There are few things more integral to the development of our society than the ocean. The United States marine economy made up nearly $500 billion of the national GDP in 2022, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its market growth is accelerating as the U.S. expands its import/export interests, and e-commerce makes spending money in the international B2C marketplace easier. With 71% of the Earth covered in water, the annual hurricane season is a habitual part of life for almost 40% of the world’s population who live within one 100 kilometers (62 miles) of a coastline.  

Prioritizing Hurricane Preparation

As severe hurricanes become more frequent, many communities must prioritize hurricane preparation. Tropical storms not only affect a property’s trees and outside décor, but they can have serious implications for the stability of existing structures and the preservation of general topography. 

A study led by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that hurricanes have intensified “at a quickening pace” over the last half-century and that this intensification will continue to accelerate. Protecting properties from these storms will take careful planning and plenty of effort. 

Shelter From the Tropical Storm

As you seek to protect your business during hurricane season, consider the following actions in your preparation:  

• Remove all loose items from the property Flying debris, such as signs, stands and furniture, can be hazardous to any building or person nearby.
• Set up a sandbag perimeter If possible, make multiple layers and place them on top of one another like a brick wall.
• Shutter all windows and doors In some cases, traditional shutters and screens may not be enough; consider if you need to nail plywood to the frames, too.
• Prepare alternative power If flooding or downed power lines become a problem, you may need to turn off your power. Ensure you have access to sources of light and heat, such as flashlights and blankets.

As you assess your property’s readiness, be mindful of the state of your roof, fascia and storm drains. Buckling shingles, clogged drains and warped eaves can lead to severe structural damage and flooding. 

A Watertight Plan for Hurricane Season

Each member of your staff should understand your business’s emergency plan during hurricane season. A good plan will include information on the following: 

• Emergency contacts In a disaster situation, having the phone number of relief agencies, like a nearby church or your city’s Local Emergency Management Agency (EMA), could save lives.
• Easily accessible supplies If you’re preparing your business for a tropical storm, make sure each of your colleagues has a 72-hour kit in their office, including access to their medication. If you have access to a company car, it should also have a few reliable supplies on standby, like drinking water, food and resources to keep the vehicle running.
• Essential documents You may keep your company’s most important papers in a safe or a fireproof pouch. Make sure you take those with you in case you need to evacuate.
• An evacuation plan When a storm has shifted, and you have little time to prepare, evacuation might be the best option. A well-thought-out and written evacuation plan is essential to ensure team safety in this emergency scenario. The plan should include exit routes, safe areas and even a gathering place when possible.

Keeping Safe, Regardless of the Disaster

While hurricanes are most frequent in Florida, they can (and do) hit all along the U.S. Atlantic coastline, the Gulf coastline, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and other islands. According to FEMA, “The deadly reach of a hurricane is not limited to storm-surge zones. An analysis of landfalling U.S. hurricanes through 2007 (excluding Hurricane Katrina) found that “about 80% of direct US hurricane fatalities since 1970 occurred outside of landfall counties, with most of these fatalities caused by inland flooding.”

Fortunately, EnviroServe is prepared for whatever natural event the future has in store and is on standby to assist you and your business with preparation, emergency response and remediation needs. EnviroServe emergency response teams are always ready to mobilize and perform emergency cleanups following hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. 

Now is the time to complete hurricane preparations. By solidifying your emergency plans and taking wise steps to batten down the hatches, you can ensure your business and community can better withstand the coming storms. 

 Contact EnviroServe to make sure you’re protected.

If you spend your workday in a toolbelt and PPE, you know winter construction work can be challenging. Freezing temperatures and other adverse conditions brought on by snow and wind shear can cause delays to the work and present situations that could result in broken equipment or injured Team Members.

Preparing for winter construction work

While more than fourth of the country receives less than 10 inches of snow per year, many of the most densely populated cities in the U.S. are in some of our snowiest states. This means that a substantial portion of the men and women who build office buildings, renovate houses, pour roads, or perform industrial work, will eventually find themselves trying to not slip on ice and stay warm at work during the winter months.

