Cold Stress Safety and Prevention

When we think about winter and the cold months ahead, we often overlook the risks the cold imposes on many of our nation’s workers. However, cold stress and the precautions that should be taken are so important in ensuring the safety of our employees. After discussing what cold stress is and how to recognize the different signs and symptoms of the various illnesses and injuries, it is important to know how to prevent these conditions and put standards in place for your employees’ safety.

To reduce cold-stress injury and illness risk, workers need protection from cold exposure, so their core temperature doesn’t fall below the average human body temperature of about 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Employers and employees must make the dual effort and take measures to protect against cold stress. Below are prevention tips and considerations that should be made when devising your own cold-stress prevention plan and guidelines.

• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as windbreakers, hats, gloves, and boots for employees working in a cold environment.
• Monitor workers in cold conditions to make sure they’re taking adequate breaks in a warm environment.
• Implement a buddy system to keep workers accountable for staying safe.
• Provide prompt medical attention to workers who show signs of cold-related illness or injury.      
• Keep on-site clinicians so that if a worker starts to exhibit the symptoms of a cold-related illness or injury, these clinicians can be there to provide quick and necessary treatment. With this strategy, it is important that the clinician team is set up in an appropriate clinical environment for treating these conditions.
• Train supervisors and workers to prevent, recognize and treat cold-related illness and injury.
• Reduce workers’ time spent in cold environments.
• Rotate workers to provide relief and reduce the physical demands of a job.
• Encourage breaks to warm up when needed.
• Ensure access to warm areas and a place to change out of wet clothes.
• Create a management/employee safety committee that can provide more risk management solutions.
  
  

To keep yourself and those around you safe in the cold and to learn more about how to keep your workers safe and what cold stress prevention measures to put in place, visit: https://www.thehartford.com/insights/home-workplace-safety/cold-stress?cmp=EMC-ML-Construction2211-35358156.

DII is your partner in cold safety this holiday season. Our team of experts can work with you to understand how to protect your friends, family, and coworkers from the cold during these harsh winter months. Please contact your DII representative for more information.  #HolidaySeason #ColdStress #Prevention