Flagpole storm safety advice
At Flagpole Company we monitor the Met Office weather throughout the year for their weather warnings indicating high winds. Although, storms and high winds can occur at any time during the year, they tend to be more frequent during the winter months. The Met Office UK Storm Centre who monitor storms and their frequency state that we are seeing more severe storms compared to 20 years ago.
Close monitoring of the Met Office weather website for severe weather alerts and high winds provides vital information for planning routine flagpole maintenance and working at high locations.
Flagpole safety advice recommends that flags should be removed when winds are expected to exceed 30 mph. In order to measure wind speed there is no need to have a specialised instrument wind speed can be estimated by using the Beaufort Scale. The Beaufort Scale wind force 6 indicates that speeds of around 25-30mph are identified by visual signs of: large branches in motion; whistling heard in telegraph wires and umbrellas used with difficulty. This is the point when you need to remove your flag, before irreparable damage or the wind increases to a point on the scale when it would be unsafe to remove the flag. Details about the Beaufort Scale can be found on our website.
Watch out for our weather warnings, when winds are expected to exceed 30 mph and safety advice for when to remove your flag.
At Flagpole Company we recommend an annual maintenance inspection to ensure your flagpole is fully functional and safe. To organise yours please email, call 01245 230700 or complete our online form
