There is no off-season when it comes to working in construction. So, unfortunately, many of these professionals are still expected to perform their job duties when the temperatures turn frigid. This is why it’s crucial that your team works together to maintain a safe environment and ensure that everyone leaves the construction zone healthy and happy. These are a few ways to keep construction sites safe in winter.
Remove Snow and Ice Before Working
Next to the extreme cold, snow and ice present some of the biggest risks for injury on a construction site. Falls, in particular, are much more common this time of year, and they can result in scrapes, bruises, and broken bones. As such, rather than try to work on a covered lot, you must spend some time clearing it away to increase your overall safety. These materials can even prevent machinery from working as they should. So, removing them before you start can help prevent a potential malfunction or accident later on.
Keep Watching the Weather
You can also keep construction sites safe in winter by designating someone to watch the weather. Winter storms have a tendency to appear with little warning and hit harder than many of us anticipate. For this reason, constantly having a person looking out for these conditions will be essential to packing up and getting home before things take a turn for the worse. After all, it’s never safe to continue working in a heavy storm.
Increase Work Zone Protection
You can protect both workers and the site itself by placing additional barriers around the perimeter of the work zone. Snowfalls lead to low-visibility and the formation of black ice—both greatly contributing to traffic accidents along local roadways. Because of this, it’s vital that you’re installing extra layers of impact cushion to keep vehicles away from exposed workers. Fortunately, there are several different barricade types that you can utilize for this purpose.
Perform Regular Safety Checks
But, above all, make sure that you’re conducting regular safety checks of your fellow workers as well and performing worksite inspections. These routine reviews will help determine any existing concerns or hazards so that they can be addressed immediately. They will also indicate whether workers are becoming fatigued and need to take breaks more often. Identifying issues early on is the key to preventing potentially life-threatening conditions for your team.
