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Tips to limit storm damage to the greenhouse
A storm can cause significant damage to glass horticulture companies. The costs for a company, as a consequence of such a storm, may be hundreds of thousands of Euros – after all, there is not only glass damage, also parts of the crop and possible harvest will be lost. That is why it is important to take measures when there is a storm coming. This way you can reduce the risk of storm damage to a greenhouse. In this article our specialists list their tips to limit storm damage in the horticulture.
Measures to be taken before a storm
- Clean up packaging and loose objects outdoors, so they cannot blow against the glass.
- Close the greenhouse windows as far as possible. The plants will still be sufficiently ventilated, but in case of a sudden storm it will take less time to close the windows completely.
- If there is a screen system available in the greenhouse, open it. Then, in case of a storm, the cloth will not get damaged due to falling glass.
- May sure that employees are well instructed and know what to do in case of calamities: who are the EFAW-members, where are the First Aid kits and fire extinguishing equipment situated and where can the escape routes be found?
- Make sure you have sufficient glass in store and adequate emergency repair sets. Should the storm cause any damage after all, then you can act quickly. Also make sure that the tempered glass storage is divided as follows: 70% main windows, 15% vent windows and 15% below vent windows.
Measures during a storm
- Safety of the employees is the key issue! So make sure that everybody is warned as soon as possible, so they can leave the greenhouse immediately.
- In case of wind force 8 or higher close the vent windows completely if no damage was done yet to the greenhouse. In case there is damage already, venting is required to prevent overpressure. In that case open the windows at the leeside up to 5 centimeters at most. (Beware: for smaller greenhouses this is often impossible because of the ventilation layout. In that case keep the windows shut entirely).
- Adjust the greenhouse temperature. Closed vent windows will cause less ventilation or none at all. Take this into account so that no damage is done to the crop as a result of too high a temperature. Also alert the gas supplier that less gas will be used and claim force majeure.
Measures to be taken after a storm
- Also after a storm applies: safety first! So only enter the greenhouse if it is not too risky and if you wear a safety helmet, goggles, shoes, and gloves.
After a storm make an inventory as soon as possible of any damage and the size of it. Also make pictures of the damage caused by the storm.
Tips in case of storm damage
Even when taking all abovementioned measures, still storm damage may occur. If this is the case, take the following into account:
- If there is any damage report this to your insurance company as soon as possible.
- Also seek direct contact with the glass repair man, to have the damage repaired on short notice.
- Mark the location where damage has been identified. This will accelerate the activities and ensures that afterwards, during harvesting of the crop the food safety can be considered.
- Try to restore the greenhouse climate as soon and as well as possible by (provisionally) repairing the damage. You can also close the screen system to keep the heat in as much as possible or additionally heat the greenhouse. If you choose the latter, inform the gas supplier of this and claim force majeure.
- Check the condition of the natural enemies present in the crop. If they have severely weakened, you should introduce new product as soon as possible. Also assess whether it is necessary to apply pesticides, for example in case a disrupted plant balances could lead to root diseases.
Preparedness planning
In response to the severe weather of June 2016 in the southeast of the province of Brabant and the subsequent enormous damage, ZLTO has drawn up a preparedness planning, containing suggestions, tips and tricks about what to do in case of a similar crisis. Ask our specialist about this document.
Contact form
Can't find your answer? Fill out the contact form and our specialist Ben Peters will get back to you. On weekdays, even within 24 hours.
Tips to limit storm damage to the greenhouse
A storm can cause significant damage to glass horticulture companies. The costs for a company, as a consequence of such a storm, may be hundreds of thousands of Euros – after all, there is not only glass damage, also parts of the crop and possible harvest will be lost. That is why it is important to take measures when there is a storm coming. This way you can reduce the risk of storm damage to a greenhouse. In this article our specialists list their tips to limit storm damage in the horticulture.
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Measures to be taken before a storm
- Clean up packaging and loose objects outdoors, so they cannot blow against the glass.
- Close the greenhouse windows as far as possible. The plants will still be sufficiently ventilated, but in case of a sudden storm it will take less time to close the windows completely.
- If there is a screen system available in the greenhouse, open it. Then, in case of a storm, the cloth will not get damaged due to falling glass.
- May sure that employees are well instructed and know what to do in case of calamities: who are the EFAW-members, where are the First Aid kits and fire extinguishing equipment situated and where can the escape routes be found?
- Make sure you have sufficient glass in store and adequate emergency repair sets. Should the storm cause any damage after all, then you can act quickly. Also make sure that the tempered glass storage is divided as follows: 70% main windows, 15% vent windows and 15% below vent windows.
Measures during a storm
- Safety of the employees is the key issue! So make sure that everybody is warned as soon as possible, so they can leave the greenhouse immediately.
- In case of wind force 8 or higher close the vent windows completely if no damage was done yet to the greenhouse. In case there is damage already, venting is required to prevent overpressure. In that case open the windows at the leeside up to 5 centimeters at most. (Beware: for smaller greenhouses this is often impossible because of the ventilation layout. In that case keep the windows shut entirely).
- Adjust the greenhouse temperature. Closed vent windows will cause less ventilation or none at all. Take this into account so that no damage is done to the crop as a result of too high a temperature. Also alert the gas supplier that less gas will be used and claim force majeure.
Measures to be taken after a storm
- Also after a storm applies: safety first! So only enter the greenhouse if it is not too risky and if you wear a safety helmet, goggles,
shoes, and gloves.
After a storm make an inventory as soon as possible of any damage and the size of it. Also make pictures of the damage caused by the storm.
Tips in case of storm damage
Even when taking all abovementioned measures, still storm damage may occur. If this is the case, take the following into account:
- If there is any damage report this to your insurance company as soon as possible.
- Also seek direct contact with the glass repair man, to have the damage repaired on short notice.
- Mark the location where damage has been identified. This will accelerate the activities and ensures that afterwards, during harvesting of the crop the food safety can be considered.
- Try to restore the greenhouse climate as soon and as well as possible by (provisionally) repairing the damage. You can also close the screen system to keep the heat in as much as possible or additionally heat the greenhouse. If you choose the latter, inform the gas supplier of this and claim force majeure.
- Check the condition of the natural enemies present in the crop. If they have severely weakened, you should introduce new product as soon as possible. Also assess whether it is necessary to apply pesticides, for example in case a disrupted plant balances could lead to root diseases.
Preparedness planning
In response to the severe weather of June 2016 in the southeast of the province of Brabant and the subsequent enormous damage, ZLTO has drawn up a preparedness planning, containing suggestions, tips and tricks about what to do in case of a similar crisis. Ask our specialist about this document.
Contact form
Can't find your answer? Fill out the contact form and our specialist Ben Peters will get back to you. On weekdays, even within 24 hours.
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