For much of the year, New York receives a constant barrage of rain, snow and wind. During the summer, the city sees temperatures ranging from the 70s to mid-90s, and occasionally even in the triple digits. This puts employees who need to work outside all day in significant danger.
All construction sites need to follow careful guidelines to ensure no one suffers from heat stroke or other complications from being out in the sun all day. Summer is just around the corner, so it is vital for construction site managers to know the risks. They can take proper actions to ensure all workers remain safe during New York summers.
Drink plenty of water
The person overseeing the construction project should ensure everyone on-site should have access to water. Most recommendations state construction workers should consume one cup of water once every 15 to 20 minutes. This ensures everyone replenishes moisture lost over the course of a workday. Workers should also keep a bottle of water or a canteen on their person in case they cannot get to a water fountain easily.
Take regular breaks
Supervisors need to make sure employees have a cool, shaded area to take breaks in. While office workers may only need breaks once every couple of hours, construction workers need to rest more frequently. The rest area should have a fan and water nearby so that employees can stay healthy. Workers should also go to this area during their lunch breaks where they eat a meal high in electrolytes and salt to replace what the body lost in sweat.
Schedule appropriately
Ideally, the hardest work of the day should occur early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the temperature is not as high. The hottest time of day tends to occur between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. During this period, construction workers should do lighter activities that will not cause them to overexert themselves.
