As a site manager or director, you want to ensure that your building projects are completed on time and within budget. Yet all too often, the unpredictable cold weather can bring its own set of problems – namely frost damage. While it's impossible to control the temperature outside, there are certain steps you can take to protect your building sites and workers from this potential hazard. In this blog post, we discuss how you can safeguard against frost damage by introducing suitable measures across your construction process. Keep reading for our top tips on how to keep your site safe against winter temperatures, and how FixFirm can help.
Health risks in winter
Currently, there are no UK laws set on minimum outdoor working temperatures. However, The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that employers should make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work. The Act includes low working temperatures, low visibility, and extreme weather conditions as risks to employee health and safety, so measures need to be taken to ensure people working on-site are protected.
Working in low temperatures poses a range of health risks. Correct PPE should be worn at all times. You should be particularly vigilant of the following as employees are susceptible to these health risks in certain conditions:
Why you need to protect your building site.
Protecting your building site from frost damage will provide the following benefits:
· Provides a safer working environment for your employees by preventing slips, trips, falls and even fatalities.
· Prevents damage to building materials that could be susceptible to frost which saves valuable resources as well as money.
· Lowers chances of driving/machinery accidents which could be avoided.
Addressing hazards in winter
Another aspect to consider when working outside in cold weather is that surfaces are more likely to be slippery. This inevitably means that there is a greater risk of slips, trips, and falls on the building site. However, there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of them happening.
Grit Bins and Grit Spreaders within easy reach of well-trodden walkways.
This makes it easy to store and spread the grit and prevent snow and ice from settling on the ground. Grit Spreaders are also a simple solution to evenly distributing grit on the floor.
De-Icing Products for preventing cold-weather damage.
Whether you need a spray for machinery windows and parts to thaw them out quickly, or rock salt which leaves no dirty residue to be trodden into buildings or vehicles, they are ideal to have on hand for frosty days.
Snow Shovels and Scrapers for harsh unexpected conditions
The UK weather is unpredictable, especially during the winter months. An unexpected snowstorm can happen overnight, or temperatures may dramatically change during the day and lead to snow. It is always a good idea to have Snow Shovels and Scrapers on hand in the instances that this happens. They can quickly and easily clear snow from walkways and roads, as well as from vehicle windows and building materials.
Site Lighting for visibility
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to meet lighting requirements and that all areas of the site that are in use should be well-lit. With more work being done in darker mornings and evenings, Site Lighting and good visibility are essential for good visibility across the site and whilst operating machinery.
Portable Heating Systems to keep warm
Something to consider when you have employees working in cold temperatures is to ensure there are mobile facilities available to allow employees to warm up. This is often referred to as taking ‘warmth breaks’. This can involve employees having some hot food and a hot drink in a warm space or doing some exercises to warm up. Our range of Portable Heating Systems can not only help employees to warm up, but they can help keep buildings warm and prevent frost and damp damage.
Prevention is always better than cure. It is essential to have measures in place on your building site to prevent accidents and injuries. With thorough preparation and planning, you will not only protect your building site from snow, ice, and frost but also prevent any damage to buildings from being incurred and make it a safer place to work.
To discover more products from FixFirm that could help you on your building site, you can request a catalogue by clicking HERE
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