Winterizing Your Jobsite

We may be halfway through the winter season, but many parts of the country are still expecting cold and icy weather for months to come. It's essential to keep safety top of mind during the dangerous winter conditions. Not only do construction workers have to avoid hypothermia and frostbite, or back injuries from shoveling mass amounts of snow and ground erosion, they also have to check their jobsites constantly to make sure the sub-degree temperatures don't turn their projects into dangerous work environments.

Be sure to consider these precautions before heading to the jobsite this winter:

• Protect pipes on the jobsite from freezing. Use heat lamps or space heaters (never use flames).
• Stabilize soil on and near the jobsite to prevent erosions.
• Check cranes daily to make sure there is no water or ice buildup.
• Do not use hoists when there is precipitation or high winds.
• Avoid working in icy and stormy conditions.
• Remove winter and construction debris every day.
• Before you use a roof water tank, make sure it’s unable to freeze.
• Fuel machines regularly so there is a limited amount of empty space in the tank.
• Slow down. Working in the winter is harder on the people and machines, so a slower approach will lead to less accidents.
• Invest in a crane with a heated cab for the operator.
• Also invest in jobsite heaters to prevent builders from getting frostbite and hypothermia.  

Safety is a core value at LP, and we promote it in our mills, our offices and at home. Be on the lookout for our Twitter posts with #LPSafetyTip to learn more about everyday safety.