April showers don’t just bring May flowers; they also bring high-speed winds, lightning storms, and fluctuating hot and cold temperatures. These conditions can make navigating a commercial construction site difficult—but only if you’re not aware and prepared on how to handle them.
Read on to learn about the most common types of springtime construction hazards, and what steps you can take to protect the integrity of your site and the safety of your workers.
Common Springtime Construction Hazards
While there’s no wrong time of year to start a construction project, each season brings unique challenges and risks that should be considered (and planned for accordingly) to avoid delays, protect your equipment, and keep workers safe from harm.
When breaking ground in the springtime, common site hazards tend to include:
- Rain: Heavy rainfall can make job sites slippery and wet, increasing the likelihood of accidental slips and falls.
- Mud: An increase in rain means an increase in mud, which can create an uneven base for machinery, scaffolding, and other equipment.
- Wind: Spring is known for high-speed winds that can disrupt workers’ balance or send loose objects flying.
- Lightning: Construction sites tend to have a lot of metal components, leading to a higher risk of lightning strike.
- Fluctuating temperatures: A spring day can swing from extremely hot to bitterly cold in the span of a few hours, increasing risks of heatstroke or hypothermia.
6 Tips for Avoiding Springtime Construction Hazards
1. Wear Proper PPE
While your workers should always be wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE), in the springtime, they should be wearing equipment that is appropriate for the conditions of the season. This can include things like:
- Bright, reflective outerwear: High-vis vests or jackets will allow them to be seen when working in rainy or low-visibility conditions.
- Slip-resistant boots & gloves: Boots and gloves with good traction will keep workers upright and stable, even in slippery areas.
- Anti-fog glasses: These utilize special lenses that prevent fogging and condensation, no matter the humidity levels.
- Rain gear: Waterproof jackets, pants, or overalls will help keep workers dry while preventing overheating.
Layers: By dressing in layers, workers can add or take things off to accommodate the changing temperatures.
When implementing a PPE policy, it’s important to make sure the equipment is comfortable, non-constrictive, and well-fitting. It may be beneficial to conduct a training session that explains to workers why the PPE is so important, how they should wear it, and when.
2. Be Mindful of Messes
As previously mentioned, heavy springtime rainfall creates slippery, muddy working conditions. While the mud is unavoidable, you can stop the spread by encouraging workers to wipe their boots before entering equipment and buildings or climbing ladders and stairs. Keep stiff-bristle brushes for boot-cleaning throughout the site, or, if possible, install a high-pressure hose at certain stations.
Outside of encouraging cleanliness, remind workers to slow down and watch their footing while working in mud. Doing so won’t delay the project—being conscientious of the conditions will lower the risk of injury or accidents, which could potentially delay the project even more severely.
3. Keep an Eye on the Forecast
Spring is notorious for unexpected rain, wind, or thunderstorms! To avoid being caught off guard, check the forecast every day (if not several times a day) to see if there are any sudden changes. Sometimes, the sky can tell you more than the weather app; if you look up and see dark clouds, trust your gut.
Develop written protocols for responding to inclement weather, and have them on hand or posted around the site, or both. (OSHA’s Tornado Preparedness and Response Guide is one example of a great resource for this.) Make sure workers and site managers know what to do in these situations, and practice evacuation drills. Most importantly, encourage everyone to speak up if they feel like conditions are unsafe.
4. Secure the Jobsite
Working in windy conditions is part of construction, but springtime can bring above-normal wind speeds. In order to secure your job site and prevent debris from flying around, take the time to:
- Tie down lightweight materials (such as plywood or metal sheets)
- Reinforce tall structures (such as walls and scaffolding)
- Anchor portable toilets, fuel tanks, or dumpsters to the ground
- Store small tools in locked boxes or sheds
- Use wind-rated hoarding (which is specialized fencing) as opposed to traditional hoarding
- Cover sand or soil piles with tarps to prevent erosion
5. Check for Unstable Surfaces
During periods of heavy rainfall, the ground of your construction site can become overly saturated, drastically reducing the soil strength and weight-bearing capacity. Accidental “voids” can also appear in the ground, which are gaps or cavities in the ground that are caused by erosion and can lead to structural failure.
In order to ensure the durability of your site hasn’t been affected by the weather, conduct ground stability assessments, especially in areas with loose earth or gravel. If you discover any compromised, uneven, or sloped surfaces, use high-visibility paint to mark the area as “off-limits” until it can be corrected.
6. Keep the Project On-Track
Just because there’s a little rain doesn’t mean the project should come to a complete standstill. At Jos. Schmitt Construction, we’ll always find a way to keep your project going, regardless of the weather conditions. Whether it’s implementing temporary protections, being flexible on what’s being worked on, or restoring the site post-storm, we’ll get everything back up and running in no time.
Looking for a Commercial Project Partner? Contact Jos. Schmitt Construction
At Jos. Schmitt Construction, we’re proud to have decades of experience safely and efficiently navigating springtime construction sites. We’ll be able to keep your project on deadline while simultaneously protecting equipment, buildings, and workers, which in turn protects your investment.
If you’d like to learn more about our high-quality services and how we can make your vision come to life, then contact us today.