Let’s take a look at some of the most essential dos and don’ts of winter construction work to stay safe at work.

Do make sure you and your equipment stay warm at work

The reminder to keep warm when working outside in winter may seem like unnecessary advice. Naturally, if we’re cold, we will try to get warm. But there are ways that even this simple goal can be overlooked, or at the very least, underestimated.

• Wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is more than work gloves, facial coverings, or a reflective vest. It includes any type of equipment that keeps us safe in the working environment. So, layer up the thick clothing and stay warm at work.
• Store your equipment out of the elements. When running equipment outside, follow a few universal habits whether you are working in the summer months or the winter. Moisture (or excessive dust and dirt) can affect the performance of basic hand tools. And even heavy machinery can be hamstrung by faulty parts left out in the rain and snow. Keep your vehicles covered against the weather to extend the life of your tires and make it easier to not slip on ice.
• Be sure to monitor your diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). Your DEF is one of the most important elements when it comes to the longevity of your vehicle’s engine. Like the catalytic converter in our cars, the DEF helps transform toxic byproducts into environmentally safe, clean air. Your DEF has a freezing point of 12°F (-11°C) and is designed to retain its chemical purity even after freezing and thawing. Many new truck models have an internal reservoir heater to keep the DEF in its liquid form. Keep an eye on the sensors to keep you informed of your current levels.

Don’t slip on ice (or otherwise let the weather get the jump on you)

There’s a lot to think about when engaged in winter construction work. There practices that we should do to help ourselves and our tools stay warm at work. But there are also things we should avoid that could make our lives more difficult on the site.

• Neglecting cleanliness is a big mistake. When dealing with snow and other adverse weather conditions, we run the risk of injury when we fail to keep our site and our machinery clean. This includes de-icing the area and removing excess snow.
• Site inspections are essential. Safety is largely dependent on awareness, and being familiar with the condition of the site is integral to that. Heavy snowfall can cover sinkholes, collapse tree limbs, and create dangerous icicles, all of which can be hazardous to people and equipment. Understanding where the rough patches are can also keep your feed and/or tread firmly on the ground, so you don’t slip on ice.
• Ensure emergency protocols are up to date. With proper planning, accidents should be a rare occurrence during your winter construction work. Having a daily safety briefing is a good idea to help keep people up to speed on the best way to respond to an emergency.

Do be vigilant

Winter construction work is a part of the yearly routine for some businesses. This presents challenges, like helping oneself stay warm at work, and making sure that neither they (or their equipment) will slip on ice, causing breakdowns and injuries.

Many such issues can be avoided with vigilance and forethought, keeping one’s eyes open to potential hazards and asking:

• What am I about to do?
• Are there potential hazards?
• What am I going to do to prevent them?

Going through this ritual daily will not only keep you and those around you safe, but it can help protect your work from expensive, unplanned stops.

Although the creation and protection of national parks has been a federal priority since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, a formal regulating body that could guard the environment from the negative effects of industrial and urban expansion didn’t come around until President Nixon’s administration.

This office, known officially as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), creates agriculture regulations and other safety rules that protect critical aspects of Al merica’s landscapes like the cleanliness of the groundwater, the preservation of animal communities, and the quality of the breathable air.

Businesses that fail to follow these laws can create severe problems for themselves. Here are some common categories of EPA violations that can really ruin a company’s day.

Safety Rules Regarding Waste Management

The collection and disposal of waste is a task that the U.S. Government takes very seriously. For companies like Savage that operate in the industrial sector and take charge of the transportation, refinement, and storage of hazardous and non-hazardous materials, these agricultural regulations are important to know and to follow.

• Each type of hazardous waste, from lead-based paints and asbestos to used oil and other chemicals, must undergo strict compliance monitoring.
• Waste must be properly identified and transported in secure containers.
• All personnel transporting the waste must have an EPA identification number and be properly trained on the actions to be taken in the event of hazardous spills or discharges.
• All waste is accurately manifested and reported with both the exporting and importing countries.

EPA violations regarding the illegal transportation and disposal of pollutants can have far-reaching ecological effects, which in turn can affect other agricultural regulations.

