Industry News // Reducing Your Risk

December 2008

BEWARE OF OLD MAN WINTER!

If the pattern of the past few years hold true, the nation could be in for a harsh and prolonged bout of wintry weather. Unless your business is in places like California, Florida, or Hawaii, you and your workers have to deal with winter — a season that presents specific workplace health hazards. OSHA recently set forth a series of guidelines to protect workers during this season. Here’s an overview of these recommendations:

• Teach workers the dangers of cold weather. Prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures can cause such serious health problems, as trench foot, frostbite, and hypothermia. In extreme cases, exposure can lead to death.
• Train employees to recognize the danger signs of cold weather-induced illness such as uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue, and confused behavior.
• Schedule work in the warmest part of the day.
• Set up a buddy system, with one worker watching another for signs of cold-weather caused illness or injury.
• Rule out cold weather work for employees with such illnesses as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart and circulatory problems.
• Schedule frequent breaks for workers to come indoors to heated, dry shelters.
• Serve warm, sweet beverages, such as sugar water or sports drinks. Contrary to popular wisdom, avoid coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. While these feel good going down, the caffeine magnifies the effect of cold weather on their bodies.
• Ban alcoholic beverages! They’re even more damaging to the body’s attempts to protect itself.
• Advise workers on what clothing to wear — preferably warm, waterproof garments worn in loose layers, which insulate the body by trapping air between them. Layers also allow workers to add or remove outerware as the temperature changes. As any skier knows, even a cold day can be quite warm, when under direct sunlight with little wind.