Working in Rain + Bad Weather Reference

Why this matters

Weather doesn't stop service business - customers want their AC fixed in 95°F sun + their roof patched in rain. But weather creates safety hazards + work-quality issues. The tech who knows when to work, when to delay, + how to mitigate hazard makes good decisions. This is the field card.

Rain considerations

Light rain:

• Most outdoor work continues
• Increased slip risk
• Tools + materials need protection
• Customer interaction sheltered

Heavy rain:

• Many trades pause outdoor
• Visibility reduced
• Electrical hazards elevated
• Some work continues (urgent repair)

Thunderstorm:

• STOP outdoor work
• Move to shelter
• Electrical conductors + open exposure = danger
• Wait for storm to pass

After rain:

• Wet surfaces slick
• Roof shingles slippery
• Mud / wet soil unstable
• Some work better when dry

Lightning safety

When thunder is heard:

• Storm within 10 miles
• Lightning can strike well in advance of rain
• "When thunder roars, go indoors" - 30-30 rule (lightning, count to 30; thunder within 30 sec = unsafe)

Lightning hazards:

• Direct strike (rare but fatal)
• Side flash (current jumps from struck object)
• Ground current (struck ground to feet)
• Conduction (through tools, equipment, building)
• Streamers (positive charge from ground reaching up; can be dangerous)

Safe locations:

• Inside building (with walls + electrical wiring providing path)
• Inside enclosed vehicle (NOT open)
• Low ground, away from tall objects

Unsafe locations:

• Open area
• Top of building
• Near tall trees / poles
• Holding metal tools / ladders
• Pools / lakes / open water
• Tractor / open equipment

Wait 30 minutes after LAST thunder before resuming.

Cold weather

Below 32°F (freezing):

• Water-based products freeze
• Mortar / concrete unsafe to mix
• Some adhesives don't set
• Hands lose dexterity
• Gloves required

Below 20°F:

• Equipment harder to start
• Diesel gels (winter blend OR additive needed)
• Hydraulic fluid thickens
• Workers fatigue faster from cold

Below 0°F:

• Most outdoor work uncomfortable / dangerous
• Frostbite risk in minutes (exposed skin)
• Equipment failures common

Cold work practices:

• Layered clothing
• Wind breaker outer
• Insulated boots
• Glove dexterity matters
• Frequent warmup breaks
• Hot drinks (not alcohol)

Hot weather

(See heat-stress article for detail)

Quick reminders:

• Hydration
• Sun protection
• Schedule heavy work for cool hours
• Recognize symptoms in self + crew
• Cooling breaks

Wind

Light wind (under 10 mph):

• Minimal impact most work
• Loose materials secured

Moderate wind (10-25 mph):

• Ladder more dangerous
• Heavy material handling difficult
• Roofing concerns (shingles installing)
• Tarps / coverings need extra security

Strong wind (25-40 mph):

• Most ladder work paused
• Roof work paused
• Power lines may flex into trees
• Falling branches risk
• Aerial lift / boom work paused

Storm wind (40+ mph):

• Stop most outdoor work
• Pre-storm preparation (cover, secure)
• Avoid tall objects
• Stay alert for falling debris

Snow + ice

Snow falling:

• Visibility reduced
• Roof + ladder slippery
• Driving treacherous
• Workers cold + wet

Snow on roof:

• Don't walk roof
• Removal: from edge with snow rake (long pole)
• Don't dig down to shingles (damages)
• Ice dams = secondary problem

Ice on ground:

• Major slip / fall risk
• Salt + ice melt before work
• Boots with traction
• Slow down

Ice on equipment:

• Doesn't start
• Hydraulic lines stiff
• Use de-icer carefully (some flammable)

Specific weather + trade

Roofing:

• Most weather-sensitive
• Wet shingles = slip + install failure
• Cold shingles = brittle install
• High wind = no installs
• Hot roof = burns; install issues
• "Tear-off in rain" = water damage to interior

HVAC:

• Outdoor unit work in heavy rain difficult
• Cold-weather refrigerant readings (use charge chart for outdoor temp)
• Snow on outdoor unit = clear before service

Electrical:

• Don't work outdoor electrical in rain
• Wet ground + electrical = electrocution
• Wait for dry

Plumbing:

• Outdoor plumbing in freeze = frozen
• Excavation in rain = wet trench + cave-in
• Snow / ice = surface hazard

Lawn care:

• Rain delays mowing
• Wet grass = clumping + lawn damage
• Pesticide application requires dry conditions
• High wind = pesticide drift

Painting:

• Most paints need dry surface
• Cold temp = poor cure
• Hot temp = fast dry / lap marks
• Humid = slow dry / sagging

Weather-driven scheduling

Forecast checking:

• Hourly forecast 2-3 days out
• Customer pre-call for weather risks
• Buffer day for outdoor work

Decision threshold:

• "Maybe rain" → proceed; monitor
• "Light rain probable" → outdoor work questionable
• "Heavy rain / storm" → reschedule

Customer communication:

• Day-before: "Weather looks marginal; will confirm by [time]"
• Day-of: "Conditions don't allow safe work; rescheduling to [date]"

Customer respects safety reasoning; understands.

