Different seasons can increase workers exposure to serious injuries such as broken bones, severe cut and lacerations, amputations, electrocution, chemicals, and head injuries.

Spring

Spring has sprung! As your employees head back to their open-air workplaces, now is the time to ensure they stay safe and injury-free.

Some common risks for outdoor workers include:

  • Buried electrical lines
  • Cuts and amputations
  • Slips, trips, and falls
  • Sunburn, dehydration and heat stroke
  • Lifting and working in awkward positions
  • Noise
  • Pesticides and chemicals
  • Motor vehicles.

Training

Are your employees properly trained in using equipment? Ensure tools and equipment are in working order.

Protection.

Wear gloves to protect from skin irritations, cuts, and contaminants.

Bugs! Use insect repellant containing DEET to guard against ticks and stinging insects. If you’re allergic to certain insects, carry an EpiPen® or other epinephrine auto-injector on the job at all times. Follow all instructions and warning labels when using chemicals and other products.

Sun. Reduce the risk of sunburn and skin cancer by wearing long sleeves, a wide-brimmed hat, sunshades and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

Hydration. Drink plenty of liquids, and know the signs of heat-related illness (high body temperature, headache, dizziness, rapid pulse, nausea, confusion or unconsciousness).

See our Be Heat Smart page that discusses heat related hazards and controls.

General spring cleaning tips

Put the focus on ergonomics. Use safe lifting techniques, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs. Wear properly fitting footwear to prevent fatigue and protect your toes.

If you feel something is too heavy and you can't find someone else to do help, just don't move it. It won't be the end of the world to just clean around it.

During spring cleaning you may go up and down stairs carrying a lot of things. Don’t carry too much and keep one hand free to hold onto the stair railing. Whether you have stairs or not, always make sure you can see over the load you are carrying so you do not trip. Be mindful of slippery walking surfaces.

Be sure to use appropriate ladders or stepstools. When doing a task, such as washing windows or storing or retrieving supplies, use extreme caution while on ladders. Do not lean too far to either side. Use three points of contact, one foot and two hands or two feet and one hand while working on a ladder.

See Ladder Safety and Ten Tips for Ladder Safety.

Be careful when using cleaning supplies

Awareness. Check the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and know the chemical hazards and use the appropriate personal protective equipment. Keep cleaning products within properly labelled containers and store in a safe location. Chemicals used at work require PPE (safety goggles) and possibly an approved first aid emergency eyewash station - when chemicals are corrosive (bleach), toxic (pesticides), or strongly irritating or caustic (strong cleaners).

Spring safety tips for employers

  • Conduct a spring clean and promptly dispose of unused/broken equipment.
  • Review your site’s LEAN 5S for any items that may have been relocated for the colder months. Move and mark any items that are moved for spring.
  • Audit your warm weather PPE levels. Make sure you have the right gear for workers who will be outside.
  • Review emergency plans for inclement weather. Check that all signage is up to date and that employees know what to do.
  • Secure any outdoor items to make sure they won’t blow away in the wind.
  • Trim overgrown branches that could cause a hazard in high winds. Tree limbs can cause structural damage to windows, the roof, siding, and more.
  • Add fresh paint to your site’s parking lot, ensuring that all markings are easy to see. Pay special attention to crosswalks, intersections, and handicap spaces.
  • Spray for common pests prior to increases in heat and rainfall.
  • Ensure that heaters and/or fans are plugged in someplace that doesn’t create a trip hazard.

Get your facility ready for weather changes with these safety tips. And consider doing thorough, in-depth audits of each zone within your buildings to find hazards. For each hazard, come up with an action item that you can implement and track as spring progresses.

Spring safety tips for employees

  • Check the weather before leaving your home or business. You may encounter several types of weather in one day.
  • Check the air pressure in your tires frequently. Temperature fluctuations in spring time can mess with the balance of all four tires and increase your chance of an accident.
  • Make sure that your windshield wipers are in working condition before driving.
  • Keep all your required PPE in your vehicle or bag so that you never forget to bring it with you.
  • Clean your workstation regularly to eliminate trip hazards.

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Summer

Employers need to prepare their workers for hot temperatures through planning, training, and other measures. Fire hazards, increased construction activities, and outdoor heat all create risks for injuries to outdoor workers during summer months.

Workers unprepared for outdoor heat have an increased risk for heat-related illnesses including heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. Even the healthiest worker can get sick when working outdoors in the heat without proper protections. Also, heat can make workers more susceptible to falls, equipment-related injuries, and other on-the-job safety hazards.

See also:

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Autumn/Fall

Rain, wind, fog, and shorter daylight hours can increase hazards for those working outside during autumn months. This can increase risks of injury when operating equipment or vehicles, and through slips, trips, and falls.

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Winter

Related Resources

External Related Safety Topics

Related Safety Topics