5 Tips For Cold Weather Construction
Cold weather can significantly affect construction sites, leading to delays in completion times, safety concerns, and budget impacts. As winter approaches and temperatures drop, your company must adjust to ensure that workers can continue working safely and effectively. This article provides tips on creating a safe environment for construction during cold weather.
1. Use Glycol Heaters for Proper De-Icing and Ground Warming
Glycol ground heaters are highly effective for de-icing and warming the ground on construction sites. They utilize glycol (antifreeze), which has a lower freezing temperature than pure water, preventing issues such as frozen pipes and erosion.
Our glycol ground heaters operate continuously with a fail-safe backup system, ensuring safe and efficient de-icing and thawing of your job site’s ground.
2. Keep Emergency Kits in Work Vehicles
When preparing for winter weather construction, it is essential to ensure that every vehicle in your fleet is equipped with an emergency kit for cold weather. These kits should include shovels, ice scrapers, water, non-perishable food, and first aid items.
Additionally, workers should be reminded to exercise caution when driving in icy or snowy conditions. Allowing an extra 10–15 minutes for travel and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles will help ensure they arrive at and depart from the site safely.
3. Provide Workers With Proper PPE
Prepare for cold weather by ensuring all workers have the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). For instance, ensure your crew always wears hard hats on the job site to protect against falling objects or slips and falls. Additionally, consider using lined hard hats to shield workers’ heads from the cold.
Select gloves that provide sufficient protection from the cold while allowing for dexterity. Choose waterproof boots with non-slip soles. Workers should wear extra socks to protect their feet from frostbite if the boots are steel-toed.
Remind your workers to always keep their PPE on to prevent injuries, frostbite, or hypothermia.
4. Use Efficient Heating Solutions to Meet Deadlines
Cold weather can slow down construction, making it challenging to meet critical deadlines. Temperature fluctuations can affect concrete curing times or cause cracks in foundations, while ice and snow can hinder workers from completing their tasks.
Finding a reliable heating solution for winter construction projects is essential to address these challenges. Cahill Heating offers portable flameless heaters designed to effectively heat construction sites while remaining safe and fuel-efficient.
5. Use Heat Hoarding to Work Through the Cold
Heat hoarding creates a warm environment at your construction site. Industrial heaters can maintain an optimal temperature in specific areas, allowing workers to continue working despite cold weather.
If the site is not heated, provide a heated break area for your workers, such as a heated trailer, tent, or indoor location. Encourage workers to take regular breaks to minimize their exposure to the elements and reduce the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
Flameless Heater Systems in Brighton, Colorado
When the weather gets cold, you’ll need a cost-effective way to keep your workers safe and warm. Flameless heaters warm construction sites so workers can work safely and effectively throughout their shifts.
Cahill Heating provides flameless heaters in Colorado, allowing your construction site to meet its deadlines safely, fuel-efficiently, and budget-friendly. Contact us today for a quote to start your cold-weather construction off right.
