In guidance published to help people through the exceptional circumstances of the last few days, the TUC is urging employees not to contemplate returning to their jobs until the floodwater has subsided, because attempting to drive or walk through flooded streets can be dangerous. Apart from the obvious dangers of vehicles being swept away or breaking down, attempting to travel to work by foot could prove hazardous as even where the levels are shallow, the murky water sometimes contaminated by sewage, will make it difficult to see any uncovered holes or drains below the surface.

Before any return to work in buildings hit by the floods, safety reps should meet employers to check that workplaces are safe for their colleagues to return. This means checking any affected factory, shop or office is not only dry, but has also been cleaned and disinfected. Portable gas or oil heaters can be used to speed up the drying process, but these should be placed in well-ventilated rooms, away from any flammable materials, says the safety advice. Those workplaces fortunate enough to have escaped the floodwater may still find themselves without electricity or running water.

A qualified electrician must check that any electrical equipment that has come into contact with floodwater is safe to use, and similar checks should take place before the power supply is turned back on. Fire exits, fire alarms and emergency lighting systems will also need to be looked at.

Other sources of advice include:

The Health Protection Agency http://www.hpa.org.uk/flooding/default.htm
NHS Direct http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=2284
Environment Agency advice on flooding http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/

The latest information on flooding and how to reduce its risk can be downloaded free-of-charge at the UK's Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) web site at www.planningmatters.co.uk

Developed and managed by Echelon Publishing, the RTPI site is an online 'learning zone' providing instant solutions to on-the-job planning issues that helps planners develop their management and planning skills.

Planning for flooding is a topical issue in England this summer, which has seen some of the highest July rainfall on record.

Developed by the School of Environment and Development at the University of Manchester, this latest 'knowledge builder' provides a balanced overview of the problems of flooding and its relevance to climate change.

The module covers fluvial, coastal, intra-urban and groundwater flooding, which can occur in isolation or in combination depending on circumstances such as location and climatic conditions.

The Flooding module is downloadable free of charge from www.planningmatters.co.uk/idx/16825

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