safe cleaning after a disaster

Cleaning after a disaster

Take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones during yournettoyage after a fire, water damage, flood or other natural disaster. Follow our tips when cleaning up after a disaster and monitor your radio or television for up-to-date emergency information.

General Safety Tips

 

Get the right safety equipment

• Helmets
• Protective glasses
• N95 masks (or a respirator with a higher level of protection high)
• Professional work gloves
• Waterproof boots with steel toe cap and insole (not just steel shank)
• Earplugs or protective headphones (if working with noisy equipment)
• At least two fire extinguishers (each with a UL rating of at least 10 A)

If sewage is involved ,

be sure to wear the following clothing during your cleaning:

• Rubber boots
• Rubber gloves|| |93
• Des lunettes de protection

Use teams to move heavy/bulky objects

• Have teams of at least two people work together to move objects heavy or bulky clearance.
• Avoid lifting any material weighing more than 50 KG (per person).

Your pace

Cleaning your house can be a big job. Make sure you take care of yourself:

• Rest when you need it.
• Decide which cleaning tasks are most important and focus on those by first. This way, you are less likely to be overwhelmed.
• Get help lifting heavy or bulky objects. If you lift too much weight alone, you could hurt yourself.
• Try to work with other people so you are not alone.
• Get support from family members , friends, counselors or therapists.

Be careful when using a chainsaw

• When using a chainsaw, always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Be sure to wear appropriate protective equipment and keep onlookers a safe distance away.
• Avoid contact with power lines and take special care when cutting down trees or branches bent or caught under something else.
• Use extreme caution to avoid electric shock when using an electric chain saw.

Stay safe in hot weather|| |134

• Par temps chaud, essayez de rester au frais en restant dans des bâtiments climatisés, en faisant des pauses dans des zones ombragées ou dans des pièces fraîches, en buvant souvent de l’eau et des liquides non alcoolisés et en portant des vêtements légers et amples.
• Do outdoor activities during cooler hours.

Mold

Prevent mold growth

• CleanThoroughly and dry your home promptly after the storm or flood subsides – within 24 to 48 hours if possible.
• Ventilate your house by opening doors and windows. Use fans to dry damp areas. Position fans to blow air toward doors or windows.
• Throw away anything you cannot clean or dry quickly (such as mattresses, rugs, rug pads, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, stuffed animals, baby toys, pillows, foam rubber products, books, wall coverings and paper products). ).
• Remove and discard drywall and insulation that has been contaminated by sewage or floodwater.
• Thoroughly clean all wet items and surfaces with hot water and laundry or dish detergent. For example, you will want to clean flooring, concrete, moldings, wood and metal furniture, countertops, appliances, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures.
• Repair any leaks in roofs, walls, or plumbing as soon as possible.

 

Clean mold with a mixture of bleach and water| ||164

• N’utilisez jamais d’eau de Javel dans un espace fermé. Ouvrez d’abord les fenêtres et les portes.
• Put on protective equipment to protect your eyes, nose, mouth and skin. Wear goggles, an N-95 respirator, and protective gloves.
• To make your cleaner, mix 1 cup of bleach with 1 3 quarts of water.
• Clean up anything with mold.
• See  or more information on safely re-entering flooded homes, cleaning up flood or storm water, worker safety issues and mold cleanup issues.

Hygiene and disease prevention

Disinfecting toys

Remember that anything that has been in contact with Flood water can carry germs. To keep your children safe, make sure their toys are clean:

• Prepare a cleaning fluid by mixing 1 cup of bleach in 5 liters of water.
• Lavez soigneusement les jouets avec votre nettoyant.
• Let toys air dry.

You may not be able to kill germs on some toys, such as stuffed animals and baby toys. Throw away toys that you cannot clean.

Wash with soap and water

• Wash with soap and water when finished cleaning.|| |196
• Si un boil water advisoryis in effect:
  • Use boiled water for 1 minute (let the water cool before washing); or
  • Use disinfected water for personal hygiene:
    • Use5-9% unscented liquid bleach – add a little less than 1/8 teaspoon (8 drops or approximately 0.5 milliliters)for 1 liter of clear water . Mix well and let sit for 30 minutes before using. If the water is cloudy, add a little less than ¼ teaspoon (16 drops or about 1 milliliter) per 1 liter of water.
  • If you have open cuts or wounds exposed to flood water, wash them with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
  • Seek medical help immediately if you are injured or ill.
  • Wash all clothing worn during cleaning with hot water and detergent. These clothes should be washed separately from uncontaminated clothing and linens.
  • For more advice on hand washing
  • Be careful with flood waters: they may contain dangerous bacteria
  • Floodwater can contain dangerous bacteria from sewage overflows and agricultural and industrial waste. Although skin contact with floodwaters does not in itself pose a serious health risk, eating or drinking anything contaminated by floodwaters can cause illness.
  • If you have Cuts or open wounds that will be exposed to floodwaters, keep them as clean as possible by washing them with soap and applying antibiotic ointment to discourage infection
  • To reduce the associated risks cold when standing or working in water below (24 degrees C), wear insulated clothing and insulated rubber boots, take frequent breaks from water and change into dry clothing when is possible.

Potential Hazards

Use caution when entering damaged buildings

• Keep away from any damaged buildings or structures until a building inspector or other government authority has had the opportunity to examine it and certify that it is safe.
• Wait until daylight to return to the buildings so that it is easier to see and avoid danger, especially in the event of a power outage.
• Leave your house or other building if you hear strange noises or movements – this could mean it is about to fall.
• If you smell gas or suspect a leak, leave your home/building and contact emergency authorities immediately! Do not turn on lights, light matches, smoke, or do anything that could cause a spark. Do not return to the building until you are told it is safe to do so.
• Keep children and pets away from the affected area until cleaning is completed.

Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

• Never use generators, pressure washers or other appliances that run on gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal inside your home, basement, garage or RV, or even outside near an open window, door or vent. Carbon monoxide – an odorless, colorless gas from these sources that can cause sudden illness or deathdeath – can build up indoors and poison people and animals there.

Be aware of any electrical hazard

• If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have been wet or are in or near the water, turn off the power at the main circuit breaker or fuse on the electrical panel. If you must enter standing water to access the main switch, call an electrician to turn it off.
• Never turn the appliance on or off or use a tool or electrical appliance while in water.
• Do not connect generators to your home's electrical circuits without approved automatic shut-off devices. If a generator is online when electrical service is restored, it can become a major fire hazard and endanger line workers who are helping restore power to your area.

Be careful with hazardous materials

• Call the fire department to inspect or remove chemicals, propane tanks and other hazardous materials.
• Wear protective clothing and equipment (for example, a respirator if necessary) when handling hazardous materials.
• Wash skin that may have come into contact with hazardous materials.
• Wear insulating gloves and use caution if you must remove a car battery. Avoid any acid that may have leaked from a car battery.