Cold weather equipment: neither snow, sleet, nor winter worries keep masons from their jobs.

While many of us are still enjoying the great fall weather, every contractor knows that brutal winter weather could be just a few weeks away. Planning for that scenario, the GCs request to keep the project moving forward can be the difference between profit or loss for the year's last quarter.

In a masonry town like Montreal, cold weather doesn't normally keep mason crews at home, at least not too long. Part of their commitment to production is the preparation they take while on the job. Just as important is the continuing acceptance from construction managers and architects that quality masonry can be installed during the normally dormant winter months.

For example, last January prior to yet another impending winter storm, a lonely Cat D-8 bulldozer was dressing off the top of a dump readying it for more snow. Everyone expects snow and cold weather in Montreal, so city officials have placed these dumping spots strategically to stockpile the tremendous volumes removed from city streets each year.

This particular snow dump was within eyesight of the crews from Turin Construction atop their mast climbers. These hardy masons were finishing the brickwork on the exterior of Le Marquise, a new condominium project in the upbeat residential neighborhood of Cote St-Luc.

The masons didn't seem to be suffering even though the general contractor had not supplied interior heat. To protect the masons and their work from getting cold, this contractor wrapped his mast climber in plastic. The wrap provided a shield from the blustery Canadian winds. Propane heaters were positioned lower than the working platform to keep the masons warm, even their feet. Rising currents also help warm the brick, mortar, and tools.

The Turin crew prepared for the cold weather work by wrapping the brick pallets each evening and warming them for use the next day. Laborers also wrapped the silo mix mortar with film. A watchman monitored the heaters.

At a nearby apartment building job, a crew was working on straight walls. This crew configured their mast climber so that heat from window openings flowed into the work platform. A wooden roof was installed overhead and plastic insulation was added to maintain a tight boundary with the building's wall. The men kept warm and work progressed smoothly despite cold temperatures outside the enclosure.