Page 42 - OHS, March 2021

PPE: PROTECTIVE APPAREL
Preparing for Unpredictable Spring Weather
Spring is just around the corner, so it’s time to prepare with the proper protective gear for the season.
BY MARY PADRON
Spring is a time for rebirth, hope and renewal. It is a time for digging and planting and watching things grow. However, it’s also a time for unpredictable and severe weather. As American writer and humorist Mark Twain said, “In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” English writer and social critic Charles Dickens said, “Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.”
What is called “meteorological spring” occurs from March 1 to May 31 each year. According to weather.com, “Wide-ranging weather impacts occur in those three months because of a battle between warmer air trying to budge farther northward and the
last of winter’s cold plunging southward out of Canada. That temperature contrast fuels a strong jet stream and, therefore, highly variable weather conditions.”1
When It’s Spring, You Need These Things
Necessary jobsite gear to protect workers from wind and rain is crucial during springtime. Spring weather is unpredictable, bringing thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes and even snowstorms to jobsites across the country. Because of the highly variable weather conditions, every safety professional needs a variety of protective gear in their spring safety program. Windshirts, rainwear and cross-seasonal gear can help safety professionals prepare for the roller-coaster weather of spring.
38 Occupational Health & Safety | MARCH 2021
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