Here’s How ‘Safety’ Changes in British Columbia During the Summer Months
Vancouver is arguably never more beautiful than during the summer months. The transition from winter to spring and from spring to summer happens quickly in the Vancouver area and results in dramatic temperature and weather changes. The summer season in Vancouver brings with it much warmer temperatures and much less rainfall. Conditions are less cold and less slippery, therefore, the work environment in some industries like construction, fire fighting, mining, forestry and law enforcement adapts slightly to take advantage of the weather.
More ‘Outdoors’ Work and a Variety of Safety Challenges
The nicer weather means a whole host of industries can operate at increased capacity. This is particularly true for industries like ‘paining’, ‘construction’ and ‘landscaping’. However, increased activity in these industries means exposure to a different set of safety challenges than employers and employees are used to in the cooler months. Workers are often expected to work outdoors for longer hours which can expose them to higher temperatures and depending on the nature of the work more safety risks if they’re expected to work on different equipment to facilitate the work.
Make Sure You Have Access to Fall Protection Gear
In industries like painting and construction the summertime means more work that is performed at great heights. When workers are expected to climb ladders or operate cranes it’s vital that they have access to fall protection gear that will prevent injury and death. Although slippery surfaces are often more anticipated in the winter months, the increased volume of work being done in the summertime at higher elevations means the danger is just as real. Pickering Safety recommends these fall protection harnesses to safeguard against serious injury.
Re-think Those First Aid Kits
Many components of first aid are effected by the summer weather. Workers clothing, at-work nutrition and hydration all need to be re-thought during the summer especially when it’s expected they’ll be working in ‘exposed’ conditions for extended periods of time. We recommend checking out WCB requirements for ‘seasonal’ industries using the WCB first aid kit tool on our website. It’s important for both the employee and the employer to take these changing conditions seriously. Pickering Safety offers first aid supplies for all seasons. Our supplies are of the highest quality and our wholesale prices make us a good fit for workers and business owners who want to invest in their safety and the safety of their employees.