Winter Safety for Construction Workers

As winter unfolds, cold temperatures and unpredictable weather bring challenges for site workers.

The most affected industry operating outdoors is construction.

Wet and cold weather conditions add a new layer of danger to everyday construction tasks. 

What are these inherent dangers? 

And why should the construction industry consider winter safety? 

The dangers include snowstorms, blizzards, the buildup of snowdrifts, and so on.

It causes hazardous work conditions for construction industry employees.

It increases health and safety risks while carrying out their work tasks. 

So before the next major winter storm starts and catches you off guard, prepare yourself and review these winter safety tips for construction workers.

Learn these useful suggestions and boost your construction site with advanced construction safety management. 

‍

Winter Safety Tips for Construction Workers

Everyone knows that construction doesn’t stop when winter weather strikes.

Therefore you must be aware of the steps to take to keep your workers warm and safe. 

The Bureau of Labor Services published its recent data highlighting a chilling number of upward of 20,460 workplace injuries caused by snow, sleet, or ice. 

Here are some important winter safety tips for employees: 

‍

1. Ask the Supervisor to Inspect & Clear the Work Sites

Don't allow your workers to start work until you ask staff to inspect your construction sites for downed power lines and trees.

Clean all the walking and working surfaces like walkways, roofs, scaffolding, and ladders by removing snow and ice. 

When icy conditions exist, employers must pay heed to the importance of fall safety protection to workers.

What you need to do is lay the groundwork by putting down salt or sand to melt icy patches and provide better traction. 

If any area can't be cleared, mark it and instruct workers.

Ask them to slow down and take shorter steps, especially when carrying equipment and tools. 

It will help them avoid slips, trips, and falls. The site supervisor must do site and equipment inspections to ensure it’s free of potential hazards. 

They have to check whether a tree may have fallen or ice might have accumulated in the working place. 

‍

2. Be Alert to Weather Forecasts

Before severe strikes, provide adequate time for all workers to secure the construction site and get back safely.

As temperatures plummet, check workers for signs of hypothermia and frostbite carefully. 

Encourage them to take frequent breaks to rewarm their bodies from the cold weather.

Give instructions to the safety officer or site supervisors to stay on their toes to monitor changing weather patterns.

Checking the weather through your local weather channel and the National Weather Service is a good option. 

It enables them to know what to expect. It’s because The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an authentic source to get timely weather reports on unpredictable alterations in weather forecasts. 

‍

3. Provide a Heated Break Area

In addition to the above tips, limit the exposure of workers to extreme cold, snowy, and windy conditions. 

How can you lend a hand? 

Set up a segregated covered heated area, where they can get relief from the cold elements.

It's your choice whether to give them a trailer or tent (with portable temporary heaters). 

If any of the workers show signs of hypothermia or cold stress,  take them to the nearest hospital or consult with on-site medical personnel immediately. 

Adding antifreeze to HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning used to move air between indoor and outdoor) systems and solar water heaters would also ensure your workers' comfort at the worksite.

It’s so when they use washroom and break room facilities.

As the one calling the shots, you should consider setting up emergency safety shelters at construction sites as well. 

We recommend equipping these shelters with first aid, non-perishable food items, and other items required during an emergency. 

‍

4. Provide Proper PPE to Workers

Personal protective equipment known as PPE served as the first line of defense to protect workers.

It helps against dangerous situations and toxicities, and other riskier work tasks such as working at elevated surfaces such as scaffolding, ladders, or high platforms. 

PPE incorporates work gloves, safety shoes, goggles, hard hats and earmuffs.

Increasing the safety of workers will protect them from extreme cold weather hazards in case of sudden strong winds and black ice formation. 

How does proper PPE protect? 

• Hats: protect against falling objects like icicles. 

• Gloves and Mittens: enable workers with enough manual dexterity to work with tools and equipment.

• Anti-slope Footwear:  shoes such as waterproof boots protect against the cold

• Goggles, Safety Glasses, and Facemasks: prevent workers' vision from being obstructed. 

• Winter Safety Jackets for Construction: reduce accident rates

‍

5. Wear Appropriate and Warm Clothes

The next winter safety tip for outdoor workers is appropriate clothing.

When working on a construction site in winter, keeping the employees warm is one of the most important things. 

Make sure to find a balance between wearing enough clothes to stay warm while also being able to maintain a good range of mobility.  

Ask workers for cloth layering using some moisture-wicking thermals as the inner layer.

Moreover, have a waterproof outer layer to prevent moisture from soaking into their clothing.

It would shield their bodies from being exposed to frostbite, cold stress, and hypothermia. 

If clothing gets wet, then change into dry clothes to keep the cold at bay and avoid losing body heat.

It’s important to wear insulated mittens in areas where the temperature drops below -17 degrees. 

‍

6. Put First Aid Kits in Work Vehicles

Concerned about the worker's safety? Have in place first aid kits at strategic locations on the worksite. 

Each of your company’s fleet of work trucks and vehicles should be equipped with winter weather emergency kits.

It includes a shovel, ice scraper and brush, sleeping bag, water, tow straps, emergency flares, and a backup battery for mobile phones.

In case of any accident, operatives can get their hands on these easily.

In this way, they will help co-workers until emergency services arrive to provide professional medical treatment. 

One more thing, as power outages are possible in severe winter weather, use emergency kits with flashlights. 

‍

7. Check and Warm Up Equipment

To start, check the manufacturer’s instructions. Then properly warm up your heavy industrial tools before use for better construction equipment maintenance. 

