Cleanup is the longest and most dangerous phase of a flood, and it is where OSHA’s guidance gets most useful for dealers. Its cleanup fact sheet (Fact Sheet 3276) speaks directly to what staff face over the days they spend in flooded service bays, parts rooms and showrooms hauling out water-logged inventory, which is exactly where injuries happen. Before anyone enters, a flooded building should be inspected and certified safe by a registered professional engineer or architect. Do a preliminary inspection for structural stability and probe standing water with a pole for pits, holes and hidden objects before stepping in. And have a plan for reaching medical help ready before work starts. Water-logged materials are deceptively heavy. OSHA advises teams of two or more for bulky objects, no single-person lifts over 50 pounds, and the use of lifting-assist devices where practical, along with frequent breaks and access to drinking water during a multi-day effort. Crews need the right gear, not whatever is in the trunk: watertight steel-toe boots, gloves, long pants and safety glasses. OSHA specifically warns that sneakers will not stop punctures, bites or crush injuries. A hard hat is needed where debris can fall, and a NIOSH-approved dust respirator is needed for the moldy materials that are all but guaranteed in a flooded showroom or office weeks later. WVADA NEWS 14
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