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2026-05-04T05:00:00Z
NewsEmergency Planning - OSHAIndustry NewsSafety & HealthEmergency PreparednessConstruction SafetyGeneral Industry SafetyIn-Depth ArticleEnglishFocus AreaUSA
What matters most in workplace tornado safety
When a tornado warning is issued, there’s no time to interpret a plan or figure out what comes next. People stay safe because they recognize the warning and already know what to do and where to go.
The difference is not how detailed the procedure is, but whether the response is automatic when conditions change rapidly. When every employee can instantly answer, “Where do I go?” without stopping to think, you know the system is working.
Take shelter immediately
A tornado warning means the threat is real and nearby. At that point, production, meetings, and routine operations don’t matter, getting people into shelter does. The expectation to move immediately when a warning is issued should be simple and well understood.
Shelter locations should already be known, accessible, and appropriate for the building. Employees shouldn’t be trying to decide in the moment whether they should finish a task or “wait it out.” Your program should remove that uncertainty entirely.
Actionable goals:
- Establish a clear “stop work” trigger tied directly to tornado warnings;
- Assign shelter accountability (who checks bathrooms, offices, visitors, contractors); and
- Practice at least one tornado drill annually, include all shifts or off shift scenarios.
Heightened readiness
A tornado watch is your “heads up.” It doesn’t require sheltering yet, but it does require attention. This is when safety leaders and supervisors should be mentally shifting from normal operations to readiness.
Use watch notifications to double-check shelter access, remind teams of what the next step looks like, and make sure weather monitoring responsibilities are clear. If conditions become a warning, the transition should feel automatic, not rushed or chaotic.
Actionable goals:
- Define who monitors weather alerts during each shift,
- Pre-stage shelter supplies if severe weather is likely (flashlights, first aid kits, water), and
- Reinforce “move immediately” expectations with supervisors when watches shift to warnings.
Practice the plan and keep it simple
The best tornado plans are the ones people remember. Complicated flowcharts and multi page procedures don’t help when alarms are sounding. What does help is repetition, consistency, and simple language.
Employees should see shelter locations posted in their work areas, where they already spend time, not buried in binders. New hires should hear about tornado response early, not mentioned as a footnote in annual refresher training. Shelter plans should evolve regularly and be clearly communicated as buildings, layouts, and staffing changes.
Actionable goals:
- Verify all shelter locations annually and after facility changes;
- Post shelter maps where employees already look (break rooms, time clocks); and
- Incorporate tornado response into on-boarding, not just annual training.
Don’t rush the recovery
Once the storm passes, the risk isn’t over. Damaged structures, downed utilities, and debris create completely new and different hazards. This is where safety professionals need to slow things down and reassess controls.
Reentry should be intentional and expectations communicated clearly. Cleanup should be treated as hazardous work, not business as usual. The goal is to prevent the “second injury” that happens after the event.
Actionable goals:
- Require a hazard reassessment before reentry or cleanup begins,
- Treat cleanup as a hazardous task requiring PPE and other exposure controls, and
- Establish a formal “all clear” and re entry process.
Key to remember: What matters most with workplace tornado safety is not the plan itself, but how people respond. If employees have to stop and think when a warning comes in, it’s already too late. Real preparedness means knowing where to go and moving there without hesitation.
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
2026-05-04T05:00:00Z
NewsChild LaborChange NoticesWage and HourChange NoticeAssociate Benefits & CompensationVirginiaHR GeneralistAssociate RelationsEnglishHR ManagementFocus AreaTalent Management & RecruitingHuman Resources
Virginia amends child labor laws
Effective date: July 1, 2026
This applies to: Employers that have minors working for them
Description of change: On April 6, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger enacted a law changing the state’s child labor provisions, particularly those regarding employees who are at least 16 years old.
A child 16 years of age or older may work in an apprenticeship program or other work-based learning experience related to culinary arts or information technology, provided that the:
- Child is continuously enrolled in an accredited secondary school,
- Child is a registered apprentice,
- Child is employed in a work-training program administered under the Board of Education, and
- Work being performed isn’t in violation of federal or state laws.
The changes also prohibit all minors from working in occupations deemed hazardous under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, with some exceptions.
View related state info: Child Labor - Virginia
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2026-05-04T05:00:00Z
NewsChange NoticesChange NoticeCaliforniaMobile Emission SourcesCAA ComplianceEnvironmentalFocus AreaEnglishAir Programs
California permanently adopts emergency vehicle rules
Effective date: April 1, 2026
This applies to: New vehicle and engine manufacturers
Description of change: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) permanently adopted the Emergency Vehicle Emissions Regulations, which CARB adopted in 2025 as a temporary measure.
