During the warmer summer months, completing construction projects can be hard work. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is still required for subcontractors and other construction workers to wear in order to stay safe and comply with OSHA’s requirements. However, these warmer months do require PPE specifically designed for heat. Keep reading to discover which PPE is best and a few tips to help manage your summer construction project.
Safety Tips to Keep Construction Workers Safe in Summer Months
Stay Hydrated
Working in the blazing sun for hours at a time can easily lead to heat exhaustion if you’re not careful. It’s crucial to ensure your employees are drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and cool. It is best for employees to try and sip on some water every 15 minutes to keep hydration levels up.
Use Sun Protection
With your crew working in the sun for hours at a time, the use of sunscreen is critical. Ensure your workers are applying sunscreen on a regular basis and provide UV protective clothing to help prevent severe sunburn.
Take Frequent Rest Breaks
Your employees comfort should never compromise their safety. While at the site, you should always make sure your workers have the proper safety gear and are taking regular breaks to cool off, drink some water, and reapply sunscreen.
Choosing the Right PPE for Summer Construction Work
Having your full construction PPE gear during summer can feel like an oven. There are a few tips that can help your employees catch some air while still keeping up with safety standards.
Lighten Up
Go light and go bright with clothing! Bright colors will improve visibility and reflect most of the light (and heat) away keeping construction workers cool. It might also be a good idea to opt for loosely fitting clothing, which will also improve air circulation and keep workers cool.
Keep the Protective Eye-Wear On
Summer is an excellent time to improve your eye-wear. Not only will quality eye-wear protect your workers eyes from splinters and other construction related hazards, they will also protect your workers eyes from the glaring sun and harmful UV rays.
Provide Cooling Accessories
You can also provide your crew with cooling accessories they can wear beneath or attached to certain items. Cooling towels or bandannas, neck shade attachments, sweat liners, etc. are all excellent items for summer construction projects.
Keep Your PPE On at All Costs
Your employees safety should always come first. While you might substitute some of your PPE for lighter options, you shouldn’t do away with them altogether. Some great summer construction PPE include:
• Light, breathable gloves
• Birdseye mesh t-shirts (preferably short sleeves)
• Bright-colored mesh safety vests
• Mesh protective pants
• Sweat liners
• Cooling bandannas
• MAX6 anti-fog protection eye-wear
• Mesh HI-VIS hat or other hard hats with vents
Keep in mind that the PPE options may vary depending on the construction work in question.
For general contractors, managing all of what your crew will need during summer construction projects and ensuring you are keeping up with safety requirements can be difficult and time consuming. Fortunately, our PlanHub platform features numerous features and benefits for general contractors and subcontractors alike who need some assistance in managing various aspects of their projects. To learn more about how PlanHub can help make your job a little easier, or to request a demo, contact us today!
