With winter comes a whole host of safety, health and legal issues that employers need to address before the weather worsens and temperatures drop to dangerous levels.
Preventing slips, trips and falls.
- Clear & grit walkways and parking lots from snow and ice
- mark hazardous areas
- engage employees and analyse safety risks
- ensure proper footwear with good traction is worn
- place large rugs or mats in entryways to keep them dry
- ensure that adequate fall protection is worn when removing snow from rooftops or working in elevated areas
- be wary of ice and snow being brought indoors causing wet flooring
- be conscious of the location of manholes or any uneven ground, make sure that these are marked
- snow and ice can add extra weight to otherwise stable objects causing them to fall or cave in
- while hard, sharp objects like icicles can cause puncture wounds and eye injuries, falling rooftops and other heavy objects can cause fractures, crushing and even suffocation
- whenever possible, remove excess snow and ice in and around the work area
- carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of death during the winter months
- common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning are faulty furnaces, generators and running vehicles
- to prevent poisoning regularly inspect furnaces and generators to make sure they are working and ventilating properly
- vehicles should only be left running in well-ventilated areas.
- downed power lines, trees and other objects that come into contact with power lines can cause serious injuries and even death
- workers should always keep a distance of 10 feet from power lines and always assume they are live, even if they appear to be insulated or not functioning
- be sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded
- when working on mechanical equipment follow required lockout tag-out procedures to isolate any energy
- use non-conductive poles on snow rakes
- snowblowers and other mechanical equipment can be extremely dangerous any time of year but especially during the winter months
- ensure workers are educated about how to properly use all equipment
- never using hands to clear snow or ice away from mechanical parts even when they are disconnected from their power source
- doing so could cause serious injuries and even amputations because mechanical equipment builds up stored energy when moving parts are jammed
- ensure that workers wear proper eye protection and other protective gear
Illnesses and diseases from the cold:
With winter comes new challenges for worker safety. Outdoor workers face exposure to cold temperatures can create problems such as trench foot, frostbite, hypothermia and sometimes death.
Trench foot is caused by feet that get wet and don’t dry off properly. It’s most common in temperatures of -1°C- 4°C. With prolonged cold and wetness, your feet can lose circulation and nerve function. They are also deprived of the oxygen and nutrients that your blood normally provides. Sometimes the loss of nerve function can make other symptoms, such as pain, less noticeable. If this goes on untreated it can result in gangrene, nerve damage or amputation.
How can Trench Foot be avoided?:
- take off your socks
- avoid wearing dirty socks to bed
- clean the affected area right away
- dry your feet thoroughly
- apply heat packs to the affected area for up to five minutes
Frostbite is damage to skin and tissue caused by exposure to freezing temperatures – typically any temperature below -0.55C (31F).
Frostbite can affect any part of your body, but the extremities, such as the hands, feet, ears, nose and lips, are most likely to be affected.
Frostbite usually begins with the affected parts feeling cold and painful. If exposure to the cold continues, you may feel a tingling sensation before the area becomes numb as the tissues freeze.
Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature falls to a level where normal muscular and cerebral functions are impaired. While hypothermia is generally associated with freezing temperatures, it can occur in any climate where a person's body temperature falls below a normal level.
The first symptoms of hypothermia—which begin when the individual's temperature drops more than one degree—include shivering, an inability to perform complex motor functions, lethargy and mild confusion. Obviously, employees should watch for these symptoms, including uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue and confused behaviour. If the employee exhibits these danger signs emergency help should be called.
- keep your work temperature at least at 18C
- keep windows and internal doors shut
- wear warm clothes
- use a room thermometer
- plan for the unexpected
- dress for the weather conditions
- bring extra layers in case the weather changes
- change out of wet or sweaty clothes as soon as possible
- have non-alcoholic warm drinks
- make sure you're never too far away from help
During the winter months, flu increases dramatically. Make sure your staff are educated about how to stop germs spreading in the workplace. Make sure that antibacterial and waterless soap is provided and staff are reminded to use it. Provide antibacterial cleaning wipes for staff to clean their workspace including keyboards, desks and phones.
Make sure that workers with the flu are encouraged to stay at home to avoid more germs spread resulting in more staff downtime.
It is also worth considering encouraging staff to take flu shots.