Environmental Protection and Agricultural Regulations

It is understandable that with regards to industrial and/or construction companies, failing to meet the safety rules set by the EPA can have severe consequences for their future business. Not only would clients want to distance themselves from a man-made emergency, but the government could issue large fines and sanctions.

Common EPA violations of this type include:

• The discharge of pollutants into wetlands and drinking water
• Failure to institute EPA-approved technology to reduce toxic emissions
• Illegally importing uncertified vehicles or gasoline-powered equipment
• Improperly handling or disposing of animal waste and remains

Safety rules like these are designed both to keep crucial infrastructure and habitats preserved and to train companies to consider the broader impact of their actions. Ideally, as businesses strive to comply with the EPA’s environmental regulations, they will take stock of their processes and the state of their equipment, which will lead them to wisely updating to their technology and their operational practices.

The Consequences of EPA Violations

As more safety rules and agricultural regulations get added or amended within the law, greater demands are placed on enforcing them and, consequently, prosecuting criminal activity. To help with that, the EPA utilizes its own investigative body called the Office of Criminal Enforcement Forensics & Training.

The consequences for EPA violations will vary based on the laws broken and the severity of the action, but corrective action may include:

• A monetary penalty
• A requirement to remediate the spill or crisis
• Restitution to victims of the disaster (e.g. paying for medical tests or property damage)
• Incarceration

Many of these actions are described by the EPA as “non-judicial enforcement,” meaning that they do not require a judicial court to process and punish illegal activity, but are empowered under their own authority. It is better, then, to simply know and follow the safety rules as they are written.

Making a Difference

By avoiding these EPA violations, companies and individuals can have a positive impact on the environment. In this way, we call see the words of President Lyndon Johnson realized: “We must not only protect the countryside and save it from destruction, we must restore what has been destroyed and salvage the beauty and charm of our cities.”

For many, vehicles are an extension of our homes, our offices, or even our personalities. For one to be totaled or stolen would be devastating for anyone; for those in an industrial profession like construction or environmental remediation, who rely on a truck’s security to do their jobs, it could be catastrophic.

Unfortunately, vehicle theft is on the rise. Data released by The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) notes that 2020 was a record-breaking year for such instances, like breaking into trucks and/or siphoning fuel. Surely, such a rise in crime puts potentially every vehicle at risk.

The FBI reports that in that year alone, vehicle-related theft topped out at over $7 billion lost, and nearly 1 million vehicles stolen. That means victims notified the police about a stolen car nearly every minute of every day for a year! This data culminates a year-over-year increase in motor thefts for over a decade, and provides plenty of reasons to try and stop car thieves as best we can.

When is my vehicle at risk?

Reading numbers like those quoted above can be worrying. After all, how are you supposed to know when you’re in danger of vehicle theft, and how can you stop car thieves before they do serious damage? The NICB correlates the highest risk with the following factors:

• Working and/or worship hours
• National crisis
  • The pandemic
  • Economic recession
  • Natural disasters
• Societal downturn
  • The lack of juvenile outreach (“after school”) programs
  • Unemployment spikes
  • Limitations to public safety resources (e.g. police presence)

As people generally feel more desperate and there is a window of opportunity — such as a truck parked on the perimeter of a job site — we increase our risk of an incident.

Stop Car Thieves Early

Ten years ago, the United States was known for having more registered vehicles than licensed drivers, while the Scientific American reports that advancements in fuel efficiency are making daily commuting more appealing to the average driver, thus increasing the country’s annual miles-driven statistics. It is little wonder, then, how essential personal vehicles have become to one’s collective way of life. We understand that especially well at EnviroServe, as our Customers rely on our fleet of trucks, trailers, and construction equipment to get their biggest jobs done – either as part of our regular services or simply to rent.

Stopping car thieves early, therefore, is only becoming more important to the function of our careers, our families, and our routines.