The rule reverts the emission standards and requirements for vehicle and engine manufacturers to the regulations in effect before the adoption of:
- Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), and
- Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Omnibus Low NOx (Omnibus).
CARB allows manufacturers to comply with ACC II and Omnibus requirements voluntarily.
In 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency revoked CARB’s waivers to implement the ACC II, Omnibus, and Advanced Clean Trucks rules.
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2026-05-04T05:00:00Z
NewsDistrict of ColumbiaChange NoticesChange NoticeCAA ComplianceEnvironmentalAir PermittingFocus AreaEnglishAir Programs
District of Columbia updates odor control permit rules
Effective date: April 10, 2026
This applies to: Entities required to obtain an operating air permit under Nuisance Odor Regulations
Description of change: The District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) finalized a rulemaking that allows sources of nuisance odors to implement odor controls before obtaining an operating air permit under 20 DCMR Section 200.
To qualify, an entity must obtain from the DOEE written approval of the controls in the Odor Control Plan (OCP) decision letter. Additionally, the source must apply for an operating permit under 200.2 within 60 days of receiving an OCP decision letter.
Related state info: Clean air operating permits state comparison
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2026-05-04T05:00:00Z
NewsSafe Drinking WaterChange NoticesChange NoticeWater ProgramsEnvironmentalCWA ComplianceEnglishWisconsinFocus Area
Wisconsin adds requirements to federal lead and copper drinking water rule
Effective date: May 1, 2026
This applies to: Public water systems
Description of change: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (department) finalized amendments to align state regulations with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) updated lead and copper control requirements for drinking water. While most of the amendments conform to federal standards, the state has additional standards. The department also:
- Requires community water systems to make four contact attempts (two more than federal requirements) by two different means for elementary schools and childcare facilities to schedule lead monitoring,
- Requires public water systems on reduced annual monitoring to analyze and report the same number of sample results for copper and lead (instead of the federal requirements that only half of the copper samples are analyzed),
- Requires public water systems undergoing temporary treatment or source water changes (unregulated by EPA) for more than 30 days to notify the department 10 days before the planned change or as soon as possible for an unplanned emergency change,
- Requires groundwater system water suppliers that request to limit their entry point sampling to obtain prior approval from the department,
- Requires water suppliers that provide point-of-use treatment devices for the corrosion control treatment compliance flexibility option to submit a written plan to the department (not required by the federal rule),
- Grants the department the authority to require analysis of total and dissolved lead during distribution system and site assessments where the federal rule doesn’t provide this authority to the state,
- Requires water suppliers that request to invalidate a reported sample result to provide substantial evidence that the sample meets one of the invalidation criteria in the rule, and
- Combines the lead and copper monitoring waivers into one waiver and requires public water systems to complete at least two 6-month rounds of standard tap water monitoring (for which the federal rule only requires one 6-month round).
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2026-05-01T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsFleet SafetyRisk Management TransportationRisk Management - Motor CarrierExpert InsightsFocus AreaEnglishTransportationUSA
Expert Insights: When the road triggers bad memories
Recently, friends were in one of the first cars to happen upon a crash involving an automobile and motorcycle. As they related their story, I could tell it was horrific and unsettling for them; they saw the motorcyclist severely injured and the automobile driver appearing dazed but unharmed. They didn’t know the details of the crash or whether the motorcyclist survived. But even as bystanders, it’s something they’ll never forget.
I can only imagine how hard it will be for the automobile driver to get behind the wheel again. She will probably struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD occurs when a traumatic event is relived through memory flashbacks. An intense memory is created when adrenaline is released during an event. The more adrenaline, the deeper the memory. Stimuli reminding them of the incident trigger intense emotions.
I suspect that commercial drivers who have been in a serious crash also struggle with PTSD.
Don’t lose good drivers to crash trauma
PTSD following a serious crash can leave a driver gun-shy — posing a safety risk on the road. Or it could result in a driver leaving the industry entirely. Following a serious crash, you might observe your driver:
- Having trouble getting back into a routine,
- Appearing troubled or withdrawn,
- Unable to concentrate,
- Experiencing heightened emotions, and/or
- Easily startled or frightened.
If you observe any of these behaviors, don’t ignore them. Express your concern to the driver and ask if there’s anything you can do to help. PTSD, if left unchecked, could result in depression, self-destructive behavior, substance abuse, or even suicide. Anxiety can lead to health issues.
If your company offers an employee assistance program (EAP), a driver struggling with the events of a serious crash could benefit from it.
By supporting drivers through difficult times, you can help save their emotional and physical health, and possibly their jobs.
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Copyright 2026 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.