Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know.
Are you and your employees prepared for cold winter temperatures and extreme weather hazards?
Even if your facility or worksites are outside the country’s “snow belt,” you need to be mindful of cold-weather hazards. Workers unaccustomed to winter weather may be at risk in near-freezing temperatures that would pose little threat elsewhere in the country. Even regions with characteristically mild winters can experience brief, intense cold spells and extreme weather.
Workers in occupations that include construction workers; farmers and farmworkers; firefighters, police officers, and other emergency responders; sanitation workers; and snow cleanup crews face a risk of cold stress.
Hazardous winter weather includes cold temperatures and hail, ice, snow, and a “wintry mix,” as well as extreme weather systems like nor’easters on the U.S. East Coast from September to April. Winter health hazards include chilblains and hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot caused by exposure to cold and wet conditions, as well as carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the use of portable generators, fuel-burning space heaters, and other diesel- or gasoline-powered equipment. Injury risks include slips and falls on icy or wet walking surfaces.
Employees working long shifts in cold, icy, snowy, or wet conditions may be at risk of hazards such as frostbite and hypothermia, as well as chilblains and trench foot. At a bare minimum, you schedule cold work for the warmest part of the day. For long-duration jobs, you may want to use relief workers to limit any individual worker’s exposure.
There are several commonsense precautions workers can take to protect themselves from cold weather hazards, which include:
- Wearing several layers of loose clothing. While layering can provide effective insulation, tight-fitting clothing can interfere with proper circulation.
- Wearing a hat, waterproof boots, and gloves to protect their extremities—ears, face, hands, and feet—from cold and wet conditions.
- Carrying cold-weather gear, such as blankets and a change of clothing, extra socks, gloves, a dry hat, and a jacket.
- Taking breaks in warm locations, such as inside a vehicle or a sheltered and heated area.
Proper clothing should protect the head and exposed limbs, which are major areas of heat loss in cold conditions. A worker’s head and trunk should be warm enough to maintain circulation to the blood vessels in the hands and feet. Keeping blood flowing to the hands and feet is the key to preventing frostbite, which, in extreme cases, can lead to amputation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has suggested providing employee training on winter hazards, including the following:
- Cold stress—how to recognize the symptoms of cold stress and prevent injuries and illnesses, the importance of self-monitoring and monitoring coworkers for symptoms, first aid, and how to obtain medical assistance in an emergency.
- Other winter weather hazards include slippery roads and walking surfaces, windy conditions, and downed power lines.
- Engineering controls, safe work practices, and proper equipment selection, including personal protective equipment (PPE), for winter weather protection.
Engineering controls to prevent cold stress include radiant heaters to warm workplaces, like outdoor security stations, and shielding work areas from drafts or wind to reduce wind chill. Aerial lifts or ladders can be used to safely apply de-icing materials to rooftops, protecting workers from falling.
Hypothermia
Prolonged exposure to cold will deplete the body’s stored energy, posing a risk of hypothermia. Hypothermia happens when the body begins to lose heat more quickly than it can be produced, and it can be fatal. Hypothermia can begin with uncontrollable shivering as the body temperature drops to 95 degrees F.
Have your employees check themselves and coworkers for signs of hypothermia, which can include impaired speech or a lack of coordination. Pay attention to symptoms of hypothermia, as an affected worker may deny being in trouble.
The stages of hypothermia are:
- Impending, when the body’s core temperature has decreased to 96.8 degrees F. The worker’s skin may become pale, numb, and waxy, and the person may show signs of fatigue or weakness. The muscles may tense, and shivering begins. (Shivering is the body’s attempt at creating heat through friction, involving the involuntary contraction and expansion of muscle tissue.)
- Mild, when the body’s core temperature has dropped to 93.2 degrees F. At this stage, intense and uncontrolled shivering begins. The worker may still be alert, but movements may become less coordinated as the cold causes pain and discomfort.
- Moderate, when the body’s core temperature has dropped to 87.7 degrees F. Shivering may slow or stop completely. Apathy and confusion set in. Speech is slow and slurred. Breathing becomes slow and shallow, followed by drowsiness.
- Severe, when the body’s core temperature is below 87.7 degrees F. The skin may be blue-gray, and the irises may be dilated. The worker may appear drunk, deny any problems, and even refuse help. The person may gradually lose consciousness. There may be little or no breathing, and the worker may exhibit no response to verbal or painful stimuli. They may even appear dead.
