Disaster Cleanup Guidelines—Church Volunteers

For more information about this topic, call the Risk Management Division or Welfare and Self-Reliance Services Department—Emergency Response:

• 1-801-240-4049 or 1-801-240-1000

• 1-800-453-3860 (toll free United States and Canada)

This fact sheet addresses the general conditions and the health and safety guidelines that volunteers should understand before they participate in voluntary cleanup efforts. Before cleanup begins, leaders should discuss these items with volunteers and, if possible, give a copy of these guidelines to each volunteer.

General Conditions

• Volunteers serve at their own risk. Youth ages 12–18 can participate in cleanup work if accompanied by a parent or when parental permission has been given in writing (use the Permission and Medical Release Form).

• Church volunteers are to assist in cleanup, not reconstruction. Church volunteers should not work in, on, or around condemned buildings or structures.

• Volunteer work is to be conducted with the consent and oversight of the property owner.

• Volunteers who will be using a chainsaw during a Church-sponsored disaster cleanup project are required to first view the chainsaw safety training presentation located at ChurchofJesusChrist.org/callings/church-safety-and-health/chainsaw-safety. After completing the training, individuals or groups will be able to print a certificate of completion. Volunteers should not operate chainsaws without the certificate of completion.

• Accidents should be reported promptly to ecclesiastical leaders. Primary coverage is the volunteer’s own health insurance.

Health and Safety Guidelines

• Be familiar with your own abilities, and only perform tasks that are within your abilities.

• Have extra clothing and shoes available in case your clothing gets wet. Wet clothing and cool temperatures can lead to cold stress. Some of the symptoms of cold stress include excessive shivering, inability to regulate body temperature, clammy or pale skin, and disorientation. Seek medical attention immediately if you have symptoms of cold stress.

• Volunteers should have current tetanus and other needed immunizations.

• Use insect repellent in mosquito-infested areas.

• Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.

• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated. Drink plenty of clean water, and rest when needed. Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion include faintness, dizziness, fatigue, weak or rapid pulse, muscle cramps, nausea, or headache. Seek medical attention immediately if you have signs of heat exhaustion.

• Always lift with the knees bent. Work with a partner, and do not lift more than is comfortable.

• Avoid contact with hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, energized electrical circuits, and stray or wild animals.

• If you have a health condition such as asthma, respiratory allergies, other breathing conditions, or heart problems, do not wear a respirator, and do not work in areas where you may inhale particles that may aggravate these conditions.

• Wear properly fitting N95 respirators with exhalation valves, goggles, and work gloves when conducting rip-out jobs or when working in high dust areas, in ash, near mold, or in smoky conditions. When working on areas where mold is present, do not conduct large rip-out jobs (such as removing more than three sheets of sheetrock) where the visible concentration of mold is heavy (blanket coverage rather than patchy coverage). After working with mold, wash your hands and face frequently using soap and water.

• Wear appropriate clothing. Use hard hats; hard-soled, high-topped shoes; work gloves; safety glasses; and hearing protection as work tasks require.

• When working in wet conditions, wear waterproof boots.

• Be aware of unstable structures, uneven surfaces, broken glass, nails, and other protruding, sharp objects.

• Be aware of motorized traffic in the area at all times. When walking or working in areas where motor vehicles are passing or where heavy equipment is being used, walk facing oncoming traffic. Wear bright or reflective clothing if possible.

• If working from heights or on steep roofs, carefully plan for and control the risks of falling. Volunteers should not work from heights or steep roofs unless they are familiar with the hazards and are using appropriate fall restraints (such as a tie-off to a secure structural object that will not allow access to a dangerous edge) or certified fall arrest systems (such as a full body harness, shock absorbing lanyard, or secure anchor point).