4 Essential Safety Tips for Working in the Rain
When you work outside, you won’t always have balmy days and clear blue skies. So adapt your work habits for rainy conditions to keep yourself safe on the job. Use these four essential safety tips for working in the rain.
1. Wear the Right Hi-Vis Gear
In rainy conditions, wear waterproof hi-vis apparel since the materials keep you dry and increase visibility. Hi-vis clothes can have prismatic or glass bead material, and the type you have affects how the reflective material on hi-vis clothing works.
While glass bead works well in most situations, it reflects a lot less when wet and can be useless for increasing visibility in the rain. To ensure high visibility, always dress for the weather.
2. Don’t Rush Your Work
Another essential safety tip for working in the rain is to take your time on the job. It can be hard to avoid rushing yourself, but you’re in the rain no matter what. And moving too quickly can bring you more harm than good.
The rain reduces visibility and makes surfaces slicker. Work methodically, move slowly, and stay aware of your surroundings.
3. Tread Carefully
In many physically demanding jobs, your footwear is a part of the uniform and an important component of PPE. When working in rainy conditions, lower the chance of slips, trips, and falls with anti-slip footwear.
Of course, anti-slip footwear won’t protect you completely from the environment. As such, keep the walking area as clear as possible and watch where you place your feet. Also, keep your hands out of your pockets in case you fall.
4. Wear High-Grip Gloves
Since water makes surfaces slick, wear gloves with a good grip to reduce the chance of losing hold of your tools or other materials. Just like with your usual work gloves, you want gloves that protect your hands from abrasions, cuts, and impact wounds.
Water-resistant gloves limit water from passing through, and waterproof gloves completely prevent water from soaking through the material. Sometimes, waterproof material will cover your hand completely but not the cuff. So if you need to protect your wrists, keep this in mind when shopping.
