Safety Tip: Working in Cold Weather

Although this December has been unusally warm in many areas, winter cold will be here before we know it, and workers may not be ready. When cold environments or temperatures cannot be avoided, workers should follow these cold weather tips from NIOSH to protect themselves from cold stress:

Browse Thin Ice Signs

• Wear appropriate clothing.
• Wear several layers of loose clothing. Layering provides better insulation.
• Tight clothing reduces blood circulation. Warm blood needs to be circulated to the extremities.
• When choosing clothing, be aware that some clothing may restrict movement resulting in a hazardous situation.
• Make sure to protect the ears, face, hands and feet in extremely cold weather.
• Boots should be waterproof and insulated.
• Wear a hat; it will keep your whole body warmer. (Hats reduce the amount of body heat that escapes from your head.)
• Move into warm locations during work breaks; limit the amount of time outside on extremely cold days.
• Carry cold weather gear, such as extra socks, gloves, hats, jacket, blankets, a change of clothes and a thermos of hot liquid.
• Include a thermometer and chemical hot packs in your first aid kit.
• Avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin.
• Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.

Cold-Weather Resources:

• CDC: Extreme Cold - A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety (pdf)
• CDC Winter Weather page.
• OSHA Cold Stress QuickCard.
• Browse Thin / Falling Ice safety signs at ComplianceSigns.com