Prepare Your Building Site for Winter

Winter season is the most challenging season to work through for the construction industry, with less daylight and poor weather conditions affecting productivity as well as increased health and safety concerns.

Temperatures can drop significantly at this time of year and although there is no minimum working temperature set by UK law, employers have a duty to identify what is a safe minimum working temperature.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state that employers must make a suitable assessment of the health and safety risks to their employees. Low temperatures, low visibility and extreme weather conditions are all risks to employee health and safety, so adequate measures must be taken to protect the people working on-site.

Health risks and hazards in winter

Hypothermia, frostbite and chilblains can be caused by working in cold, damp weather, therefore employers must ensure that employees have suitable PPE to keep them dry and warm at work.

In winter, surfaces are more likely to be slippery, plant & machinery may malfunction and visibility may reduce with the poor conditions. Slippery surfaces can be maintained with de-icing products and grit bins which will reside the slippery surface enabling safer access. Browse our range of winter maintenance products here.

As mentioned, poor visibility can lead to accidents, therefore adequate site lighting should always be in place throughout the site the ensure safety. Browse our range of site lighting here.

Winter safety considerations for sites

Construction site managers and health and safety managers should continually monitor risks and should consider the following measures:

Install extra lighting

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. Installing extra lighting will improve visibility to help avoid falls, trips and other accidents. With darker mornings and losing light earlier in the afternoon, site lighting is essential for both productivity and safety. You can browse our range of cost effective site lighting here.

Provide heaters

When the temperatures are low, provide external heating so that workers are not exposed to dangerous working conditions will improve employee comfort and performance. Portable heating systems can be put into place to assist with this should any workers be out in the cold in static conditions. Conversely, indoor heating fans work well in heating up rooms quickly, you can find them here.

Schedule warmth breaks

Set up regular ‘warmth breaks’ for employees to spend time getting warm by having some hot food or drink in a warm space or doing some exercises to increase the body temperature.

Provide winter health and safety training

Site risks are different in winter compared to summer, so deliver winter health and safety training to remind employees of the hazards and how to work safely is paramount.

Provide adequate PPE

Having the right PPE is vital in winter and thermal clothing, insulated clothing and waterproof jackets and trousers can help to ensure workers are dry and warm, even in the worst weather conditions. Lined boots, hats and gloves are also key items of PPE during winter.

Conduct risk assessments in poor weather

On days where it is icy or there are bad weather conditions, conduct a risk assessment to decide whether it is safe to work. Check scaffolding levels for ice or other weather problems. The health and safety manager should be checking the weather forecast regularly to ensure solutions are in place on days when the weather could put workers’ safety at risk.

Visit the FixFirm site to order the winter essentials to keep your site workers healthy and safe throughout winter.

Contact our team to discuss how we can support your requirements.