Red Alert: Workplaces to feel the heat as storms, tempers, and temperatures soar
Conditions Causing Agnes Winds Localised storm Hit Cork Driving Flooding, And Andy Last Fallen Rain Picture: Trees, September With West And Torrential Gibson Hazardous High
As businesses and households across the north of the country were left in the dark due to Storm Isha, the phone lines at Clarkes of Cavan began to light up.
A staff member at the superstore said it sold out of its entire range of generators in just a few days. Its website says it all: “The storms are here. Don't be left in the dark with our massive range of generators.” This level of demand is nothing new either, and is likely growing — in 2022 another large retailer reported that its sale of generators jumped 250%.
It’s a reminder that the impact of storms could change how we work into the future, and not just during the winter months. As storm season rattles through the alphabet and planes carry out interminable circuits above Dublin Airport, the summer might seem far away. Yet for some office workers, the prospect of working in an office might acquire an added difficulty.
Last summer, Labour Party senator Marie Sherlock called for the immediate introduction of legally defined maximum temperature limits for outdoor and indoor work in Ireland in light of the likelihood of increased summer temperatures.
Trade union Siptu says it is a growing issue and one where Ireland lags behind many of its European partners. It’s another reminder, on top of the spate of storms this winter, that climate change is leading to a growing number of severe weather events. And while it is far from the only significant impact, how it affects workplaces and how we work may become more prominent as the months and years tick by.
According to a Siptu spokesperson: “The increase in extreme weather events is already manifesting itself in the work of our members employed in local authorities. Our members in the Outdoor Grades are increasingly required to carry out works such as flood protection, flood repairs, and storm damage such as fallen trees/road obstructions. Our members in the Fire, Rescue and Emergency services are increasingly called to assist members of the public who are the victims of increasingly severe weather events such as road accidents, collapsed buildings (roofs etc) and flooding.
“We don’t have any specific data on disputes [relating to severe weather], however, there are increasing concerns expressed by our members that Local Authorities need to do more to prepare for increasing numbers of extreme weather events. For example, in the Retained Fire Services, there are concerns about mobilising firefighters to make their way to their Fire Stations during Red Alert warnings, where their personal car insurance may prohibit them from making such journeys. Some Local Authorities are reluctant at present to make adequate preparations for extreme weather events, such as placing Retained Firefighters on standby in their Stations, most likely because of the financial cost. This has led to localised disputes on a number of occasions and the department has not issued guidance on this growing concern to date.”
That’s one example, and there could be more as weather systems of various types impact the country in the years to come.
Last November, as yet another storm system approached the country, the Workplace Relations Commission issued a statement outlining how "extreme and severe weather events can impact on an employee’s ability to report for work and an employer’s ability to operate his/her business and to be able to provide work".
It noted that "in general, there is no statutory entitlement for an employee to be paid if they cannot attend work because of extreme weather. Any more beneficial arrangement is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee.”#
However, it said: "Employers are encouraged to take a long-term view of the working relationship, recognising that demonstrating concern for the welfare of employees and treating employees fairly translates into a better working environment to the benefit of both the staff and the employer.”
According to industry body IBEC, this has been happening. A spokesperson said: "We are observing a growing trend among businesses in the development of policies aimed at clarifying and identifying situations that may impact the safety of staff commuting to the workplace or travelling for work. These policies are designed to establish guidelines for employees facing challenges in commuting to work or attending work-related events or venues during periods of adverse weather conditions and resulting transport disruptions. Additionally, these policies offer guidance to employees on assessing their personal safety and working safely in specific weather conditions, such as ice or snow.”
The WRC noted: "Employers may have included policies and procedures in their contracts of employment to cover severe weather events” but much of the finer detail is at the discretionary agreement of employer and worker.
One scenario that may well present itself more often in the event of severe weather is the employee being able to work, but the place of work not being able to open. According to the WRC: “In these circumstances, the employer may put employees on a period of 'layoff'. An employer may lay off employees when there is no work available for a temporary period with that employer. If employees are laid-off then the employer is not obliged to pay employees. Laid-off employees may be entitled to Jobseekers Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance from the Department of Social Protection for the days they are not working.”
