Seasonal Safety

With winter just around the corner, here are some reminders to keep safe and healthy when working on site.

Wear the right gloves for the work you are doing. Gloves should have enough insulation to keep you warm and prevent frostbite but be thin enough so you can feel what you are doing if you are manipulating controls or tools.
Gloves that are too thick can also make your hands and wrists work too hard trying to hold on to objects, causing repetitive strain injury. Dress in layers of light-weight clothing that keep you warmer than a single layer of heavy clothes.

Remove layers as necessary to prevent overheating and perspiring which can lead to chills. Remember that wet clothing is 20 times less warm than dry clothing. Wear a helmet liner and you’ll stay much warmer when working in cold conditions. As much as half your body heat can go up in steam off the top of a bare head.

Ensure your safety eyewear doesn’t fog up in the cold. If you have to keep taking off your safety eyewear because it fogs up, it isn’t protecting you – discuss this with your supervisor if it becomes an issue to get suitable eye protection.

Your safety boots should have adequate tread to prevent slips and falls on wet or icy surfaces. Slow down when walking across slippery surfaces and be especially careful on ladders, platforms, and stairways.

Make sure you eat well and have regular hot food. Don’t skip meals as they will provide you with the fuel to work. Working in the cold uses lots of extra energy as your body needs to maintain its safe temperature.

Cold weather can put extra strain on your heart, even if you aren’t overexerting yourself, so be sure to pace yourself when lifting heavy objects or carrying out heavy manual work.