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How to work safely on a construction site in winter

2017-03-02T15:36:10Z

Don Valley Engineering:

How to Prevent On Site Accidents During Winter

The winter weather has hit the UK hard. Storms like Connor and Doris bring strong winds, freezing cold temperatures and lots of rain. This causes destruction across the country. All of these elements can cause major hazards for construction workers, working on sites outside while these storms are in full force, and there could be more to come.

As you can not control the weather making sure you stay safe on site is essential to any construction site and every single worker.

[[File:Dewalt-photography.jpg|link=/w/index.php?title=Special:Upload&wpDestFile=PlSRXLyODjp3HtIQjtJxC8sPCZjFlwHNN-wZ1WVu2CUlUTGLbktmput1xIcEksFOxTH7NV7iAR5QKDpcupfxvno-hZ9zrS0rSLm38OhXSBYpvKpxP_oDJPaNsrGk2-QxyJiTGHGp]]

Image courtesy of [http://www.michaelmolloy.co.uk/ http://www.michaelmolloy.co.uk/]

Construction Site Dangers

Wind, freezing rain and ice cause plenty of hazards for everyone but for construction workers it makes their work place extremely dangerous and can result in an increase of on site accidents and injuries.

Cold Stress- Temperatures that fall to near or below freezing are extremely dangerous to a person’s health. They can result in causing the skin and internal body temperatures to drop, also if the rain causes the skin to become damp it will contribute to heat loss of the body therefore resulting in the body not being able to warm itself up. All of this is causing serious illnesses that could result in permanent tissue damage or in more serious cases death.

Trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia are what you may get if you are not properly protected from the elements when working outside.

Falls- Falls are one of the most common construction site accidents and they can happen all year round. Winter weather increases the risk of falls due to icy and wet, slippery surfaces. It rains a lot here in the UK, however when wet surfaces freeze it causes ice to accumulate on many surfaces such as scaffolding, ladders, walkways, stairs and work platforms. If these areas are not treated correctly it can cause construction workers to slip and fall from a height, causing injuries such as broken bones, fractures, traumatic brain injuries and even death. We can’t afford to ever be complacent about falls - but especially so in wintery conditions.

Winter Driving Accidents- Accidents to do with driving don’t just happen on the roads, they can easily happen on a construction site. Being on a construction site, you can easily forget that winter driving rules for the road still apply. Remember, construction vehicles usually aren’t as agile as cars due to their size and ability to hold and carry large objects.

<br />
It has been estimated that 66,000 non-fatal, self reported injuries happened within the UK between 2015/16 and 43 workers were fatally injured between 2015/16.

[http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/ http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/]

How To Prevent Accidents On The Construction Site

Limit any exposure to the elements by shielding certain work areas from winds and drafts therefore protecting the construction workers from harm when working in these shielded areas.

Keep Track Of Any Updated Weather Reports

Weather reports can keep you updated with what is due to come your way therefore giving employers enough time to carry out any procedures necessary to ensure their employees stay safe on site, this could be:

* Shielding any areas off that could be hit worse with the weather.
* Creating warm break areas so the construction workers can warm up whilst on their break.
* Schedule outside work to be done in shorter durations therefore ensuring employees aren’t having to face the elements for long periods of time.
* Require the correct gear so when employees are working outside none of their skin is exposed and they are fully insulated to keep in any body heat and prevent the cold weather affecting them.
* Educate employees about how to work safely when the bad weather hits and what to do to prevent any accidents.
* Check to site for any new hazards that could have been caused by the bad weather.

Working outside any time of the year can be extremely dangerous. And just because we are ending the Winter months, it doesn’t mean we’ve escaped the bad weather that will still cause hazards for construction workers working outside.

Did you know, it’s statistically more likely to snow at Easter than at Christmas?

Whether you’re working outside building new houses or [http://www.donvalleyeng.com/sectors/construction/ constructing new machinery] for factories; always make sure your employees are safe therefore reducing any onsite injuries or fatalities.