IBEC said it was “concerning" that Irish communities have experienced several extreme weather events, with some resulting in widespread damage and disruptions to the supply of electricity and water for hundreds of thousands of businesses and households nationwide.
For ESB Networks, the numbers are revealing. An ESB spokesperson said: "The 2023/24 season has seen considerably more named storms come to fruition compared to the 2022/23 season, in which just two named storms (Antoni and Betty) were recorded, both occurring last August. Disruptive storms during the summer/autumn period are not uncommon and ESB Networks has experienced other disruptive storms in recent years, including Storms Ellen and Hector which occurred in August 2020 and June 2018 respectively. There’s no denying that with the fact that we’re already up to letter J (with Storm Jocelyn), this winter has seen a significant increase on last winter in terms of ESB Networks’ storm response.
“However, similar numbers of storms did occur between 2015 and 2018, and ESB Networks responded as necessary in those power restoration efforts. ESB Networks continues to liaise closely with Met Éireann, who are better placed than us to comment on frequency and intensity of storms.”
Storm Isha certainly packed a wallop. According to ESB Networks there was a peak number of 235,000 customers without power, necessitating one of the most significant storm responses of recent years. "For comparison, Storm Ophelia in October 2017 had a peak of 395,000 customers without power,” the spokesperson said. "Power restoration to all customers post-Ophelia took nine days, while full power restoration last week including the additional impact of storm Jocelyn, took six days.”
This can have an attritional effect on workplaces, both public and private. It is often the task of local authorities to both limit the impact of severe weather by taking precautions in advance, alongside the job of cleaning up the mess afterwards.
A spokesperson for the County and City Management Association (CCMA), which represents county and city chief executives, said when adverse weather events cause emergency situations such as flooding, road blockages, ice or snow come into effect, local authorities implement tailored action plans — actions which are "event specific", involving the deployment and redeployment of personnel and resources from specific departments to coordinate, manage and address the emergency presenting. "
"During 2022, 198 Severe Weather Emergency Response Team meeting were held by local authorities, with 26 Emergency Response Plans activated.
“Each local authority has a climate team in place to coordinate climate action programmes across the local authority and its area. Climate action training has been provided to almost 30,000 local authority employees and councillors and a follow-on training programme is currently in development."
There are more than meteorological storms on the horizon. Last October the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council published a report titled What climate change means for Ireland's public finances. In addition to the broader issues, it also outlined how an increase in major weather events would impact the economy, stating: "There could also be additional costs arising from the State having to provide supports to respond to more frequent and more adverse extreme weather events." Physical risks from climate change can impact revenue in several ways. For instance, days of work may be lost due to extreme weather conditions. Similarly, extreme weather events may negatively affect agricultural output leading to a loss in tax revenue from this sector," it said.
"Given the unpredictable nature of extreme weather events, quantifying the risks to revenue from physical risks is extremely uncertain.
"In terms of public expenditure related to physical risks from climate changes, the repairing/rebuilding of public property, including critical infrastructure, will see an increase in expenditure as weather events become more extreme. Were some of the costs of repairing/rebuilding private property to be subsidised, this could also see additional public expenditure."
More generally, it said: "Ireland has had a 14% probability of one or more extreme weather events occurring (equating to once-in-every-seven years). Costs associated with these events have averaged about 0.1% of GNI [Gross National Income].
"However, major weather events appear to have become more frequent in Ireland in recent decades. For instance, current 1-in-100 year extreme sea level events are projected to occur at least annually in half of all tidal gauge locations by 2100. As such, these events may become more frequent and more costly. Experiences in other European countries show that events closer to once every three years and with costs potentially closer to 0.2% of GNI are not unprecedented."
