Winter is underway, and that means lots of rain, snow and/or ice. On construction sites, winter presents a number of unique safety risks, including cold-related illnesses and injuries such as frostbite, hypothermia, chilblains and trench foot and an assortment of injuries caused by slips, trips and falls. To help you cope, we’ve come up with a list of basic safety tips. We hope you take a moment to read and refresh:
1.) Clear the job site of any potential safety hazards. After a long night of snow or rain, it’s important to thoroughly inspect the job site before starting work. Have a safety plan in place to identify any potential hazards before employees begin work. Inspect stairways, scaffolding and walkways for signs of ice or snow. Make sure potential safety hazards are identified and rectified promptly.
2.) Let your team members warm up. The longer you work in freezing or near-freezing temperatures, the more likely you are to experience frostbite or hypothermia. To prevent these and other issues, set up a heating area where your team members can take breaks and warm up. If possible, provide access to hot beverages like coffee, hot chocolate or tea. You might also want to stock the room with dry pairs of gloves, socks and other necessary garments in case someone gets wet and needs to change.
Frostbite, which is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues, can cause permanent and painful damage to skin, muscle, bone, and other tissue. Hypothermia is caused by heat loss due to cold weather and results in a dangerously low body temperature. While normal body temperature is around 98.6 F, hypothermia can occur as body temperature falls below 95 F. Chilblains (pronounced CHILL-blayns) is a painful condition caused by inflammation of small blood vessels in the skin that occurs after repeated exposure to cold (but not freezing) air. Trench foot occurs when the feet are wet for long periods of time. All of these problems can be prevented with the proper working conditions, equipment, apparel and footwear.
3.) Ensure everyone wears the necessary safety equipment. Each of your team members should dress for the conditions, use appropriate safety equipment and wear adequate clothing. Safety equipment and clothing should provide a full range of motion necessary to complete the job safely.
4.) Winterize all of your equipment. Machines that run on gasoline, like generators and compressors, are more likely to break down in cold weather. To prevent this and other potential issues, read the instruction manual and properly winterize them. Things like topping off the antifreeze and performing routine maintenance can keep your equipment in top shape all winter long.
