Working in Winter Weather

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  University of Texas at Tyler. Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education
• Description:
  Agriculture, forestry and fishing (AFF) workers abide by the same rules as the mail carrier. They work in rain, sleet or snow. During the winter months, workers need to take extra precautions to stay safe and warm; especially AFF workers who perform the majority of their work outside. Winter precipitation can create hazardous situations and the temperature itself can pose a real threat. You may be thinking that it doesn't get cold enough in the Southwest to get hypothermia. Did you know that a form of hypothermia can occur when it's wet, windy and up to 50 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit? Hypothermia develops when a person's body is unable to warm up. The chilling conditions of hypothermia set in when the body loses heat faster than it retains heat. Contact with water can accelerate the onset of hypothermia because water cools the body 25-30 times faster than air. Prevent hypothermia with the appropriate attire and smart breaks. Wear rain gear in wet conditions. Change wet clothes immediately. Wear thick gloves. Pocket hand warmers may help on extremely cold days. They are cheap and easy to find at your local grocery store or sporting goods store. Wear thick socks and sturdy work boots. (A rubber sole will help prevent slips and falls on slippery surfaces, too.) Wear a warm hat. About half of your body heat escapes through your head. Drink warm beverages regularly. Take breaks in a warm place. Common symptoms of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, cool skin, rigid muscles, weak pulse, a slow reaction time and slurred speech. It is important to treat hypothermia quickly. If you are unable to get to a warm place, exercise or keep moving to stay warm. Remove wet clothing as soon as possible and replace with dry clothing or blankets. Drink warm beverages. Do not use direct heat or hot water to warm up. Do not massage the skin. Do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. They restrict blood flow. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cold Temperature Disaster Planning Emergencies Health Promotion Hypothermia Occupational Health Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Cold Environments Emergency Preparedness Health Promotion Injury Prevention Public Health Safety Education Safety Practices Winter Storms
• Publisher:
  The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053563
• Citation:
  Monthly Safety Blast. Tyler, TX: The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education, 2013 Jan; :website
• Email:
  agcenter@uthct.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Monthly Safety Blast
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e1dfc567fd56baa2810999bbb99db5365295bfbee2d6d82b1b988054d396bc668595b520c0fe2c91acbf984940d978d5e53d6815f2495d50949a2aff03fac441
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216293/cdc_216293_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 167.41 KB ]