7 Winter Weather

Construction Safety
Tips
BLOG POSTS  | CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

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Construction doesn’t stop when winter weather strikes, so it’s important to know what
steps to take to keep your workers warm and safe. As another major winter storm is
starting to impact areas of the country this week with snow and ice accumulation, it’s a
good time to review some safety tips for keeping your workers safe.

Inspect and clear sites

When winter weather hits you need to inspect your construction sites for downed power
lines and trees before allowing workers to begin work. Clear all snow and ice from
walking and working surfaces, including walkways, roofs, scaffolding and ladders. Be
sure to stress the importance of fall safety protection to workers when icy conditions
exist.

Put down salt or sand to melt icy patches and improve traction for workers. Make sure
icy areas that can’t be cleared are clearly marked and instruct workers to slow down
and take shorter steps, especially when carry materials and tools to avoid slips.
Knock off any icicles that have formed or cordon off areas to prevent workers from
accidentally breaking them loose and creating falling object hazards.

Watch the weather

The last thing you want is to have a construction site full of workers stranded because a
blizzard blew in without you knowing. Give your workers adequate time to secure the
construction site and get home safely before severe weather strikes.

As temperatures plummet, keep a careful watch on workers for signs of hypothermia

and frostbite. Make sure workers are wearing appropriate clothing for the weather and
encourage them to take frequent breaks to warm up from the cold.

Provide a heated break area

Workers expend more energy when working in cold weather in order to keep their
bodies warm. Make sure you have a heated trailer, tent or indoor area for workers to
warm up from the cold. Limit exposure to the elements by encouraging workers to take
frequent breaks in order to rest and warm up, drink warm liquids and change out of wet
clothing.

This is a good time to check workers for signs of fatigue, frostbite or hypothermia.
Remind workers to limit consumption of caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants as this
increases their heart rate, causing them to feel warmer than they actually are.

If using portable heaters in break areas, make sure to properly vent the area and use
CO sensors to monitor for carbon monoxide exposure.

Proper PPE

Be sure to take extra steps in ensuring workers are wearing all necessary personal
protective equipment (PPE) when winter weather conditions are present.
Hard hats should be worn at all times to protect against falling objects like icicles and
slips and falls on ice. Using liners in hard hats will help keep workers warm and prevent
heat from escaping.

Glove and mittens should be selected that enables workers with enough manual
dexterity to work with tools and materials. Remind workers to keep their gloves on at all
times, especially when climbing ladders, scaffolding or getting onto construction
equipment. Frostbite can occur immediately if workers touch extremely cold metal with
bare hands.

Workers should wear waterproof boots with non-slip soles and extra socks to protect
against the cold if wearing steel-toed boots since the metal acts as a cold sink.

Goggles, safety glasses and facemasks can be treated with anti-fog spray to prevent
their vision from being obstructed.

Make sure personal fall arrest systems are adjusted to properly fit over bulkier clothing
and inspect them before each use to ensure straps aren’t frozen with ice.

Warm up equipment and tools

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on properly warming up heavy equipment before

use. Electrical wires and hoses can become brittle in cold temperatures, so it is
important to allow those to heat up properly to avoid damaging your equipment.

Make sure fluids, such as engine and hydraulic oils, in your equipment is rated for the
temperatures in your area and replace them if needed. Make sure heaters in cabs are
working properly and clear off any ice or snow from windshields and steps. Try and
avoid using any equipment that isn’t equipped with an enclosed cab to keep your
workers warm.

You also need to take extra precautions when working with air compressors and
pneumatic tools. Drain fluid from air compressor tanks after each use to prevent the
moisture that has accumulated from freezing and damaging the tank. Put antifreeze tool
oil in your pneumatic tools and air hoses to protect against the cold. Fire your empty nail
guns at 40 PSI in freezing temperatures to warm them up before use.

Clothing

Keeping warm is one of the most important things when working in cold weather. The
key is finding a balance of wearing enough layers to stay warm while still being able to
maintain a good range of mobility to perform your work.

