by Shawn T. Steed
Agent, Environmental Horticulture Production
UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County

Florida agriculture has many challenges, some of which are managing our particular environmental conditions. Managing these challenges successfully can advance our family’s or business’ interests. One environmental challenge that producers face during the summer rainy season is the workplace danger of lightning. Protecting employees and yourself from the dangers of lightning is extremely important living in the “Lightning Alley” corridor of Florida. In fact, Florida leads as the number one state for lightning fatalities.

I have received questions like: “When do I need to pull workers from the field?” “When can my employees return to work after a storm?” “What do I need to do for OSHA in terms of lightning?” and “Can my workers wait in a greenhouse until the storm passes?” A fact sheet was created for agricultural operations to answer these questions and other information on the dangers of lightning, types of lightning and how injury can occur, how to protect oneself from this danger, how agricultural operations are required to protect employees, and a lightning safety plan.

To read more about lightning related to agriculture click here to view the fact sheet.

Shawn T. Steed
Agent, Environmental Horticulture Production
UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County

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