Roofers working on new campus construction sites have added
snow shovels and brooms to their tool kits.

Almost weekly snowfalls throughout December and this month
forced workers installing roofs on the new multimedia wing
above Togo Salmon Hall and the addition to the John Hodgins
Engineering building to add snow clearing to the installation
process.

When it snows, work on the flat roofs has to stop because the
surfaces become slick, said Joyanne Beckett, physical plant's
project manager for the two construction projects.

“Every time it snows it delays it somewhat,” said Beckett. “It
makes it dangerous to work up there because they are putting
tar down. It has to be cleared off of snow and dried.”

Beckett is optimistic the tar kettle can be removed and the major
roofing work on the engineering addition (the future home of the
McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute) will be completed
this week before any more snowfall arrives. Construction work at
the engineering site is about one month behind schedule
because of the weather complications.

The frigid temperatures — it was -17C Tuesday morning — also
mean the construction companies have been bringing in heaters
to warm up the building interiors for the construction crews.

Environment Canada is “http://www.weather.ec.gc.ca/forecast/yhm.html”>forecasting
slightly warmer temperatures as the week progresses.

“The cold weather has meant they've had to bring in portable gas
heaters to provide temperature heating in the buildings at both
locations,” added Beckett.

As for snow, the roofers will be happy this isn't Buffalo.
As of Tuesday, it has snowed 266 centimetres (104.6 inches) at
Buffalo Niagara International Airport this season, the “http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/09/nyregion/09BUFF.html”>New
York Times reports.

Shoulder high snow banks grace the cityscape. Tuesday was
the 23rd day in a row of measurable snowfall at the U.S. National
Weather Service's office at the airport.

“It's just been outrageous,” said Steve McLaughlin, a hydrologist
and Weather Service forecaster, grinning broadly.