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Union warn of building site safety in bad weather

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) has warned employers in the building trade to be vigilant during the country's extreme weather conditions.

UCATT insists that extra checks on sites are needed to ensure that work can be conducted safely during Britain's cold snap.

It says that employers should undertake additional risk assessments and must ensure the following:

Appropriate protective equipment is issued
Mobile facilities for warming up, with warm fluids such as hot chocolate or soup, are provided
More frequent rest breaks are introduced
Workers are educated on recognising the early symptoms of cold stress / early signs of hypothermia which include shivering, loss of coordination, slurred speech, memory loss and pale cold skin.

General Secretary of UCATT, Alan Ritchie, said: "Cold weather brings additional dangers to the construction industry. It is essential that employers ensure sites are safe and proper facilities are provided during cold weather working. If workers do not believe that their site is safe they should stop work immediately until problems are resolved."