Top 5 Construction Site Safety Tips to Consider in Winter

Dixie Somers

January 06, 2017

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Construction sites can be hazardous environments for workers, clients, and the general population. Every year, about a quarter of work-related fatalities in the United States come from the construction business. The most common construction site accidents are caused by falling objects, machinery, tripping and falling, as well as exhaustion. There are certain precautions you can take to reduce the instances of anyone getting hurt. Help keep your workers safe by taking a proactive approach to the safety of the site.

First Aid Kits

Maintain multiple first aid kits within site for emergency medical attention to minor injuries. As the contractor, it is your duty to ensure that basic first aid is accessible to your workers or customers on the site.

Protective Gear

Workers and construction visitors should wear protective apparel around the construction site at all times. Protective eyewear, fall harnesses, anti-slip footwear, and properly fitting helmets should be mandatory requirement for your workers. Have your workers wear reflective clothing for higher visibility in snowy conditions if there is a lot of movement of vehicles or heavy machinery.

Tote Heaters

In low temperatures, it is easy for concrete to freeze instead of drying and quite difficult to tell the difference. Frozen concrete is dangerous; it can break easily and lead to a fall on persons walking below. Tote heaters from companies like Powerblanket offer a solution to this setback by emitting safe, constant heat to allow the concrete to dry naturally without freezing.

Well Maintained and Fenced Pathways

Make sure that all the pathways in your site are well maintained, clearly defined and properly fenced to avoid any fatal slips. In most instances, fatalities and injuries at construction sites happen on unfenced edges. Locations with broken fences should be clearly marked and avoided until repairs are done.

Proper Training and Safety Meetings

Educate your workers on common construction site accidents and give pointers on how to avoid them. Also, have a clear set of protocols to be followed in the event of an accident to reduce the likelihood of an injury. You can schedule a safety meeting at the beginning of every work day where you address the day's activities and mention any changes to the job site to make sure that all workers are on the same page.

Vigilance is Key!

Make sure that everyone in the site is completely aware of what surrounds them at all times. You and your workers should be careful at all times to prevent an occurrence of avoidable accidents, lawsuits, and project delays.