COLD WEATHER SAFETY

SU SAFETY MEETING

COLD WEATHER SAFETY

'ALTHOUGH OSHA DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC STANDARD THAT COVERS WORKING IN COLD ENVIRONMENTS, EMPOYERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE WORKERS WITH AN ENVIRONMENT FREE OF WINTER WEATHER RELATED HAZARDS ' - OSHA section 5(a).(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE KEEP WINTER HAZARDS AT BAY?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE KEEP WINTER HAZARDS AT BAY?

SPREADING SALT

MONITOR WEATHER

PLOW SNOW

SHOVELING SNOW

exPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS CAN CAUSE...

COLD STRESS!!!

COLD STRESS!!!

Employers should train workers on how to recognize and prevent "cold stress."

Great safety meeting topic for Safesite!

What is "cold stress"?

Cold stress occurs by driving down the skin temperature and eventually your body's internal temperature, which can cause serious cold-related illnesses and injuries, permanent tissue damage, or in some cases..death.

4 Types of cold stress...

4 Types of cold stress...

Hypothermia

Trench Foot

Occurs when the normal body temperature 98.6 drops to less than 95 degrees. Typically occurs in very cold temperatures, but can also occur if person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water.

Non-freezing injury to the feet caused by prolonged exposure to wet/cold conditions. Can occur even at 60 degree temperatures because wet feet lose heat 25x faster than dry feet.

Chillblains

Frost Bite

Freezing of the skin and tissues from prolonged exposure to cold or extreme cold. Serious cases can lead to amputation.

Painful inflammation of small blood vessels in the skin caused by repeated exposure to temperatures just above freezing to as high as 60 degrees.

SYMPTOMS

Hypothermia

Trench Foot

Uncontrolled shivering Loss of coordination Confusion Slurred speech Unconsciousness

Redness of skin Numbness Tingling Pain Swelling Leg Cramps

Chillblains

Frost Bite

Reddened skin Gray/white patches on extremities and/or nose or ear lobes Tingling Loss of feeling Blisters

Redness Itching Inflamation Possible blistering

FIRST AID

Hypothermia

Trench Foot

Move worker into warm room or vehicle. Contact medical in an emergency. Remove wet clothing and put on dry clothing. Wrap body in blankets sans face.

Remove wet shoes/boots and wet socks. Dry feet and avoid working on them. Keep affected feet elevated. Seek medical attention.

Chillblains

Frost Bite

Get into a warm room ASAP. Protect area by wrapping loose dry cloth around it and contact medical. DO NOT rub/massage/or immerse in warm water. Provide warm drinks.

Avoid scratching. Slowly warm the skin. Use corticosteroid cream to relieve itching and swelling. Keep blisters and ulcers clean and covered.

PREPAREDNESS

PREPAREDNESS

IMPLEMENT SAFE WORK PRACTICES

PROVIDE ENGINEERING CONTROLS

TRAIN WORKERS

Recognize cold stress and cold related hazards and injuries.

Space heaters, option to warm up in vehicle or break room, or shield work area from wind or drafts.

Provide workers with proper tools and equipment, JSA's, avoid exposure to extreme cold when possible, monitor weather, provide warm areas, and have reliable means of communication.

DRESS PROPERLY FOR COLD

PROPER PPE

SAFETY TIPS

Know signs of cold related illnesses and injuries, monitor yourself and team members, stay dry in cold weather, drink warm liquids, keep extra clothing, ensure vehicles are topped off with fuel (S. Crabtree)

Hats, jackets, gloves, safety goggles/glasses, heated clothing.

Wear warm layered clothing, insulated clothing, face mask, waterproof clothing shoes.

REFERENCES

REFERENCES

OSHA. (ND). Winter Weather. Plan. Equip. Train. Osha.Gov/winter-weather/preparedness#train

OSHA. (ND). Winter Weather. Plan. Equip. Train. Osha.Gov/winter-weather/cold-stress

THANK YOU!!

THANK YOU!!

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