Providing Protection for Construction Workers during Winter Season: A Guide
Winter season will dominate the next three months, and temperatures are rapidly dropping! It will be a perfect time to start brushing up on seasonal safety practices on site. While OSHA does not have any specific standards that cover working in cold environments, employers are responsible for protecting the construction workers during this season. Winter conditions like snow, frost, ice, frigid temperatures, and heavy rain can cause extreme danger and severe accidents while being at work. Several practices and guidelines are implemented that pay special attention nowadays during the winter months.
Here is a comprehensive guide to keeping your construction workers safe and warm during the winter season.
Combatting Cold on the Worksite
Everyone working and participating in the construction industry knows what type of environment they are exposed to. Taking a single day off is not even possible. They are expected to work, whether for bridge inspections, burying cables, patching potholes, or constructing new buildings. Indeed, construction works are unstoppable and it happens year-round in various types of conditions.
The ongoing safety of construction workers must be a top-of-mind concern for project leaders and contractors. Below you will discover some general recommendations and practical tips on keeping construction crews extra safer and warmer during the winter season.
1. Monitor Physical Conditions of Every Construction Worker
Working in a cold environment causes several adverse effects directly on the human body. It elevates the risks of cold-associated injuries and other common hazards. When being affected by frost and cold, construction workers may show signs like slurred speech, uncontrollable shivers, and erratic behavior. The ability to determine the symptoms of cold stress is critical for the prevention of cold-related injuries. To maintain a healthier body in a colder environment, workers must work harder but with limitations.
There are some cases when the body temperature drops, the wind chill tends to increase, and heat is leaving the body too quickly. Project leaders have to continually remind the workers to feel the changes in their body, particularly during this cold season. While it is essential to be more cautious of physical conditions on the worksite, it is equally imperative to pay close attention to the coworkers and their current well-being to prevent any health issues best.
2. Review Upcoming Weather Conditions
Actively monitoring weather conditions is vital during the winter seasons. Contractors and project leaders should have reliable means of communication with each crew member. Evacuating and stopping work on-site can be done if necessary, especially when it is not safe anymore. There are a particular set of public warnings provided by the community. Being aware and alert in the news updates is necessary as well. News can be accessed and watched everywhere and anytime.
Construction firms and companies have to follow the instructions given by the local authorities. These warnings are expected to be taken seriously and respectfully by the consensus.
3. Wear Appropriate Clothing
Dressing correctly for any weather conditions is the primary preventative of cold stress. When adverse environmental surroundings and low temperatures cannot be avoided, proper apparel is ready to use for the workers. It ensures that they are properly equipped in working to a colder worksite. Here are some of the typical clothes and apparel to wear during the cold season.
· Loose clothing that doesn’t inhibit warm blood from flowing the entire body
· Multiple layers for wind protection and better insulation
· Mask to cover the mouth, neck, and face
· Insulated gloves
· Warm hat to lessen the amount of heat released directly by the head
· Waterproof, insulated boots for foot protection
When integrating this group of items into the winter wardrobe, personal protective equipment (PPE) and high-visibility clothing should still be worn. To prevent cold stress and the addition of safety guidelines, always keep extra clothes on hand just in case. It is a great way to be alert and be extra prepared.
4. Be Prepared for Thawing and Freezing Effects
It is crucial to be aware of the possible effects of thawing and freezing variations, especially when temperatures vary during the year. The said temperature variations can create slippery conditions both for decking and roofing. TPO and PVC roofs can be hazardous during the winter season. Sadly, there were only a few ways to address such an issue because most ice-melt chemicals can immediately void a warranty when purposely applied.
In some cases, the only redress in the circumstance is to start work later in the morning. By doing so, it gives ice/snow sufficient time to melt. Before also applying any form of chemicals to melt the snow and ice, it is equally essential to check first with a supplier. Suppliers are expected to determine whether it needs some ice-melting chemicals or not.
5. Prepare the Site Accordingly to Prevent Falls and Slips
Walking and pacing from one end at the construction site to another can be too risky, especially when the safety precautions are not taken properly. Everybody already knows the demolition debris or the complement of construction and lose tools and equipment. Take note of the results when letting snow and freezing rain added to the mix. As a result, the compounded risk of laborers loses its footing.
OSHA usually requires worksite managers to maintain a working environment where the “working-walking environment” is free from slip hazards and trips. It includes thorough inspections of all areas regularly before each shift. It is instrumental in carrying out mitigation efforts.
Moreover, enforcing better footwear choices is one way of minimizing fall-and-slip injuries. Others also include ice and snow removal as soon as it starts to spread and accumulate across walking surface areas for additional traction.
6. Set up Warming Stations and Rotate Laborers Regularly
Even if everyone has done their very best to take every safety precaution, cold stress overrides and can quickly set in. If there is a one-season out of four that calls for more worker changeover, frequent breaks, and shorter shifts overall, it is wintertime.
That is the very reason why OSHA strongly suggests that all site managers should create warm space areas for construction workers. This area serves as a rest stop where they can recuperate as they needed to. Most working sites employ hot drink stations and portable space heaters where workers can access throughout their shifts. The act falls under OSHA Act of 1970, which acknowledges the employer’s duty to protect workers from any form of hazards.
7. Prepare Winter Emergency Kit
In the winter season, a winter emergency kit must be prepared. It should also contain each of the following listed below:
· Ice scraper
· Emergency flares
· Aluminum shovel and portable steel
· Sleeping bag or blankets
· Jumper cables
· Spare food and water
· Extra batteries and flashlights
· Fully stocked first-aid kits
· Portable air compressor and spare tires
· Tow straps and chains
Every vocational truck or vehicle on the site must have a similar emergency kit due to winter weather. It is smart to encourage workers to set up and prepare a season-appropriate and well-stocked emergency kit in any personal trucks they used to travel from one construction site to another.
Other Cold Weather Guidelines
OSHA’s cold stress guideline serves as a helpful reference guide to prevent and combat injuries and sickness related to the cold season. While OSHA guidelines are proven to help, there are still many other precautions available to take that will certainly protect all of your workers.
· Identify the symptoms and signs of cold-related injuries and illnesses.
· Beware of any environmental conditions as well as the expected forecast every single day.
· Train workers about weather conditions and the types of injuries they may get
· Schedule construction work at the hottest time of the day. Move the daily work hours to the warmest hours.
· Determine the time where the sun can be at its maximum exposure
· Make sure to follow medical recommendations if the worker is presently taking prescribed medicine or perhaps under medical service.
· Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. It is strongly suggested to refill your body with water or any regular sports drinks.
· Try to reassign work to a pair of coworkers in order to be aware of each other’s health status.
Limiting the Impact of Weather-Related Delays Using a Construction Scheduling Software
Weather can significantly impact construction productivity and even worker’s performance. It can also cause significant project delays. The winter season’s impact is a common cause of delays, economic losses and legal claims in any construction projects. Research has been carried out recently about incorporating the effect of the winter season in project planning. However, these studies focus more on a narrow set of weather conditions and a minimal construction project range.
It is best to keep laborers and resources reassign every now and then, especially during the winter season. Worksite managers may find it hard to organize everything. However, using a project management tool, sorting files, documents, and monitoring changes is easy. Being hands-on to the project and the participating team is achieved at a different level with using this application. Keeping records of how this specific weather condition impacts the project is easier too. The tool promotes a much easier way to manage projects, thus reducing weather-related delays.
Key Takeaways
Above all, an effort for prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure and safety. With the right preparation, equipment, and detailed observation of the worker’s conditions, the job site can stay safe and productive even in the depths of harsh winter conditions.
