The Real Cost of Cold Weather Risks
Brace yourselves—winter is coming, and for construction sites, cold weather means snow-covered scaffolding, icy roads, freezing winds, and downed power lines.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
41.5% of weather-related workplace fatalities stem from ice, snow, and cold weather, with 40,000 yearly injuries.
The financial impact is chilling—work injuries cost companies a staggering $171 billion in 2019.
But here’s the good news: these dangers are preventable. So, what can employers and workers do to stay safe and productive during these chilly months?
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t mandate specific winter safety guidelines, its recommendations can help protect your crew and keep projects on track.
Here’s how to winterize your construction site and protect workers, while meeting OSHA’s winter safety recommendations and cold weather rules.
OSHA’s Cold Weather Safety Recommendations
The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards, including extreme weather like lightning and cold stress risks. Here are the key OSHA cold weather safety recommendations to protect your site in winter:
Snow and Ice Removal
Regularly clear walkways and work areas to prevent slips. Use salt or sand to keep surfaces safe.
Safety Tip: Make snow removal a daily priority in high-traffic areas. Check for hidden hazards like wet floor mats or compacted snow between parking spots.
Inspect and Winterize Equipment
Cold weather can slash equipment efficiency by as much as 50%. However, with proper maintenance and winterization, you can mitigate these risks.
Safety Tip: Use anti-freeze fluids and cold-weather lubricants to winterize machinery for safe operation.
Provide Heated Break Areas
Provide access to heated break areas to prevent cold stress-related health issues like frostbite and hypothermia symptoms including shivering, confusion, or numbness.
Encourage hourly warm-up breaks in harsh conditions. Heated job site shelters can keep worker morale high and cold-related injuries low.
Safety Tip: According to the CDC, regular warm-up breaks can prevent cold stress injuries, especially when the wind chill is below 20°F.
Fall Protection
Nearly 40% of winter workplace injuries are caused by falls. Ensure handrails, steps, and platforms are clear of ice, and inspect fall protection gear for wear.
Create a Winter Safety Action Plan
Craft a winter safety plan to prevents incidents and empower your team to respond swiftly when temperatures drop.
Creating a Cold Safety Action Plan
A well-crafted Cold Safety Action Plan isn’t merely a box to check—it’s your frontline defense against cold-related incidents. Here’s a quick guide to help you navigate winter challenges:
Step 1: Assess Winter Hazards
- Monitor local weather conditions: Use weather monitoring platforms like Perry Weather to assess on-site winter weather and identify potential hazards like cold stress before they impact construction site operations.
Step 2: Develop and Streamline Communication Plan
- Establish protocols: Create clear channels to inform workers about weather changes, safety concerns, or site closures through email, text, or on-site announcements.
- Conduct daily safety briefings: Review weather forecasts and discuss potential impacts on site operations.
- Automated alerts: Get automated alerts via Perry Weather for critical weather conditions, like incoming snowstorms or high winds.
- Encourage worker input: Foster an environment where workers feel comfortable reporting winter weather safety hazards.
- Emergency contact lists: Maintain an updated list of personnel and emergency contact information for quick outreach in case of sudden weather changes.
Step 3: Implement Preventive Measures
3.1 Site Preparation
- Daily site checks: Remove debris and keep the construction site clear of hazardous materials.
- Wind safety: OSHA recommends halting crane, scaffold, and heavy machinery operations when wind speeds exceed 35 mph. Consequently, it’s crucial to monitor weather conditions closely.
3.2 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Winter-appropriate clothing: Equip workers with insulated boots, gloves, hats, windproof layers, and high-visibility clothing for low-light conditions.
3.3 Cold Stress Prevention
- Warm-up: Ensure heaters or blankets are available for workers.
- Offer hot, non-caffeinated beverages to maintain core body temperatures and help workers regain body heat.
3.4 Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention
- Slip-resistant footwear: Train workers to walk carefully on icy surfaces and avoid distractions. Ensure workers have boots with good traction for icy and wet surfaces.
Step 4: Create an Emergency Action Plan
- Develop procedures for evacuations, power outages, and severe winter events like blizzards.
- Stock first-aid kits: Ensure they meet OSHA standards and are readily available throughout the site.
- Maintain emergency equipment: Ensure fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, and critical gear are in working order.
Step 5: Train Workers to Recognize Cold Stress
- Conduct regular training: Educate workers on winter safety protocols, including cold stress prevention and emergency response.
By following this plan and our cold weather safety checklist, construction sites can protect workers and reduce winter weather hazards.
Winterizing Your Construction Site: OSHA-Approved Preparations for Winter Weather
Winterizing your site involves equipment maintenance, worker safety protocols, and real-time weather tracking to minimize downtime and prevent accidents. Here’s how to prepare your construction site for the winter:
- Pre-Operational Inspections: Before winter arrives, conduct thorough inspections to identify potential hazards.
- Lubrication & Fluids: Ensure all construction equipment, including cranes and hoists, is well-lubricated, and hydraulic oils and antifreeze are appropriate for cold conditions.
- Inspect for Vulnerabilities: Check for exposed wiring, worn parts, and other vulnerabilities that could worsen in cold weather.
- Store Inactive Machinery: Inactive machinery should be stored in sheltered or covered areas to prevent damage from ice and snow and extend its lifespan.
- Check Tires and Batteries: Monitor tire pressure regularly and use winter tires if necessary. Test batteries for reliable performance in cold temperatures.
