Cold Feat
A silent but sometimes deadly factor to consider, cold weather can significantly impact health and safety, especially in outdoor workplace environments. Besides logistical or engineering challenges posed by cold weather, the body is also affected by low temperatures. Hypothermia can set in before you realize it, and the body begins to lose heat faster than it can produce it. Frostbite can take hold and combined this can cause numbness, shivering, confusion, slowed speech and drowsiness, all of which are a risk to safety.
Cold weather can also worsen or exacerbate preexisting chronic conditions. Sufferers of asthma, arthritis, muscle spasms, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory issues are significantly effected. The cold may also weaken the body’s immune system response, leading to colds and flu etc. Bulking up with warm clothes can also pose a hazard, one must be aware of any long or bulky clothing possibly impairing vision, hearing movement or getting stuck in machinery.
Icy or wet surfaces increase the risk of injury from slips, trips and falls. The bodies dexterity and natural grip ability can also be affected by extreme low temperatures. Cold hands make it harder to perform motor functions such as operating tools and equipment, increasing the risk of incidents. In some cases, judgement of the affected person may be impaired and their reaction time can be slowed due to exposure to the cold. One can literally be affected by “brain freeze”, whereby cold temperatures affect concentration and decision making capabilities.
There is also a risk of equipment malfunction as cold temperatures can affect mechanical and chemical components of machinery. Machinery may freeze or behave unpredictably in low temperatures. The terrain some machinery may have to navigate can also become more hazardous during cold weather bouts. Another silent but deadly risk of cold weather management is carbon monoxide poising and fire hazards from the use of heaters in enclosed spaces.
Some preventative measures for controlling safety in cold weather can include:
Provide warm clothing, gloves, and insulated footwear.
Encourage frequent breaks in warm shelters and ensure these shelters or common areas are provided.
Offer warm beverages and monitor for signs of cold stress.
Train employees on cold-related hazards and first aid.
Ensure walkways are clear of ice and use salt or sand to prevent slips.
Sometimes it can feel like you are facing a blizzard, especially for safety professionals in warmer climates as we are less accustomed to lower extreme temperatures. However the camp fire is always there through practicing safety awareness and proactivity, in doing so we are able to warm ourselves and stay safe.
