Winter is here. This means cold weather and darkness falling earlier in the day. For construction workers, the elements this time of year can be harsh. Indeed, spending your day on commercial scaffolding means that you have increased exposure to harsh weather conditions including strong winds and cold temperatures.
It’s important to protect yourself against these, especially to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. Here at Safeway Scaffolding Limited, we have some top tips for staying warm on the construction site over the winter.
3 ways that you can stay warm on a construction site
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Stay warm with appropriate clothing
The top piece of advice for staying warm on a construction site is to be smart and wear multiple layers of clothing to cover as much skin as possible. The layer touching your skin should always draw away moisture and prevent you from getting sweaty as you work. Then the middle layer needs to be a fleece that acts as an insulator to retain body heat. After that, the outer layer needs to be one that protects you against the wind and rain, consisting of waterproof fabric.
One handy tip is to keep a spare set of clothes in case your other clothes get too wet. Wearing damp clothes in cold temperatures will cause your core body temperature to drop, which could potentially lead to hypothermia.
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Don’t forget your head, hands and feet
While you must wear a hard hat on a construction site to act as protection against falling objects, it doesn’t offer much insulation from the cold. You should make sure that you also wear a liner that covers your head and neck and sits comfortably underneath the hard hat.
Also, invest in gloves that are practical but warm, allowing you to withstand use on tough materials, maintain dexterity and provide adequate insulation.
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Keep an eye out for signs of hypothermia
Look after each other in your team, and keep regularly updated. By checking in with your team, you can stay on track with the progress being made on-site, as well as look out for any signs of hypothermia.
Key signs include someone that’s shivering, seems disoriented or is struggling to breathe. If you notice this, then make sure to call the emergency services as soon as possible.
While you wait for medical assistance, take the person into a building and help warm them up in warm towels or blankets, giving them a hot beverage, and helping to remove any wet clothes.
Contact Safeway Scaffolding
If you are interested in our domestic scaffolding, commercial scaffolding or bespoke scaffolding services, don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team here at Safeway Scaffolding today by calling 01675 465 593, or leave us a message via our online enquiry form, and we’ll be in touch.