What Businesses are Affected by High Winds and Wind Gusts?

High winds and wind gusts pose a safety risk that many different businesses often underestimate but need to be aware of. Unsafe wind speeds and gusts can lead to many safety issues such as major project delays, potential hazard, and unnecessary extra costs. Below are some types of business sectors that need to pay close attention on the current wind speeds and expected wind patterns.

Construction Sites

Remember about the fatal crane collapse in Seattle and Dallas happened in 2019? High winds plays a role in both accidents. Construction site often filled with various equipment of different heights, such as cranes, staging, forklifts, and hoists.

As the construction progresses and the building climbs upwards, the risks and the effect of strong winds on the surrounding area will change as well. When the wind is diverted by these high structures, the “downdraught effect” can occur. Downdraught effect happens where the air hits a building, push and spread in all directions, which then force air downwards, as a result the wind speed  at street level will increase. And, if several high-rise building or structures located near each other, wind acceleration may occur as a result of air being squeezed through a narrow space, this effect known as “channelling”.

On top of that, high winds and gusts sometimes imply a sign of adverse weather such as a possible coming storm or heavy rain which can delay project time schedule, any lost work day or weeks in the construction industry can be costly for management. if advance warning is provided then the impact of adverse weather condition can be managed better and reduced fatalities.  

This is why a wind monitoring device like Scarlet’s wireless wind sensor becomes so crucial on construction sites, showing detailed wind speed data and condition. The bigger and more complex the construction site, the more sensors are needed, as wind conditions can vary greatly along with different heights and even over a relatively small area.

Oil and Gas

In this industry, monitoring the wind accurately helps with safe operation. Weather conditions in hazardous petrochemical environments such as in offshore oil & gas, chemical plant, oil tankers, gas pipeline monitoring station, need extra safety attention as these areas tend to be more dangerous and explosion-sensitive, therefore using an explosion-proof wireless wind sensor is highly recommended rather than just using a normal wind sensor. Beside wind speed, wind direction is another important measurement that should be taken into account in this industry, so make sure your wind sensor can measure both wind speed and wind direction accurately.

Landscape Development and Agriculture

Winds are closely related with weather. And weather conditions affect landscape development and agricultural activity. Wind speed varies with height and terrain, wind speed will increase as elevation increases. In contrast, as terrain becomes rougher, the rate of wind speed increase slows down. This means that the wind speed varies in different landscape, wind speed in an open rural environment will increase with height much faster than in a dense urban center.This is why wind  is one of the important environmental element that should not be neglected when it comes to landscape development and agriculture.

In agriculture, wind sensor is used to find suitable days for spraying or dusting crops, and taking crop samples. It is also used to collect long term environmental data of a certain area and to study pattern of storm or any potential hazardous weather condition so preventive action can be taken accordingly.

While for landscape development, wind is one of the key affecting factor in the formation and development of any infrastructure. For instance, to understand and decide whether a certain place is suitable for residential area, city development project, any infrastructure project such as bridge or for other construction, meteorological parameters (wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) have an important role to guide the whole architectural planning and design.

Shipping Industry

Wind is one of the environmental factors affecting shipping safety.In fact, it is estimated that over 30% of shipping accidents around the world are caused by poor weather conditions(Faulkner, 2004). According to a study analyzing a 10-year ship accidents that occurred in poor weather or heavy seas, the results indicated that co-occurring wind sea and swell, especially when certain conditions occur, may lead to hazardous seas and present threats to shipping activities.

The shipping industry delivers 90% of all world trade (IMO, 2011) and with the increased frequency of shipping activities, shipping safety has become a major concern.This is why accurate and timely wind data for safe ship navigation is needed and sea ports, harbors and  shipping companies always pay close attention to wind conditions.Important decisions need to be based on data and scientific evidence. Therefore, the use of a reliable and accurate wind sensor is crucial in the marine industry.

Communications Towers

In this modern day, everything is about connectivity and communications towers plays a vital role in providing this connectivity. Communication towers help with the signal reception of wireless network such as from mobile phones and other wireless communication devices like television and telephone.Any damage with towers can disturb network connectivity which result in business activity and daily life interruption.

Communication towers has ranging heights and features that covers a certain network area. Wether it is monopole or self-supporting type towers, it is a common view to spot at least one or multiple wind sensors on it, that is because wind sensor helps with wind speed measurement which taken into account in the tower’s wind load capacity assessment.

From time to time, maintenance workers may also need to climb the tower for inspection. High wind speeds may put maintenance worker’s life at risk, so having a wind sensor for accurate and reliable wind conditions measurement is needed, especially considering the height they need to reach.

Mining Sites

Mining is another industry with extreme working conditions that safety becomes top primary concern. There are many factors that can lead to dangerous events, from hazardous gas leaks to collapsing tunnels or even wild explosions.

High winds speeds can be a posing threat for cranes, vehicles or other equipment operating on the surface. Therefore, wind sensor is one of the key tools to monitor and implement strategies to lessen the risks associated with high winds.

Many mines are also located in remote area with extreme conditions where rigid and durable wind sensor is needed. Considering the safety issues associated with the explosion-sensitive work condition, using an explosion-proof wind sensor is also recommended.

In conclusion, we  have seen how wind conditions can affect different businesses across various industries and how important wireless wind sensor plays a role to ensure a smooth and safe operation. Scarlet’s wireless wind sensor fits multiple applications to monitor and provide accurate data of current wind conditions and forecasts to anticipate accordingly for future fatalities. This gives your business a cost-effective solution to better understand what is happening and what about to happen, it is better to be prepared than be sorry.

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