Winter Worker Safety

Yes, it’s that time of year again.  As a reminder, preparing your employees for harsh winter weather conditions requires more than a just note on the bulletin board to wear their hats and gloves. Preparation and training must begin before the temperature drops, and it requires more than just adding additional clothing.

This is even more important in our region where employees can get a little complacent when it comes to cold, snow and ice.  The number of drivers braving, and falling victim to, the recent storms is a glaring reminder of this.

To keep you and your workers safe, please take a moment to review these tips:

1.       Train Your Workers

At a minimum train workers on:  

• First aid and how to call for additional medical assistance in an emergency
• How to select proper clothing for cold, wet, and windy conditions
• Recognizing the types of Cold Stress:

Immersion/Trench Foot – Trench foot is a non-freezing injury of the feet caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions.  Symptoms – Reddening skin, tingling, pain, swelling, leg cramps, numbness, and blisters.

Frostbite – caused by the freezing of the skin and tissues. Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the body, and in severe cases can lead to amputation.  Symptoms – Reddened skin develops gray/white patches in the fingers, toes, nose, or ear lobes; tingling, aching, a loss of feeling, firm/hard, and blisters may occur in the affected areas.

Hypothermia – occurs when the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F. Exposure to cold temperatures causes the body to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Prolonged exposure to cold will eventually use up the body’s stored energy.  Symptoms – uncontrollable shivering, loss of coordination, confusion, slurred speech, heart rate/breathing slow, unconsciousness and possibly death.
 

 2.       Pay Attention to the Wind Chill

Workers exposed to windy conditions are at far greater risk of cold stress

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) developed a Work/Warm-up Schedule for a 4-hour shift takes both air temperature and wind speed into account, to provide recommendations on scheduling work breaks and ceasing non-emergency work. You can find more information here: OSHA Winter Weather Guide

3.       Wear Proper Cold Weather Clothing

Dressing properly is extremely important to preventing cold stress. When cold environments or temperatures cannot be avoided, the following would help protect workers from cold stress:

• Wear at least three layers of loose-fitting clothing. Layering provides better insulation.
  • An inner layer of wool, silk or synthetic (polypropylene) to keep moisture away from the body. Thermal wear, wool, silk or polypropylene, inner layers of clothing that will hold more body heat than cotton.
  • A middle layer of wool or synthetic to provide insulation even when wet.
  • An outer wind and rain protection layer that allows some ventilation to prevent overheating. 
• Knit mask to cover face and mouth (if needed)
• Hat that will cover your ears as well.
• Insulated gloves (water resistant if necessary), to protect the hands
• Insulated and waterproof boots to protect the feet

4.       Use Appropriate Engineering Controls

Engineering controls can be effective in reducing the risk of cold stress. For example, radiant heaters may be used to warm workplaces like outdoor security stations. If possible, employers should shield work areas from drafts or wind to reduce wind chill.

Employers should use engineering controls to protect workers from other winter weather related hazards, for example, aerial lifts or ladders can be used for safely applying de-icing materials to roofs, to protect workers from the hazard of falling through sky lights.

5.       Stay well nourished by eating and drinking enough

Make sure to drink enough fluids, as you dehydrate faster in cold weather conditions. Dehydration causes headaches, dizziness and fatigue, and it’s important to stay alert outdoors. Eating enough food during the day, especially fats and carbohydrates, is also important. Your body uses those nutrients as energy to stay warm in cold temperatures.

6.       Stay well rested

Working outdoors can be challenging and increases risks to your safety. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep to stay alert on the job when conditions are more dangerous.

7.       Plan breaks from the cold

Just like you need to take breaks from your work throughout the day, your body needs to take breaks from the cold. Plan warm-up times throughout your day to avoid numbness and shivers.

8.       Stay dry

Damp clothing can quickly drop your body temperature. It’s more important than ever to stay dry in the cold. Wear a moisture-wicking base layer to draw away sweat as you work. Wear waterproof gear as an outer shell to prevent your under layers from getting wet. Remove any wet clothing immediately.

9.       Keep a cold weather safety kit in your vehicle

If you’re on the road, make sure to take a cold weather safety kit. A cold weather kit should include emergency blankets, candles, and matches. A candle burning in a vehicle could provide enough warmth to ward off hypothermia for a period of time.

Make sure your workers are aware and prepared before they head outdoors.  Feel free to contact us if you have questions or would like to talk to one of our cold weather safety experts or set up a training class. 

Stay safe and best wishes in the New Year!!

Feel free to give us a call at  (651) 444-3275 or email