Layer clothing with some moisture wicking thermals on your inner layer and have a
waterproof outer layer to prevent moisture from soaking into your clothing. If clothing
gets wet, it’s important to change into dry clothes to avoid losing body heat.

Limit the amount of skin exposed to cold temperatures with careful attention to the
extremities by wearing knit hats and earmuffs for the head, wool socks for the feet,
balaclavas for the face and gloves and mittens for the hands.

For more tips on keeping warm on the construction site, be sure to check out our 10 Tips
for Keeping Warm on the Construction Site.

Put emergency kits in work vehicles  

Make sure each of your company’s fleet of work trucks and vehicles is equipped with
winter weather emergency kits. Your kits should include a shovel, ice scraper and
brush, sleeping bag, water, non-perishable snacks like protein bars, tow straps,
emergency flares and a backup battery for your cell phone. It’s also a good idea to have
some cat litter, snow or sand to help with traction in case you get stuck. Encourage your
workers to create emergency kits to for their personal vehicles.

Be cautious when driving in snow and ice. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your
destination and leave plenty of space between yourself and other vehicles to avoid
accidents.
One of the hardest climates to build for is a cold one; the wrong design could leave you
with a cold home, dripping walls, peeling paint, colds and other mishaps. Architecture
can be used as a tool to make homes better equipped to bear it. Below are some ways
architectural design can be used to accommodate cold climates.
Insulation:
Insulation is one of the most important features to consider when designing for a cold
climate. Keep in mind that not all insulation configurations are made equal, and what
works for one climate doesn't work for the other, which is why before building you must
do the proper calculations. Some of the calculations you have to make:-

 Condensation: You have to make sure your walls, roof and floors don't
condensate in-between; different configurations using the same materials can
result in very different condensation patterns. What causes condensation?
Differences between the outside temperature and the surface temperature of
each of the elements in a configuration; this differences can be calculated either
by hand or using a specialized software. You must also keep in mind the worst
possible climate scenarios for the zone you're working on, such as the coldest
temperature of the year and the most humid time of the year; that way you can
make sure your configuration will do the job. You must also keep in mind the
interior temperature of your building, as vapor can condensate on the interior
surfaces of the building causing problems like fungus, mold and peeled paint.

 Thermal Transmittance: You have to make sure your walls, roof and floor
configurations are appropriate for the climate you're building for. Colder climates
benefit from a very low thermal transmittance, expressed in W/m2K; that means
your configuration must transmit the lowest quantity of heat possible. Some
countries have constructive manuals that specify the minimum allowed thermal
transmittance by climate region. It can be calculated manually or using
specialized software. The basic formula is as it follows: U=1/(rsi âˆ'e/λ rse) (rsi
interior resistance, rse exterior resistance, e material's thickness, λ material's
thermal resistance )

Design Solutions:
You can also use your project's shape configurations to make it cold-climate friendly.
What kind of design decisions can you make?

 Sloped roofs: Most times, colder climates are tied to heavy rain and sometimes
snow. You have to design your project to withstand the extra weight of snow (if
it's a snowy region) and/or to make sure it won't create puddles that may result in
leakage, and in worst case scenario, collapse of the roof.
 The right windows: In colder climates, windows can be allies and foes at the
same time: put too many, and you'll lose heat, put too little and you won't receive
any heat from the sun. Make sure you strategically place your windows facing the
sun (north, when you're building in the southern hemisphere, South when you're
 building north of the equator). Try to use glass with low thermal transmittances,
such as hermetically sealed double glass. Skylights are also a good option, as
they bring in more light (sometimes scarce in colder regions) and are easier to
point to the sun.
 Lower ceilings: Avoid designing rooms with very high ceilings, as heat tends to
go up and it'll end up being wasted where none can feel it.
 Facade color: You can paint or coat your project, especially the roof, with darker
colors; dark colors absorb heat, and allow to passively warm the inside of the
building.