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council pinpointed possible falls in consumer spending, damage to assets and "stranded assets" — "like petrol and diesel motor vehicles might lose value more rapidly than previously was the case" — as other areas of concern, alongside the future stability of insurance firms. Mitigation measures such as upgrading flood defences were seen as essential, not least because without that the ultimate cost could be even higher. The resources needed to mitigate against and repair storm damage also need serious thought. In practical terms, it's a matter of logistics, with ESB Networks revealing that multi-day power restoration after the most severe storms tends to involve the redeployment of crews from less impacted areas of the country to counties where storm damage is worst. One example was the redeployment of crews from Cork to Donegal in the aftermath of Storm Isha, as well as calling in a voluntary arrangement involving the electricity Network Operators of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Isle of Man to help out.
Go up to the next level and the strength of the electricity grid itself must be maintained and enhanced. that is the responsibility of EirGrid, which has already determined where it sees the major risks from climate change. According to an Eirgrid spokesperson: "Having completed a risk assessment on the potential impacts of climate change on the electricity grid in the future, we have identified flooding as the biggest risk to the transmission system, resulting from extreme weather events like storms. "Increased wind speeds have also been identified as a risk to transmission assets, while temperature rise, high-temperature extremes and heat waves may have an impact on asset life and equipment ratings."
Eirgrid is part of the move to reach carbon emissions targets and the switch to renewable forms of energy, and anticipates more than 350 projects which need to be completed to reinforce the system and meet 2030 targets, in what it said was "the most ambitious programme of works every undertaken on the transmission system in Ireland".
Ultimately, it will all be to maintain what we already take for granted — the ability to keep the lights on, even in the worst of weather, and in the knowledge that any loss of power will likely be temporary.
Yet one major change has already taken place, and it is likely to have a broader influence if more severe weather events and climate change alter how and where we work. The pandemic turned all our lives upside down yet while the intense focus on infection rates has all but disappeared from view, working from home is now an in-built part of the labour market.
New research published earlier this year argues that "Working from home (WFH) is being seen as a potential solution to many contemporary problems from congestion to global warming and work-life balance”. That study, published in and carried out by researchers at the Trinity Centre for Transport Research, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, compared the results of two surveys conducted on the subject of work commutes in 2019 — pre-pandemic — and in 2020. It found that those in the 25–34 and 35–44 age groups had a stronger preference for more WFH in the 2020 sample and that this was also true of those in the 55–64 age group, as their preferences switched from not wanting to WFH more to being positively disposed to WFH.
IBEC acknowledged that "there are instances where the impact of severe weather conditions is not as acutely felt by some businesses because their employees are in a position to work from home". And that is a boon for those who can do it, not least when you see the recent disruption to travel plans caused by Storms Isha and Jocelyn — not just the flights unable to land at Dublin Airport, but also issues on the ground.
According to the National Transport Authority: "For the recent Storms of Isha and Jocelyn, we experienced a power outage in some bus depots but the generators kicked in so services were continued. We have resilience built in for weather events, in cold conditions we have heaters in place for the trams and the rail network so that they can remain operational. "In respect of bus routes, Bus Inspectors will travel the route and examine that it is safe for buses to run on the route before they leave the depots. Wind speeds are also challenging for public transport operations but again plans are in place to address these when this happens.
“In terms of costs in respect of storms and weather events, any costs incurred are taken out of the daily running costs for PSO services nationally. In Storm Isha, a roof of a hotel landed in a bus depot car park and a street light came down in Storm Jocelyn and landed on three PSO buses in the car park. The buses had to be repaired but were back in service within two days."
According to IBEC, "safeguarding and enhancing our critical infrastructure has never been more crucial. This encompasses not only our digital infrastructure, facilitating remote work, but also the security of our energy supply. For local businesses, enhancing our flood defences emerges as a pressing concern, underscored by the significant damage inflicted on them in recent flooding incidents. Furthermore, it is imperative to safeguard, when safe, the uninterrupted operation of our critical services and public transport during periods of severe weather.
While Ibec welcomes much of the work done on the review of the National Planning Framework, the speed and effective implementation will be the key metric of success."
Which leaves the employee. According to Siptu, there needs to be national guidance issued by Government in relation to making adequate preparations for extreme weather events, that includes proper consultation with workers to ensure proper safe systems of work are put in place for frontline essential workers, such as Local Authority workers.
It seems there may be a draw on generators for some time to come.
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