First Call cold weather tips and tricks:
It is always important to keep an eye on the ambient temperature to make sure that we all remain safe and warm when needed.
Driving:
We are not much help to our customers if we cannot get there safely. Always make sure that we are driving safe for road conditions. That starts with all of our technicians that drive to the shop to respond to the call for service. Always stay updated on changing weather that could affect roads. Personnel and crew safety is paramount no matter if you are on a job, responding to a job or just leaving one. Situational awareness is always a top priority.
Job site
Below freezing temperatures can affect operational readiness and even jobsite operations. We need water supply for many reasons. We need water for wet decon. The right kind of decontamination practices don’t take a back seat when the temperature is below freezing. Wet decon is required for specific job types and chemical exposures. We also use water for mixing neutralizing agents.
Anytime we use water we need to make sure that we only use what is necessary and never leave the water running. We don’t want to create patches of ice around the job site.
Rehab
Whenever possible, we want to maintain a safe and warm place for our personnel to seek safety from the cold weather. We try to make sure that our company vehicles are that safe place. We run jobs that require hands on activity no matter what the weather conditions are. We also required advanced levels of PPE with different suits.
Weather is not always a hazard but it can be. It can change and alter several different aspects of our jobs. Don’t let complacency set in. Always maintain situational awareness.