Customer wants you to work in unsafe weather

Sometimes:

• Customer in emergency (no heat, water damage)
• Customer not flexible
• Customer doesn't believe weather is severe

Stand your ground:

• "I can't safely [walk roof / work outdoor electric / etc.] in these conditions"
• "I can temporarily mitigate; come back [when safe]"
• "Safety is the issue, not preference"

A workplace injury isn't worth the customer's preference.

Vehicle considerations

Wet roads:

• Increased following distance
• Reduced speed
• Aware of hydroplaning at puddles

Snow / ice on roads:

• Chains OR winter tires
• Higher distances
• More dispatch time per call

Visibility (rain, snow, fog):

• Lights on (even in light rain)
• Reduced speed
• Hazards if stopped roadside

Materials in weather

Cold materials:

• PVC brittle (cracks easily)
• Caulks won't apply / cure
• Adhesives slow
• Concrete shouldn't pour below 40°F

Wet materials:

• Drywall absorbs; can't install
• Paint sheen affected
• Wood expands
• Insulation reduces R-value

Hot materials:

• Asphalt soft (footprints)
• Sealants run
• Adhesives set too fast

Specific actions

Tarping during rain (roofer):

• Cover damaged area temporarily
• Don't lose tarp to wind
• Customer's interior protected
• Resume work when dry

Water in customer's home during rain (any trade):

• If your work could cause additional water: pause
• If existing water from external source: address that first

Electrical work in damp basement:

• Pump out water first
• GFCI for any equipment
• Test before touching anything

Trench during rain:

• Cave-in risk amplified
• Water accumulates
• Most should pause

After-storm work

Treat every downed wire as energized and every flooded space as a shock hazard. Utility lines can re-energize without warning when a recloser operates or a crew restores a circuit. Keep the full pole-length away, keep the customer away, and call the utility. Do not enter standing water in a basement or crawlspace until the service is confirmed dead at the meter, and remember that a customer's generator backfeeding through a suicide cord will energize a panel that looks dead.

Hazards that are specific to the aftermath, not the storm:

• Trees and limbs under tension. A leaning tree resting on a roof or a service drop is a rigging job, not a chainsaw job.
• Structures that lost bracing. Wet, wind-loaded, or partially collapsed framing does not hold what it held last week. Do not walk a storm-damaged roof to "take a quick look."
• Gas. Shifted structures shear gas connections. If you smell it, leave, then call it in from outside.
• Carbon monoxide. Generators in garages and near open windows kill people in the days after a storm, not during it. Say something when you see one placed badly.
• Sewage and contaminated floodwater. Category 3 water needs the right PPE and the right scope, and it is not a plumbing repair you do in a t-shirt.

Triage before you dispatch. After a regional event the call volume will exceed capacity for days. Sort by life safety first (gas, electrical, CO, active water intrusion), then by loss prevention (tarps, board-ups, pump-outs, heat in freezing weather), then by comfort and convenience. Publish the order to the office so dispatch is not deciding one call at a time under pressure.

Mitigate now, repair later, and label them differently. Emergency tarping, board-up, water extraction, and temporary power are mitigation. They stop the loss from growing and are almost always covered. Permanent repair follows on a normal schedule, after adjuster involvement and material availability. Say which one you are doing, in writing, so nobody thinks the tarp was the repair they paid for.

Document before you touch anything. Wide shot, medium shot, close-up of every damaged area, plus the date. Once you tarp it, the original condition is gone and the adjuster is looking at your photos. This is the single highest-value ten minutes on a storm call.

Set honest timelines. During a widespread event, material is short, subs are booked, and permit offices are backed up. Give a realistic window and update it, rather than a comfortable one you will miss. Customers remember the miss far longer than the wait.

Do not gouge. Most states have price-gouging statutes that activate on a declared emergency and limit price increases on essential goods and services, with real penalties attached. Beyond the law, a storm is when your community forms a permanent opinion of your company. Charge your normal rates, charge honestly for overtime and after-hours, and stay off the list of contractors everyone warns their neighbors about.

Watch your own crew. Storm work runs long days back to back, in heat or cold, on damaged property. Fatigue is when the ladder falls. Rotate people, enforce breaks, and turn work away before you put a tired crew on a wet roof.

References

• OSHA 1926 (Construction Safety Standards)
• NWS (National Weather Service) lightning safety
• ANSI A14 (ladder safety wind ratings)
• Manufacturer guidance on material temperature limits
• Manuall internal: Heat Stress + Jobsite Hydration, Frozen Pipe Prevention + Thaw