When considering how to prevent vehicle theft before it begins, consider the following:

• Park your car in as public an area as possible
• Remove or stow away all visible valuables in your car
• Invest in antitheft technology for your vehicle. Options include:
  • Install a car alarm or make sure yours is in working order
  • Connect your car to a tracker on your phone
  • Invest in systems that shut off power to the car remotely
  • Make sure your door codes are unique
  • Keep your key fob on your person at all times

You may also consider other, higher-level ways to prevent vehicle theft in the long-term, including always purchasing vehicles from reputable dealers and having a bank or credit union verify the authenticity of ownership papers.

Protect Yourself from Vehicle Theft

Believing you have a vehicle at risk is enough to unsettle anyone. Not only are the cars or trucks themselves valuable for resell, but so are the precious elements found in their components, like gold in the catalytic converter.

Being mindful of the steps listed above will help you safeguard your possessions, stop car thieves before they strike, and stay mobile for all the tasks that will come our way.

According to a recently published study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 7 million people in the United States (that’s over 4% of the total working civilian population) are required to spend more than two-thirds of their workday outdoors. While this is certainly a notable minority, one might reasonably infer that a much larger percentage of Americans – working or otherwise – prefer spending their free time outside, especially if they have a more sedentary daily routine. 

Despite the benefits to one’s vitamin D levels, active heartrate minutes, and overall mental health, the lifestyle of an outdoorsperson must adjust to the reality of irritating pests such as ticks, horse flies, and mosquitos. 

The Need for Bug Bite Prevention

When considering the dangers that insect and arachnid bites present, not all results are created equal. While very few bugs are venomous, an individual’s allergies, as well as the variety of diseases that bugs may carry, can pose significant threats to both short- and long-term health. For this latter reason especially, the prevention and treatment of bug bites should be a high priority. 

Some of the most common bug-borne illnesses include: 

• Lyme Disease 
• Malaria 
• Rickettsia Disease 
• Encephalitis 
• Yellow Fever 
• Zika 

While mosquitos are largely feared as the greatest carrier of disease, thanks in large part to their connection to historically devastating pandemics such as the bubonic plague, the United States sees a relatively low number of people contract malaria each year. Ticks, on the other hand, are not only extremely common throughout the country, but they can carry at least three of the most common bite-related diseases.  

Guarding Against Ticks

As is the case with all bugs, the best type of bite treatment is knowing how ticks behave and what to look for. Generally, they live in areas of dense greenery, such as thick grass, bushes, or woodlands; animal fur is also a favorite environment. 

Ticks are typically red, with eight legs, and prefer to burrow into moist, dark areas of the body. As such, pay special attention to the following areas: 

• Armpits 
• Hair 
• Groin 
• Inside the nose and ears 

Once latched onto the skin, the tick will suck the blood of the host for 1-2 weeks — growing large and turning blueish-purple — before detaching. 

Guarding against ticks runs parallel to other types of bug bite prevention; insect sprays, permethrin-treated clothing, and avoiding thick foliage are all effective means of repelling these tiny bloodsuckers. 

Proper Bite Treatment

The unfortunate reality of spending large portions of the day outside is that bug bites are virtually unavoidable. Besides an area’s normal volume of pests, many places see seasonal increases in the bug population. Team Members with EnviroServe who work outside, particularly in areas such as environmental remediation and waste management report that mosquitos, ticks, and even poisonous plants have been especially prolific in recent few years.  

If you do sustain a bug bite, review the following treatments: 

• Disinfect your skin with soap and water 
• Reduce swelling with a cold compress 
• Apply baking soda paste or hydrocortisone cream (.05% or 1%) to the affected area 
• Do not scratch 

If these bite treatments offer only superficial help, or you notice growing symptoms of pain, swelling, fever, or a skin rash, seek medical care immediately; you may have contracted one of the aforementioned illnesses. Be aware that children may describe flu-like symptoms after being bitten, and should be seen by a doctor. 

Enjoying the Outdoors

If this feels overwhelming, remember that a little bit of bug bite prevention can go a long way to keeping the outdoors enjoyable. These steps should be taken daily, even if you’re spending the bulk of your time close to home, as most tick bites happen in people’s yards. 

With a bit of foresight and a sharp eye for stragglers, you can continue to enjoy a pain-free time outdoors.