Written by Daniel Aday, CompOne Administrators Safety & Loss Prevention Specialist
Working outside in winter means combating several new hazards that are not seen during any other time of the year. While it is nice to sit back and watch the snow fall from the comforts of a cozy house or building, doing any degree of work outside in the winter is harsh and can lead to serious injury or illness if you fall complacent with these hazards. Freezing is defined as temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and at which water becomes ice. Cold, however, is not defined as a set temperature, but rather a range at which some people may be more susceptible to exposure. This is why employers should be receptive to employee concerns or complaints about working in colder temps. Colder temps may be considered as high as 59 degrees (F), but bigger risks start to occur near 35 degrees.
Cold stress is any effect that is derived from reduced body and/or skin temperatures. Cold stress may result in relatively minor concerns, but can also be life-threatening if ignored or if employees are unable to warm up to safe temperatures in a short period of time. Common cold-related illnesses and injuries may include hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and others. Signs and symptoms of cold-related illnesses and injuries may be fingertips or toes becoming numb, shallow breathing, confusion, slurring of speech or even loss of consciousness. When any of these symptoms occur, the individual experiencing these symptoms must seek a dry and warm environment as soon as possible, or risk serious injury or even death. A study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics found that cold related deaths occur twice as often as heat related deaths. So, ignoring or brushing off these symptoms is definitely not advised!
To prevent cold related illness or injury, the best strategy is avoidance. If possible, arrange all outside maintenance in late spring or early fall, when temperatures are best suited for outside work. Plan ahead: always check the weather several days in advance for work that must be performed outside and be prepared to deal with it. Set an absolute minimum temperature that you, your employees, or company, can safely work in. That may be 0 degrees Fahrenheit, -10, or whatever you feel is appropriate. For jobs that will almost always take place outside or in the elements, ensure that workers and employees have the appropriate gear to stay warm and dry. It is always best to dress in layers, whereas body temperatures rise, with moving around and performing manual labor, individuals can take off a layer to stay at a comfortable temperature, yet still be protected from the elements. Overheating and beginning to sweat while working in sub-freezing temperatures may be just as catastrophic as not being able to get warm in the first place.
If employees do spend a substantial amount of time in the cold, whether that is shoveling snow, construction, maintenance, or anything else that involves working outdoors, your company may want to develop a cold-stress procedure or policy. Depending on the scope of work, the policy should outline safety issues, cold stress symptoms, what equipment is available, who should be trained and when, provide information on weather advisories (such as distinguishing a winter storm warning vs. an advisory), and anything else that may be relevant to ensuring your employees’ safety. Training is one of the best elements in ensuring that employees are safe and warm during cold months. Training can be held at an awareness level or at an in-depth level that reviews signs and symptoms of cold stress and how to handle in the event of an illness, injury or emergency.
If you are looking for assistance with cold stress help, safety policy, procedure creation or training for cold stress awareness or any other safety topic, feel free to reach out to us at 734-309-3456 or at daday@compone.net