You need to get a worker who’s showing signs of hypothermia out of wet and windy conditions and into a warm room, shelter, or vehicle. You should then remove any wet clothing and warm the worker from the center of the body to the extremities.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends warming the center of an affected worker’s body, including the chest, groin, head, and neck, using an electric blanket or skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, or towels.
Other treatments may include warming an affected worker with warmed objects, such as heat packs, heated rocks, or hot water bottles wrapped in towels or clothing. You may also give an affected worker a warm beverage to prevent further heat loss, but only if the worker is clearly conscious, can swallow, and is already starting to warm up.
If a worker fails to recover with first-aid measures, however, you may need to summon emergency medical services and arrange for evacuation.
Chilblains and Trench Foot
Chilblains and trench foot can lead to permanent, potentially serious injuries. Chilblains, or “chill burns,” are ulcers formed by damaged small blood vessels under the skin that can result from skin exposure to temperatures ranging from just above freezing to as high as 60 degrees F. Cold temperatures can cause damage to the capillary beds, or small blood vessels under the skin. Redness and itching typically occur on cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes. Redness and itching can return with additional exposure. Tissue damage caused by chilblains can be permanent.
Your workers need to wear several layers of loose clothing for insulation; tight clothing reduces blood circulation to the extremities. Boots should be insulated and waterproof, and workers should wear a hat to reduce heat loss through the head.
Workers experiencing chilblains need to slowly warm the skin, avoid scratching, and use corticosteroid creams to relieve itching and swelling. Blisters and skin ulcers need to be cleaned and covered.
Trench foot, also known as “immersion foot,” is an injury of the feet resulting from prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions. Trench foot can occur at temperatures as high as 60 degrees F if the feet are constantly wet. Wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet. When the feet are wet, the body constricts blood vessels to prevent heat loss, shutting down circulation in the feet. Skin tissue begins to die due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients, and the buildup of toxins.
Trench foot may begin as numbness or reddening of the skin, but can lead to blisters or ulcers, bleeding under the skin, or even gangrene, in which the foot turns dark purple, blue, or gray.
Workers suffering from trench foot should remove their boots or shoes, remove their wet socks, and dry their feet. They should also avoid walking on their feet, which can cause tissue damage.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
CO hazards from fuel-burning equipment and tools used inside buildings or semi-enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation claim workers’ lives nationwide, according to OSHA.
Fuel-burning portable generators and space heaters are common sources of CO hazards, as is equipment that uses combustion to operate, such as compressors, furnaces, gasoline-powered forklifts and other motorized vehicles, power tools, pumps, and welding equipment.
OSHA recommends that employers install effective ventilation systems, avoid using fuel-burning equipment and vehicles in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, and use CO detectors in areas where CO hazards may exist.
Winter Weather Slips and Falls
Ice formation and snow accumulation pose slip-and-fall risks. “Falls on the same level” cost employers $10.5 billion annually. Falls on the same level remain the top cause of losses for the manufacturing sector.
Slips are caused by insufficient friction between workers’ feet and the walking surface. Winter weather hazards like ice and snow can reduce the friction needed to prevent slips and falls. Even indoor workers may be at risk while crossing employee parking lots, walkways (outdoor sidewalks, ramps, stairs, and stairways), and building entrances.
NIOSH recommends that employers place water-absorbent mats near entrances and other areas where water, ice, or snow may drip or be tracked onto floors.
OSHA recommends that employers clear walking surfaces of ice and snow and spread de-icer as soon as possible after a winter storm to prevent slips and falls. The agency also suggests that workers wear proper footwear, such as insulated and water-resistant boots with good rubber treads, when walking on snow or ice during or after a winter storm is unavoidable.
During the winter months, workers can also keep a pair of rubber overshoes with good treads that can fit over street shoes. When walking on an icy or snow-covered walkway, workers should take short steps and walk at a slower pace, allowing them to respond quickly to a change in traction.
OSHA has a hazard alert pamphlet, Snow Removal: Know the Hazards, that provides guidance to employers on preventing serious injuries and fatalities. The agency suggests considering options to avoid work on roofs or elevated heights for snow removal. If snow must be removed from rooftops or elevated surfaces, employers should provide required fall protection equipment and training for workers on roofs or at elevated heights, and ensure that ladders are used safely.
Be mindful of winter health and safety hazards over the next several weeks.