Hurricane Season 2021: Attention Miami-Dade Developers, Contractors & Homeowners

From the City of Miami:

June 1, 2021

ATTENTION ALL DEVELOPERS, CONTRACTORS AND HOMEOWNERS:

(a)During such periods of time as the National Weather Service has issued a severe weather advisory that is in effect for Miami-Dade County, best efforts must be used so that all furniture, display racks, material and similar loose objects in exposed outdoor locations, including loose material of projects under construction are secured or otherwise appropriately braced to rigid construction or stored in buildings to the extent practicable given the conditions.

Orders shall be oral or written and shall be given to any person on the premises most logically responsible for maintenance and such orders shall be carried out before winds of tropical storm velocity are anticipated.(b)After winds of the velocity associated with a severe weather event are experienced and have subsided, the Building Official shall investigate to determine if damage has occurred to buildings or other structures.(c)No building or other structure or assembly or part thereof, which was damaged or collapsed or out of plumb or line shall be repaired or altered or otherwise returned to its original position without inspection and approval by the Building Official.

A"Loose Object” is any object contained in any outdoor location of any residential, commercial, and industrial property in incorporated and unincorporated Miami-Dade County that may become windborne during a severe weather event including but not limited to outdoor furniture such as chairs and tables, display racks, bicycles, toys, loose debris, bulky waste, gardening supplies, household items, and business or industrial supplies or materials.

Hoisting Equipment shall abide by all manufacturers' recommendations relating to hurricane preparedness including any relating to the placement and removal of advertisement banners, the use and removal of rigging. Tower crane turntable must be lubricated prior to the event. Mobile cranes with fixed booms must be laid down whenever feasible. Hydraulic cranes must have booms retracted and stored. Any counterweighted hoist must have the counterweight locked below the top tie-in. Tower crane must be set in the weathervane position. All rigging must be removed from the hoist block. All power at base of tower shall be disconnected by a general contractor. A hurricane preparedness plan which conforms with the requirements of this section shall be available at the site for inspection.

(a)All city permit holders are required to secure their construction sites when an emergency warning or watch as is relates to weather phenomena or any other warning or watch for which an unsecured construction site could become detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the community has been declared affecting the city.

(b)All city permit holders are required to secure the construction sites and surrounding areas as required by the department of resilience and public works from actions including, but not limited to, soil erosion, discharge of water or sediments into the storm drains or waterways, discharge of waste water from excavations into the storm drains or waterways, and discharge of oils or oil compounds into the storm drains or waterways.

This press release was produced by the City of Miami. The views expressed here are the author’s own.