The Health and Safety Executive reports that a quarter of all work fatalities in the UK happen in the construction sector, with the main dangers being falling from height or being struck by a vehicle; both of which could be made more likely by slipping and skidding in icy or wet conditions.

At Eden Facades, we’re used to working in all weather conditions – and we’re prepared for everything the seasons can throw at us. Based on our experience, here are some tips to help keep construction sites and workers safer for the winter months…

1. Know your site

Walking a site early or late in the day is good practice and will help to highlight where there might be problems with slipperiness, lighting, or other factors.

We always encourage our teams to feedback if there’s a problem onsite, and to stay observant in case of any potential dangers. The solution can quite often be a simple one – such as signage or absorbent matting – but communication of the issue in the first place can be the hardest part.

      2. Shine a light

Obviously in the winter there’s less light, so additional artificial lighting, both to avoid accidents and to ensure people can complete their work, indoors and out, is essential for teams to see hazards around them or on the ground in all parts of the site.

      3. Assess personal protective equipment

Work on site doesn’t stop because it’s winter: assessing the equipment that teams have been issued with is important. Exposure to extremely wet or cold conditions for long periods of time can reduce manual dexterity, and in excessively cold weather, safe working may be affected by reduced feeling and function to hands or feet.

Incorrect protection against the cold may lead to discomfort, loss of attentiveness and distraction, so teams need to be equipped with thermal or multiple layers, and more water-resistant clothing with additional high-vis elements.

      4. Reduce the likelihood of slips and trips

Measure twice, cut once, as the saying has it: taking time to think about who will be going to where, and planning pathways carefully around a site pays off. Where possible, it makes sense to plan where vehicles will go, and to keep them as separate as possible from pedestrians. Of course, anyone driving on site must be well trained.

Once on site, a team member will be responsible for regularly dealing with standing water, wet leaves, and other accident causers.

For snow and ice, and areas likely to be slippery, using grit (also known as salting) is essential. Prevention and planning is key, so we keep a close eye on weather forecasts and use websites such as https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ to monitor conditions. If frost, ice or snow is forecast we ensure that our teams on site have the materials they need to carry out work safely.

Of course, it’s not just the ground that gets slippery in wintery weather: ladders, platforms and stairs also need to be checked for potential problems.

Many slips happen just outside or just inside entrances because people bring water or snow along with them. Where appropriate, a canopy can help to reduce mess, as well as mats to encourage feet to be wiped, attention to flooring and more regular checks of the area.

         5. Convey information clearly

Sometimes the solution to a problem is informing people of what they need to know, so it’s important to check that signage about hazards and procedures is adequate. If temporary indicators like cones are in use, we make a point of clearing them up quickly once the underlying issue is resolved, otherwise it can be easy to get used to ignoring them.

The good news about safety is that things have improved enormously. The HSE report also shows that death rates are less than a fifth of what they were forty years ago.

“There’s still a lot more we can do, though”, comments Terry Box, Eden Facades SHEQ Manager. “The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents estimate that 85% of workplace accidents are due to avoidable mistakes. Safety isn’t difficult or expensive, it just needs to be built into the planning process, in the same way as ensuring that supplies are delivered to site at the right time.”

Read our blog to find out more about our health and safety standards at Eden Facades, or to get in touch to discuss your next project, please use our contact page.