2023 Webinar: Best Practices for Dam Safety Warning Signs

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FEMA’s Dam Safety Warning Signs Best Practices is a compilation of existing leading practices from industry leaders to provide nationwide guidelines for consistent signage to improve public safety around dams. Through this webinar, attendees will learn about the importance of dam safety signage, how to assess the risks at dams that can be addressed by safety signage, and several best practices for materials, messaging, and maintenance for dam safety signage.

Key Takeaways:

1. Importance of dam safety signage.
2. Assessing the risks at dams that can be addressed by safety signage.
3. Best practices for signage location.
4. Best practices for sign messaging (text and pictograms).
5. Best practices for sign materials, colors, lighting, reflectivity, etc.
6. Best practices for sign maintenance.

Diana Castro

Senior Engineer

Atkins

Diana Castro is a geotechnical engineer with over 14 years of experience as a practicing dam safety engineer. This experience includes dam engineering planning, design, and construction support for dams located in the mid-Atlantic area and a role as a subject matter expert for FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program. Ms. Castro’s support for the National Dam Safety Program includes support for the dam safety collaborative technical assistance program, development of dam safety publications and products, and support for the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Grant Program.

Preston Wilson

Owner

Resilience Solutions Consulting

Preston Wilson is currently the CEO of Resilience Solutions Consulting. Preston has a B.S in Civil Engineering from Tennessee State University in Nashville Tennessee and is an experienced, and knowledgeable civil engineer with over twenty years of federal experience. He has worked as the Training manager for FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program, where he was responsible for developing and delivering training on emergency management and dam safety nationwide. Preston provided exercise development, facilitation, tools, templates, and training to local communities to validate and test dam incident plans, capability, capacity, process, and policies for effectiveness and efficiency. Preston was the main author on FEMA’s Emergency operations Planning: Dam Incident Planning Guide which provides practical instruction on how to develop emergency operation plans for dam incidents. Preston has become known as one of the most articulate voices in the field of bridging the gap between emergency management and dam safety.

Why do we need warning signs for dams?
- Public may not understand hazards associated with the dam
- Statistics of public safety issues at dams (ASDSO)
FEMA’s Dam Safety Warning Signs Best Practices - Purpose
- Promote consistent and recognizable public safety signage nationally
- Reduce the risk of injury or death around dams

Best Practices Resources
Identify the types of hazards or risks present at the dam facility under a range of scenarios
- Hazards from water flows
- Human actions
  - Identify what types of activities are occurring at dam
  - Identify public access points, portage trails, etc.
Assess the frequency and severity of these hazards or risks
- Estimate frequency of hazard
- Estimate consequences
- Calculate Risk Rating
- Assess and prioritize these risks then set boundaries
Eliminate or Mitigate the Risks
- Controlling exposure/access to the hazard
  - Deny access to site
  - Modify dam operations
- Education
- Plan for emergencies
- Safety signage
Safety Signage
- Danger
- Warning
- Informational/Educational
Messaging Guidance
- Challenges of Messaging
- Best Practices in using locally predominant language(s)
- Content
- Accessibility
- Community outreach/education
Design Guidance
- Layout
- Size
- Color
- Pictograms
- Materials
- Reflectivity/Lighting
Location Guidance and Installation
Sign Inspection and Maintenance
Resources