Propane heaters are necessary on construction sites as they provide a reliable and efficient source of heat in outdoor and poorly insulated indoor workspaces, including temporary shelters on job sites. They are also great at helping to prevent worker injuries and illnesses caused by exposure to cold temperatures.
These heaters can also provide a cost-effective and efficient way to heat indoor and outdoor workspaces and can also function as a heater for under house needs. This makes propane heaters ideal for businesses looking to reduce their energy costs, and who need an alternative to a generator to run electric heater.
Additionally, propane heaters are easy to install and maintain, providing your construction site with a hassle-free heating solution, in the form of direct fired heaters. Propane heaters can serve as a personal heating device for workers on the site too.
If you’re considering purchasing a personal heating device, you’ll mostly be concerned about whether to purchase an infrared vs oil heater. While the infrared heater provides you with warmth a lot more quickly, the oil heater tends to take a lot more time. But the advantage of the oil heater over the infrared is that it provides warmth more uniformly. Eventually, the type you go for will be dependent on your needs.
If you work in the construction field then you know first hand how dealing the extreme elements can be. Construction work is an essential part of keeping America’s infrastructure intact and running. However; when it comes to either excessive cold, or excessive heat, it can be imperative to keep workers both comfortable and safe, when working in these conditions.
Keeping Workers Warm
As frigid temperatures set in you might want to consider propane heater rentals in order to keep your crew safe and warm. “Why specifically propane?” you may ask. The simple answer is that propane heaters are not only more effective, but they are more efficient than electric alternatives. Propane tanks can also be transported to sites where electrical hookups may not always be available. A few other benefits include:
- Propane heaters are reliable, and will last longer than you may think. A single gallon tank can provide 27 kilowatt hours of energy.
- It’s safer for the environment, and burns cleaner than any other fossil fuel you could use. There is also not a potential for soil or groundwater contamination when using propane, and added safety bonus depending on what work site it’s being used at.
- Propane also has the added benefit of being warmer than standard electric, and it capable of warming a space quicker, and with less work, then an electric heater.
- Propane heaters are also overall less expensive to power, and maintain. Which is ideal for managing the bottom line of your project, while still keeping all workers as comfortable and safe as possible.
Those are just a few of the reasons to consider as to why propane heater rentals are superior to electricity, especially when efficiently heating a construction work space.
Important Things to Keep in Mind During Winter Construction
Always be aware of the daily temperatures and wind chill factors so that you and your team can plan accordingly. A few other things to keep in mind are:
- Always have a way to keep in contact with all crew members, and makes sure that everyone is accounted for and taking regular breaks to get warmed up.
- Try to schedule jobs that require prolonged exposure for times that are warmest in the day; even a couple of degrees can make a difference.
- Consider having team members take alternating breaks in 20 or 30 minutes intervals depending on the severity of the cold.
- Be prepared to provide extra warm clothing, or blankets incase a team member needs extra, or is becoming to cold.
- Encourage all crew members to work in pairs of two, especially out in more remote work locations.
- Train your team members in what to look for in regards to frostbite and hypothermia, as well as how to take measures to reverse and prevent it.
- Always have an emergency plan encase the something does happen. No one wants accidents to happen, but in a field like construction, there always needs to be a plan in case it does.
Keeping all crew members warm in frigid conditions is exceptionally important. If rental heaters are not readily available on a site, depending on the temperature and amount of exposure, workers could begin to experience frostbite, hypothermia, and in the worst case death caused by cold stress. Cold stress sets in after extended exposure without warming, basically both exterior and internal temperatures drop to the extent that the body cannot compensate to maintain a normal body temperature. If immediate treatment is not received the consequences can be dire.
Temporary heating for construction sites is essential, and propane heater rentals can help keep everyone safe. Additionally, propane has uses outside of heating during colder months. There are temporary cooling solutions in the for of portable air conditioner rentals that run strictly on propane. If your construction company invests in propane solutions, you don’t just get the benefits during the winter, but all year round. This consolidates all of your heating and cooling needs, while saving you money on potential electricity costs. If your crew is working in extreme and potentially dangerous temperatures consider propane heater rentals (or AC units) to help keep everyone safe for the entire duration of the job.
