winter personal protective equipment

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# Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Cold (cont.) ## Elimination (cont.) - Do not allow driving or travelling during extreme winter events - Have workers perform their work in a heat-controlled environment - Reschedule work performed outdoors when temperatures are milder ## Engineering Controls - Improve heating in work areas* - Provide heated shelters for rest and breaks* - Using tools and equipment that are designed so they can be safely operated while wearing gloves or other winter clothing - Maintain work vehicles and have snow tires and functioning heaters *Do not use unvented portable gas heaters in indoor settings as it can lead to harmful levels of carbon monoxide and other harmful combustion products and is a fire hazard. ## Administrative controls - Use weather surveillance procedures to identify upcoming cold events and to detect the sudden onset of cold events - Have emergency plans and procedures in place to respond to extreme cold events - Train workers on: - how to identify health effects of cold stress in themselves and others, how to respond, and first-aid procedures - what to do in the event of an emergency caused by extreme cold and winter weather - the pace of work to avoid overheating (sweating) and then cooling - appropriate use of winter weather clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for working in the cold ## Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Provide workers with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing for working in the cold. Take into account the temperature, weather conditions (e.g., snow, ice, wind speed, wind chill), the level and duration of the activity being performed, and the job design. Also, make sure workers are equipped with emergency supplies and equipment, especially if they are offsite or are travelling. Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Cold CCOHS

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# Hazard assessment worksheet: Leg protection (cont.) ## PPE required (cont.) OSHA Oregon OSHA Department of Consumer and Business Services # Hazard assessment worksheet: Hand protection Salem Central Office [redacted street address]. NE Salem, OR [redacted postal code] Phone: [redacted phone] Toll-free: [redacted phone] osha.oregon.gov Work task: Date ## Potential hazards - No hazards requiring hand protection - Harmful or hazardous temperatures - Chemicals that can be absorbed into the skin or cause burns - Energized electrical equipment - Mechanical equipment that can cause bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures, or amputations Other hazard: ## PPE required None required - Cut resistant gloves General-purpose work gloves Chemical resistant gloves ............... Insulated gloves Heat and flame resistant gloves Latex or nitrile gloves Electrician's insulated rubber gloves Cotton, leather, or anti-vibration gloves Other PPE: 440-5871 (07/23/COM)

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Kiprc KENTUCKY INJURY PREVENTION AND RESEARCH CENTER # HAZARD ALERT Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance-February 2023 WORKING IN WINTER WEATHER ## WINTER WEATHER- RELATED HAZARDS Slips and falls Hazardous road conditions Snow shoveling Powered equipment like snow blowers Working with or near downed or damaged power lines Removing downed trees Cold stress Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ## What is the hazard? Winter weather presents a number of hazards. From 2018-2021, 2,325 Kentucky workers experienced various types of winter-weather related injuries. Slips or falls were the most common, accounting for 95% of the winter weather-related occupational injuries, followed by motor vehicle collisions (2%), overexertion during snow/ice removal (2%), and other (1%).1 2,3,4 Recommendations for preventing winter weather-related injuries: • Employers should clear walkways of snow and ice, and spread deicer after a winter storm. Wearing proper footwear, such as insulated boots with rubber treads and taking short steps at a slow pace will help to prevent slips and falls. • Ensure workers are trained for driving in winter weather conditions and licensed for the vehicles they operate. Implement a regular maintenance program for all vehicles. Keep well-stocked emergency kits in all vehicles. • Strenuous activities like shoveling snow can lead to dehydration, injuries, and heart attacks. Workers should warm up before starting snow removal. When possible, push snow instead of lifting it. Lift small amounts at a time and use proper lift techniques: keep the back straight, lift with the legs, and avoid twisting the body. - Add fuel before starting a snow blower-never while the engine is running. Keep your hands away from moving parts of the machine and never try to clear a jam by hand. To clear a jam, stop the engine and wait 5 seconds. Then use a solid object to clear debris. • Extra caution should be taken when repairing/replacing damaged power lin…

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# Hazard assessment worksheet: Head protection (cont.) ## Potential hazards (cont.) OSHA Oregon OSHA Department of Consumer and Business Services # Hazard assessment worksheet: Foot protection Salem Central Office [redacted street address]. NE Salem, OR [redacted postal code] Phone: [redacted phone] Toll-free: [redacted phone] osha.oregon.gov Work task: Date ## Potential hazards - No hazards requiring foot protection - Heavy objects such as barrels or tools that might roll onto or fall on a worker's feet - Sharp objects such as nails or spikes that could pierce the soles or uppers of ordinary shoes - Molten metal Hot, wet, or slippery surfaces Energized electrical equipment Other hazard: ## PPE required None required Steel toe shoes Boots or shoes metatarsal guards Slip resistant soles Puncture resistant soles Chemical resistant boots Insulated boots or shoes Other PPE: 440-5871 (07/23/COM)

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# COLD WEATHER CLOTHING Date Posted: 09/22/2016 Construction workers can be exposed to extreme weather during the winter months. Cold weather can negatively affect a person's senses; seeing, smelling, feeling. Productivity is difficult when a worker is cold. Therefore, it is important to choose clothing appropriate for the cold weather conditions. • Always dress in layers with the outer layers loose and the inner layers tighter. This will trap body heat. • Do not over bundle. • Use the outer layer of clothing as a windbreaker. This will make the layers underneath more effective. • Minimize sweat. If the worker gets hot, remove a layer of clothing. • Avoid getting your clothing wet. Once wet, the clothing will not serve as a good protection from the cold. • Wear head protection. This will increase your overall warmth. Over half of the body's heat loss comes from the head. • Be sure to properly protect your feet. Unless you are moving around, your feet will feel the effects of the cold first. Wool socks help, but 4-buckle overshoes can provide better protection. • Gloves are very important. Most often a thin pair of wool gloves under a pair of leather gloves will provide the best protection. ## QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION • What should you do if you begin to sweat in cold weather? • What body part loses the majority of the body's heat? ## PRESENTER TIPS • Pre-read the Toolbox Talk. Your comfort level and confidence will be higher if you know your topic. Discuss related tasks, work areas or events that make the Toolbox Talk relevant to your job site. • Involve the workers by asking questions and input that drives discussion.