Key Takeaways
- The workplace safety manual instructs employees to stop machines, close gas bottles, park and turn off vehicles, and evacuate using a path that is right-angled to the wind.
- “Right-angled direction of the wind” means moving perpendicular (90°) to wind flow—never with it or against it.
- When the wind blows toward your back (front → rear) or toward you (rear → front), moving sideways (right or left) maintains the correct perpendicular route.
- At the emergency meeting (assembly) point, everyone must check in (via badge or manually) and remain until a continuous tone confirms that it is safe to return.
Alarm and Evacuation Instructions
The manual outlines clear procedures for industrial or field settings:
When the site alarm sounds (a long, descending tone):
- Stop all machines and tools.
- Close gas bottles.
- Park vehicles at the roadside, switch off the engine, and leave the key inside.
- Choose an evacuation route that runs at a right angle to the wind and go to the nearest emergency meeting point.
At the meeting point (assembly area):
- Sign in using your badge; if no badge is available, sign manually.
- Wait until a continuous tone signals that the area is safe.
Illustrations on the page include blue evacuation arrows, a green assembly-point symbol, and a person holding an ID badge labeled “HID / Name.”
These visuals reinforce the steps to follow during emergencies and how to recognize safety signage.
Understanding “Right-Angled Direction of the Wind”
Practical meaning
The phrase means to move perpendicular (90°) to the wind’s direction. This rule prevents people from walking into or along the same line as wind-carried gases or smoke.
How it applies in real situations
- If the wind moves toward your back (front → rear), move right or left to stay perpendicular.
- If the wind moves toward you (rear → front), moving right or left also keeps you at a right angle to the flow.
Therefore, saying “If the wind is toward my back, I move to the right” is correct—it represents one possible perpendicular route to safety.
Translation Example
Spanish phrase (translated from Spanish):
“With the wind at my back, do I move to the right?”
This question clarifies how to interpret the instruction depending on wind orientation.
Definition: Right-angled
- Plain English meaning: forming a 90° (ninety-degree) angle; perpendicular.
- Linguistic origin: from “right” + “angle,” a common term in geometry, engineering, and safety design.
- Professional acceptance: widely used in technical and safety instructions to indicate movement at a perpendicular angle to a reference line—here, the direction of the wind.
Final Clarifications
- The instruction always means to move perpendicular to the wind’s flow.
- It applies whether the wind is moving toward or away from you; both cases require lateral (sideways) motion.
- The purpose is to minimize exposure to smoke or gas that the wind could carry directly into your path.
Verified Video Example (YouTube)
Title: Wind Flags Part 1: Why and How to Set Wind Flags for Optimal Accuracy
Description: Demonstrates how to read wind flags to determine safe directions for evacuation and environmental monitoring.
Verified: 12 October 2025 (Europe/Amsterdam)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEHCrR_umxs
Sources
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) – Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool
Practical guide on evacuation design and planning for workplaces. - OSHA Publication 3088 – How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations (PDF)
Official handbook on emergency preparedness. - OSHA Standard 1910.38 – Emergency Action Plans
U.S. federal regulation on the required content of emergency plans. - OSHAcademy – Emergency Response Plan Course
Training material mentioning wind-direction indicators for safe escape routes. - YouTube – Wind Flags Part 1: Why and How to Set Wind Flags for Optimal Accuracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEHCrR_umxs
Verified as live on 12 October 2025 (Europe/Amsterdam). - YouTube – Taking the Emergency Exit from a Wind Turbine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFNoM8yaUG0
Demonstrates emergency evacuation practices in windy environments.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 