Keeping Employees Safe While Working Outdoors

The spring can pose potential risks to your team members working outdoors.

Between the rainy and stormy weather, hot days, and various outdoor hazards, you’ll need to make employee safety your top priority.

If you have employees who spend a lot of their time outdoors, make sure you and your team stay up to date with outdoor safety tips. Here are a few to get you started:

Stay Safe in the Heat

According to OSHA, outdoor employees can be at risk for heat-related illnesses.

OSHA recommends the following for guarding employees against heat and humidity:

• Spend time in the shade when possible
• Always stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Use sunscreen
• Dress appropriately for the weather and temperatures
• Be mindful of how work clothes may affect you in warmer temperatures
• Try to eat something light or small before working in the heat
• Be aware and knowledgeable of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, so treatment can be given if needed.

Protect Yourself Against Insects and Poisonous Plants

Two of the major insects that OSHA mentions employees should be aware of are mosquitoes and ticks.

Both insects can sometimes carry diseases (West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease) that can make humans severely ill if bitten by them.

Make sure your employees are well prepared to prevent insect bites and to avoid encountering poisonous plants.

Watch the Weather

Your employees need to know how to be safe in bad weather.

Lightning, hail, flooding, and high winds etc., can be dangerous conditions to work in.

In a lot of cases, workers must hold off on performing a job when the weather conditions are deemed unsafe.

Make sure your employees follow proper safety protocols and procedures when dealing with hazardous weather.

Learn First Aid

Make sure your employees know basic first aid to treat the various issues they may encounter while working outdoors.

Train, Train, Train!

One of the best ways to be safe outdoors is by training your employees on how to be safe outdoors.

They will be better prepared if they’re aware of what to look out for and how to deal with it.

We want you and your team to be safe through this spring season.

If you have questions on additional ways you can help protect your employees, feel free to contact us.