Do you know that during cold temperatures electric wires and hoses can become brittle?

Therefore it's vital to allow those to heat up properly for better equipment utilization and avoid damage.

Ensure fluids, i.e. engine and hydraulic oils, in your equipment are rated for the temperatures in specific areas and replace them if needed. 

Furthermore, when working with air compressors and pneumatic tools, take extra precautions.

Preventing moisture from accumulating from freezing and damaging your tank requires draining fluid from the air compressor from tanks after usage. 

To protect from the cold, put antifreeze tool oil in your pneumatic tools and air hoses. 

Other than this, fire empty nail guns at 40 PSI (Pounds per square inch) in freezing temperatures to warm them up. 

Note: Keeping check equipment regularly during the winter season, especially after a snowfall helps to ensure that the equipment is not rendered.

Make sure you are up to date on whether cold temperatures have jammed the radiator or other mechanisms.

‍

8. Monitor Physical Conditions and Signs of Winter-Related Injuries

When someone works in the cold weather, it causes serious effects on his body and physical performance.

People living in colder environments need to work harder to maintain a temperature. 

The reason is that if the temperature drops drastically and wind chill increases, heat leaves the human body.

It does it so faster than the body burns energy to produce heat. 

That's why you should be able to quickly recognize the symptoms of cold stress. It will prevent cold-related injuries. 

Let's take a look at some risk factors for cold stress:  

• Wetness/dampness (e.g. sweating)

• Dressing improperly

• Exhaustion

• Poor physical conditioning

Warning signs of winter-related injuries: 

• Shivering

• Clumsiness and lack of coordination

• Slurred speech or mumblings 

Besides this, discourage operatives from drinking caffeinated beverages in winter conditions.

It can lead to increased heart rates, making employees feel falsely warm. 

Instead, they should drink water to keep themselves hydrated or sports-type drinks to replace depleted electrolytes.

‍

9. Be Prepared for Bitterly Cold and Thawing Effects

Be in the know! 

Yes; prepare yourself for the potential effects of freezing and thawing on a construction job site.

Follow this tip especially when temperatures vary on an hourly basis. 

Temperature fluctuations create slippery conditions on roofing and decking.

During winters, Thermoplastic olefin (TPO) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) roofs can be hazardous. 

Bad luck! 

There are very few things you can do to avoid this occurrence. 

What's the reason behind this? 

It's because when applied, most ice-melt chemicals void a warranty and shoveling can tear these thin membranes. 

What's the redress? 

Let the snow and ice melt naturally and begin work later the next morning.

However, you can typically clear the decks by shoveling but check the chemical before applying. 

Check it with a supplier to inquire if certain melting chemicals are recommended. 

Likewise, ask the team to develop site logistic plans including: 

• Delineated travel paths around the site

• Early start times for clearing away snow and salt crews

• Later start times when frozen roads could cause vehicle accidents

• Add line items to Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and inspections of equipment

‍

10. Offer Safety Training with Best Practices and Communication 

Nobody can deny the importance of training in employee safety and health.

Train your staff to make them able to identify the hazards. 

Ensure that they have the required knowledge to tackle dangerous situations.

Have two-way communication with employees and get to know staff views and needs.

Make it a priority to address them ASAP.

‍

11. Improve Documentation during the Cold Season 

Stay on top of things and document every step when your company follows safety guidelines.

If you don't have good documentation, you face difficulties in proving you’ve taken all the necessary steps. So document: 

• Daily progress

• Daily work logs

• Checklists, and safety protocols

Ahem! Encourage workers to upload attachments (like photos or videos they take while working). 

They should submit observations, and tag team members for review if they see any safety concerns.

‍

Common Winter Safety Incidents

Most common winter-related safety incidents in the construction sector: 

• Winter slips, trips, and falls: Construction workers are vulnerable to slips or falls due to poor weather conditions like icy walkways, snowy roads, and strong winds.

• Driving incidents: There is a high risk of driving-related incidents when you use vehicles and heavy equipment during cold weather. 

• Cold stress: The condition when the human body gets too cold and unable to warm up itself is called cold stress. It's another serious winter weather hazard.

• Frostbite: A type of skin injury due to the freezing of tissues. It commonly affects toes, fingers, nose, ears, and cheeks. 

• Cold tools or equipment: Low temperature makes construction operations dangerous. It's because machinery can't work smoothly in freezing temperatures. 

• Snow-filled job sites: When you work in snow-laden sites, it poses visibility issues. Ultimately it makes ground-level tasking hazardous.

• Few Daylight Hours: As you know in winter, days are shorter than summer. There is reduced daylight which leads towards difficult large-scale surveying.

‍

Conclusion 

Wrapping up, there are various safety hazards you need to be aware of to prevent outdoor-site injury. 

As previously noted, winter safety tips for construction sites assist you in tackling unique challenges. 

So consider following and protecting your workers from potentially life-threatening accidents. 

Construction equipment management software like Clue can help you with hazard tracking and safety inspection. 

‍

FAQs

What are the Winter Construction Safety Tips?

Firstly dress properly; wear at least 3 layers of loose-fitting clothes, insulated gloves, and boots, and cover your head with a hat.

What are the 4 P's of Winter Safety?

The 4 Ps of winter safety: people, pets, pipes, and plants. 

What Temperature is Too Cold for Construction Operatives?

If the temperatures drop below 10°F, the risk of hypothermia and frostbite becomes too high for people working outside.