- Ensure Adequate Lighting: Winter days are shorter and visibility is reduced. Make sure headlights, taillights, and blinkers work properly for visibility during shorter winter days.
Cold Weather Safety Tips for Workers
Winter weather brings unique challenges to workplace safety, especially for outdoor workers. While OSHA’s winter safety recommendations provide a solid foundation, truly protecting your team means going beyond the basics. Here’s a breakdown of cold weather safety tips for employers and workers to follow:
1. Wear layered clothing
The right clothing can be a lifesaver in freezing temperatures. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), properly layered clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) can significantly reduce the risk of cold stress.
OSHA recommends providing insulated gear to protect workers from exposure to cold weather. This includes clothing that traps body heat while allowing for full mobility. A tried-and-true three-layer system comprises:
- Base Layer: Moisture-wicking fabric to keep skin dry.
- Insulating Layer: Materials like fleece or wool to retain body heat.
- Outer Layer: Waterproof and windproof material to protect against the elements.
2. Establish a Buddy System
Teamwork can save lives in cold conditions. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) report indicates using a buddy system increases safety awareness and reduces accidents in harsh conditions. A buddy system ensures workers look out for each other by:
- Monitoring Behavior: Knowing each other’s normal behavior helps spot early warning signs of cold stress like slowed speech or confusion.
- Regular Health Check-Ins: Supervisors should conduct regular health checks, particularly after winter storms or extreme weather. Buddies should frequently check in and discuss how they’re feeling, especially during extreme conditions.
- Encourage Communication: Workers should be encouraged to speak up if they feel unwell or notice cold stress symptoms in others.
3. Implement Smarter Work Schedules
Adjusting work schedules based on the weather can go a long way in preventing cold stress. Employers should:
- Shorten Work Shifts: Reduce the length of outdoor work during extreme weather conditions.
- The CDC recommends workers take breaks every hour when wind chills drop—this simple adjustment can make a big difference in worker well-being.
4. Automate Weather Monitoring
Managing weather-related risks is easier with real-time weather monitoring tools like Perry Weather.
- Weather monitoring platforms can help track wind speeds, snowfall, and temperature changes to stay ahead of potential hazards and reduce accidents or project delays.
5. Extra Tips for Cold Weather Safety
Beyond the basics, here are a few more tips to help workers stay safe in winter conditions:
- Stay Hydrated: It’s easy to forget to drink water in cold weather, but dehydration can impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Encourage workers to hydrate regularly.
- Snack Smart: Encourage workers to consume high-calorie snacks to regulate body temperature and maintain energy during cold work shifts to help the body fight cold stress.
Download our cold weather safety checklist for more actionable tips.
How Perry Weather Can Help Enact Your Winter Safety Action Plan
Implementing a winter safety action plan can be simplified with Perry Weather’s weather monitoring platform. Here’s how:
Automate OSHA Safety Compliance
- OSHA Compliance: Stay OSHA-compliant with Perry Weather. Our systems automatically align your policies with OSHA safety protocols, ensuring you meet winter weather regulations.
Reduce Project Delays
- Real-time weather: Stay on top of changing weather conditions, from temperature drops and wind speed to snow accumulation, to mitigate risks before severe weather halts operations.
- Automated alerts: Notify your teams before approaching storms, snowfall, or freezing temperatures, allowing you to secure equipment, materials, and personnel before conditions worsen.
Minimize Downtime
- Effortless Policy Integration: Automatically trigger policy-based alerts aligned with cold weather protocols, ensuring workers are prepared without halting operations unnecessarily.
- Custom cold weather alerts help managers optimize work hours by avoiding risky weather conditions and scheduling breaks at the right time.
- Historical data-driven insights help identify patterns, enabling proactive planning and reducing idle time caused by unexpected weather events.
Improve Worker Safety
- On-site weather data from our weather stations at your location can help you adjust work schedules before delays, minimizing winter-related accidents and fines.
- Actionable Alerts: Receive timely notifications for hazardous conditions, like temperature drops, snow accumulation, and high winds.
OSHA Cold Weather FAQs
Why is wind dangerous in the fall and winter for construction workers?
Wind can increase the risk of cold stress, especially when temperatures drop. Wind chill intensifies cold exposure, causing faster heat loss from the body and increasing the risk of hypothermia or frostbite.
It also poses hazards to unsecured materials and makes elevated work more dangerous. Proper scheduling, securing objects, and real-time weather monitoring can help mitigate these wind-related risks.
What is the lowest cold temperature that workers can stay outdoors at?
Experts recommend staying indoors if the temperature falls below 0°F or the wind chill dips below -18°F.
What should I do if I notice a colleague showing symptoms of cold stress?
Immediately report it to a supervisor and assist your colleague in getting to a heated area. If symptoms worsen, seek medical attention.
How often should we check our equipment during winter?
Conduct inspections before the workday begins and after any significant weather changes.
What steps should you take to winterize a construction site for safety?
Winterizing a construction site involves safeguarding equipment, clearing access paths, securing structures, and adding on-site heating.
Use a construction site safety checklist to cover snow and ice removal, apply anti-slip materials on walkways, and implement reliable weatherproofing measures.
Automated weather alerts are critical to promptly inform teams of sudden weather changes and prevent accidents.
Try Perry Weather to optimize your construction site’s winter weather safety and protect your bottom line. Don’t let winter weather derail your projects. Sign up for a free two-week trial today!
