Magic Glasses: Preparing for the Storm
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
When a site is calm, it is easy to believe it is under control. The Magic Glasses help you look past what the site looks like now and see what wind, rain, and disruption will do to it a few hours later. The difference is not luck - it is the ability to project ahead and make the site safe before the weather event arrives.
Quick Scene-Setter
The site is still calm.
Materials are stacked out. Temporary barriers are in place. Some work is partly completed. The plant is parked up. Accessways are open. Nothing looks especially wrong.
But the forecast has changed. A major weather event is coming, with wind gusts up to 130 km/h overnight.
At first glance, the site still looks fine.
What Most People See
Most people see a normal end-of-day close-down.
They see:
gear where it was left
barriers still standing
materials stacked where they were unloaded
partly finished work that seems stable enough
parked plant and cranes that are no longer operating
tomorrow’s weather as tomorrow’s problem
The common mistake is thinking that if lifting has stopped, the main risk has gone.
It has not.
What the Magic Glasses Show You
The trained view is different.
A competent person looks at the whole site and asks one question:
If the storm hits tonight, what on this site could move, fail, collapse, flood, blow away, or create a hazard for the next person who arrives?
That changes everything.
1. Loose and light items become hazards fast
A calm site can hide significant storm risk.
Anything light, broad, tall, or poorly restrained can become dangerous in high winds:
plywood and sheeting
barriers and signage
shrink-wrapped packs
pallets and dunnage
rubbish and loose packaging
temporary covers
unsecured tools and equipment
The hazard guidance makes it clear that wind is a common environmental hazard and that conditions must be reviewed as the environment changes.
The Magic Glasses see that what looks harmless in still air may become airborne, unstable, or scattered across the site once the gusts build.
2. Temporary works can fail after everyone has gone home
Storm preparation is not only about loose objects. It is also about anything temporary that depends on conditions staying reasonable.
WorkSafe guidance on precast highlights that adverse weather, unstable work areas, and inadequate support conditions can contribute to collapse and other serious risks.
That same thinking applies across the site:
temporary bracing
edge protection
fencing
covers over penetrations
stacked materials
propped items
incomplete installations
partially secured structures
What holds in calm weather may not hold through a severe wind and rain event.
3. Rain changes the ground and access
The site you leave in the afternoon may not be the site you return to in the morning.
Rain can change:
ground bearing capacity
access routes
edges near excavations
laydown areas
drainage paths
mud and slip conditions
vehicle access for the next shift
The hazard material and crane stability guidance both reinforce the need to assess ground conditions and review hazards as conditions change.
The Magic Glasses do not just look at what might blow over. They also look at what might soften, sink, wash out, or become unsafe to approach.
4. One hazard can create another
Storm events do not usually create one neat problem at a time.
A blown barrier can expose a drop. A shifted load can block access. Water can pool where people need to walk. Debris can move into traffic routes. A damaged fence can create public exposure.
That is why exclusion zones and clear risk controls matter. McLeod’s exclusion zone draft makes the point that higher-risk activities and areas need defined controls, and that people should not enter unless they understand the hazards and the controls in place.
Before the storm, the site needs to be left in a condition where risks are controlled, even when no one is on-site to supervise.
5. Some equipment still needs storm checks - but only as part of site safety
This post is not about crane operation. But site safety still includes checking how the plant and cranes are left.
For example:
parked equipment should be left in a safe condition
tower cranes may need confirmation that wind speed limits, out-of-service settings, and weather vaning requirements are understood and applied
anything with height, reach, or exposed surface area needs to be considered as part of the wider site plan
That is still a site safety issue, not just a crane issue.
The Controls That Matter
Before a major weather event, practical site controls should include:
Check the latest forecast before leaving the site, including wind gusts and rain, not just general conditions.
Walk the full site and identify what could move, blow away, collapse, flood, or become exposed.
Secure or remove loose materials, light items, temporary covers, signs, bins, packaging, and anything with sail area.
Check temporary works, braces, props, barriers, fencing, edge protection, and partially completed work.
Review stacked materials and laydown areas. Make sure they remain stable if hit by wind or rain.
Confirm drainage paths and identify low points where water could pond or create access issues.
Check accessways, excavations, soft edges, and any area where the ground could deteriorate overnight.
Leave plant and equipment in a safe condition for the forecast conditions.
Where cranes are on site, confirm relevant storm settings and limitations are accounted for as part of the overall site preparation.
Make sure the next crew arriving can quickly and safely recognise any remaining risks.
Magic Glasses Checklist - Preparing for the Storm
What could become airborne tonight?
Which temporary item relies on calm weather?
What could collapse, shift, or lose support if the rain arrives?
What ground or access conditions could be worse by morning?
What could move into a public, traffic, or work area?
What needs to be removed, not just checked?
What needs to be restrained, not just left in place?
What equipment needs storm settings confirmed?
If the first person on site arrives in the dark or rain, what will they face?
Preparing for a storm is not about reacting when the wind arrives. It is about seeing the site a few hours ahead of time and addressing problems before they start.
That is what the Magic Glasses add. You stop looking at a calm site and start seeing a weather event acting on everything temporary, loose, exposed, unfinished, and easily overlooked.
The next step is simple: before leaving, walk the site once more and ask, “If the storm hits tonight, have we left this place safe?”
Magic Glasses: The magic glasses come from the reality of - when I look at my books, I don't see a problem. But when my accountant looks at the books, it's a whole different story. He must have a special set of glasses.
As PCBU's, Officers and Workers, we have an obligation to learn what we are up to and the risks. Our actions and the standards we accept also affect those around us. This magic glasses post is made to help others see what we see.
