By James L. Curtis, Meagan Newman, Patrick J. Bannon, Barry J. Miller

In a recent Client Alert, Jim Curtis and Meagan Newman discuss workplace safety issues in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Employers need to keep in mind that storm cleanup poses significant hazards that must be addressed. Employees may be asked to perform tasks, or volunteer to undertake certain responsibilities, that are not within their regular job duties. Additionally, in the hurry to get our communities up and moving again, many unfamiliar hazards are easily overlooked by employers and employees. Even in these extraordinary circumstances, employers are responsible for the safety and health of their employees in the workplace and must take measures to prevent injury and illness. As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration urged in the days following Tropical Storm Isaac this summer, “Recovery work should not put you in the recovery room.”