File:Dewalt-photography.jpg

2017-03-02T15:32:36Z

Don Valley Engineering: Construction worker working in Winter

Construction worker working in Winter

How to work safely on a construction site in winter

2017-03-02T15:30:17Z

Don Valley Engineering: Created page with "How to Prevent On Site Accidents During Winter The winter weather has hit the UK hard. Storms like Connor and Doris bring strong winds, freezing cold temperatures and lots of ..."

How to Prevent On Site Accidents During Winter

The winter weather has hit the UK hard. Storms like Connor and Doris bring strong winds, freezing cold temperatures and lots of rain. This causes destruction across the country. All of these elements can cause major hazards for construction workers, working on sites outside while these storms are in full force, and there could be more to come.

As you can not control the weather making sure you stay safe on site is essential to any construction site and every single worker.

[[File:plSRXLyODjp3HtIQjtJxC8sPCZjFlwHNN-wZ1WVu2CUlUTGLbktmput1xIcEksFOxTH7NV7iAR5QKDpcupfxvno-hZ9zrS0rSLm38OhXSBYpvKpxP_oDJPaNsrGk2-QxyJiTGHGp|591px]]

Image courtesy of [http://www.michaelmolloy.co.uk/ http://www.michaelmolloy.co.uk/]

Construction Site Dangers

Wind, freezing rain and ice cause plenty of hazards for everyone but for construction workers it makes their work place extremely dangerous and can result in an increase of on site accidents and injuries.

Cold Stress- Temperatures that fall to near or below freezing are extremely dangerous to a person’s health. They can result in causing the skin and internal body temperatures to drop, also if the rain causes the skin to become damp it will contribute to heat loss of the body therefore resulting in the body not being able to warm itself up. All of this is causing serious illnesses that could result in permanent tissue damage or in more serious cases death.

Trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia are what you may get if you are not properly protected from the elements when working outside.

Falls- Falls are one of the most common construction site accidents and they can happen all year round. Winter weather increases the risk of falls due to icy and wet, slippery surfaces. It rains a lot here in the UK, however when wet surfaces freeze it causes ice to accumulate on many surfaces such as scaffolding, ladders, walkways, stairs and work platforms. If these areas are not treated correctly it can cause construction workers to slip and fall from a height, causing injuries such as broken bones, fractures, traumatic brain injuries and even death. We can’t afford to ever be complacent about falls - but especially so in wintery conditions.

Winter Driving Accidents- Accidents to do with driving don’t just happen on the roads, they can easily happen on a construction site. Being on a construction site, you can easily forget that winter driving rules for the road still apply. Remember, construction vehicles usually aren’t as agile as cars due to their size and ability to hold and carry large objects.

<br />

It has been estimated that 66,000 non-fatal, self reported injuries happened within the UK between 2015/16 and 43 workers were fatally injured between 2015/16.

[http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/ http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/]

How To Prevent Accidents On The Construction Site

Limit any exposure to the elements by shielding certain work areas from winds and drafts therefore protecting the construction workers from harm when working in these shielded areas.

Keep Track Of Any Updated Weather Reports

Weather reports can keep you updated with what is due to come your way therefore giving employers enough time to carry out any procedures necessary to ensure their employees stay safe on site, this could be:

* Shielding any areas off that could be hit worse with the weather.
* Creating warm break areas so the construction workers can warm up whilst on their break.
* Schedule outside work to be done in shorter durations therefore ensuring employees aren’t having to face the elements for long periods of time.
* Require the correct gear so when employees are working outside none of their skin is exposed and they are fully insulated to keep in any body heat and prevent the cold weather affecting them.
* Educate employees about how to work safely when the bad weather hits and what to do to prevent any accidents.
* Check to site for any new hazards that could have been caused by the bad weather.

Working outside any time of the year can be extremely dangerous. And just because we are ending the Winter months, it doesn’t mean we’ve escaped the bad weather that will still cause hazards for construction workers working outside.

Did you know, it’s statistically more likely to snow at Easter than at Christmas?

Whether you’re working outside building new houses or [http://www.donvalleyeng.com/sectors/construction/ constructing new machinery] for factories; always make sure your employees are safe therefore reducing any onsite injuries or fatalities.

[[Category:Publications_/_reports]] [[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]]