Cold Training Guide
(Taken from the "Tailgate Meetings that Work : A Guide
to Effective Construction Safety Training" series) |
|
Robin Baker, Robert
Downey, Mary Ruth Gross, Charles Reiter
Labor Occupational Health Program
(LOHP) School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley Ca.
These tailgate/toolbox
talks were developed for use under California OSHA regulations. The
complete set is available from the Labor Occupational Health Program
at UC Berkeley. For ordering information, visit the website (www.lohp.org)
The American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
has adapted these talks to apply to federal OSHA regulations. To contact
ACGIH, visit its web site (www.acgih.org). |
Before you begin
the meeting...
- Does this topic
relate to the work the crew is doing? If not, choose another topic.
- Did you read
this Training Guide and fill in the blanks where the
appears? (To find the information you need, look over the Safety Walkaround
Checklist for this topic.)
Begin: Have
you ever heard of the wind chill factor? On a TV news report about
a blizzard, you might hear that the wind chill factor was 40° below
zero. The temperature itself wasnt that low, but to know how cold
it felt you have to figure in the wind. Its important to
know that you can get frostbite or hypothermia at temperatures as warm
as 28° F, depending on the wind chill factor.
The effects of cold on your body range all the way from numbness, to the
loss of a hand or foot, to hypothermia and even death. But there are many
effective precautions we can take to make sure you work safely in the
cold.
You or a crew member may want to add a personal story about cold.
|
Next, discuss
with the crew when and where working in the cold could be a problem
at this particular job site:
_________________________________________________
|
ASK
THE CREW THESE QUESTIONS:
|
After each question,
give the crew time to suggest possible answers. Use the information
following each question to add points that no one mentions.
1. When and where
might you be exposed to extremely cold temperatures in
construction work?
- Outdoors on a
cold day
- In a refrigerated
room
- In an unheated
building
- During a vehicle
breakdown
- When working
in cold water
- When handling
cold objects or materials.
2. What are some
effects of cold on your body?
- Dehydration.
You can get dehydration from cold as easily as you can from heat.
- Numbness.
Its usually in your extremitiesfingers, toes, ears, nose
tip, and cheeks.
- Shivering.
This is the bodys way of trying to warm up.
- Frostbite.
Parts of your body freeze, especially your extremities. The first warning
sign may be a sharp, prickly sensationbut if the affected body
parts are already numb, you wont feel anything so there wont
be any warning. Your skin may turn another color (red, white, gray,
purple, or black, depending on the severity). Skin can also peel off.
You can get a permanent injury, like loss of a body part.
- Immersion
foot (trenchfoot). This is damage you get if your skin is exposed
to cold and dampness too long. The skin doesnt actually freeze,
but you can get swelling, tingling, itching, loss of skin, or skin ulcers.
- Hypothermia.
This is the most serious effect of cold. Your body cant maintain
its normal temperature (98.6° F). Symptoms include low body temperature,
violent shivering, slow or slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations,
a weak and irregular pulse, or even unconsciousness. If not treated
right away, you can die.
3. Whats
the best first aid treatment for frostbite?
- Cover the skin
with warm hands until numbness stops and you start to feel pain.
- Place bare frostbitten
fingers under your armpits, next to the skin.
- Place bare frostbitten
feet under the clothing of a co-worker, next to the skin.
- Or wrap affected
body parts in a warm, dry towel, cloth, or blanket.
- Never
treat frostbite by:
- Vigorous
massaging. (It can bruise frozen skin.)
- Exposing
to flame or fire. (It can thaw frozen skin too quickly and cause
burns.)
- Rubbing with
snow. (It can reduce skin temperature and make frostbite worse.)
- Get medical
attention as soon as you can, especially if feeling doesnt
come back.
4. What should
you do if someone has hypothermia?
- Get medical
attention immediately.
- Call 911
to get an ambulance if needed.
- Keep the
person warm.
- Dont
massage the persons extremities.
- Dont
give the person hot liquids. They wont help much in this case.
5. Some people
are more likely than others to suffer from the effects of cold. Why?
- You have a higher
risk from cold if:
- You are not
physically fit.
- You have
a chronic illness, especially one affecting your heart or
blood vessels.
- You drink
alcohol or take drugs (either illegal drugs or prescription
drugs).
- You are wet
or damp from work or weather.
- You are fatigued.
- You are exposed
to vibration from tools or other operations on the job.
- You dont
wear the right clothing.
- You are not
used to working in cold. The more you work in cold, the more
your
body gets used to it. This is called becoming acclimatized
to cold.
6. What kind of
clothing protects you best from cold?
- Many layers
of loose clothing are best.
- Wear only dry
clothing. Change clothes if they get wet or sweaty.
- Dont
wear a waterproof shell if youre sweating. It wont let
inner moisture
evaporate. Youll soak in sweat. In the rain, wear a water repellent
shell instead.
- Wear a full
head covering. You can lose a lot of body heat through a bare head.
- Wear mittens
or gloves. Below 0° F, mittens are better. Machine controls
in cold
areas should be a type you can use with mittens on.
- Wear waterproof
boots (or rubber overboots) if its both cold and wet.
7. What precautions
do we need to take on the site to protect against cold?
- In addition to
providing this training, the company will: (Mention all that
apply)
- Control
temperature and wind when possible by using heaters and windbreaks.
- Rotate
workers in cold jobs so no one is exposed too long.
- Keep first
aid supplies and equipment available.
- Workers
should:
- Drink
warm liquidsbut not too much coffee. Soup and broth are
better.
- Take your
breaks in a warm area (like a heated shed, trailer, or van).
|
Point out
where warm liquids and warm break areas are available on this site:
_________________________________________________
|
- Eat a high
calorie diet for reserve energy.
- Cover all
skin when its extremely cold.
- Never touch
cold metal with your bare skin.
- Keep your hair
short. Long hair and beards get icy and also hide signs of frostbite.
- Stay physically
fit.
- Limit
your use of alcohol. Ask your doctor about prescription drugs
youre taking.
8. How can we
be sure no one on the site is getting affected by the cold too much?
- Watch for
frostbite. See if your fingers, toes, ears, or nose have numb or
hard areas.
- Use the buddy
system. Watch your coworker for signs of frostbite or hypothermia.
- Know what
to do if you or your coworker show any symptoms.
- Notify your
supervisor and stop work if you notice any major symptoms.
Explain:
The safety measures weve talked about are included in our companys
Injury and
Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), as required by Cal/OSHA. At this time,
there are no
specific Cal/OSHA regulations on exposure to cold. I have a Checklist
of recommended safety
measures. If youd like to know more, see me after the meeting.
(Only if applicable.)
We have some additional company rules about working in the cold.
|
Discuss
company rules:_______________________________
__________________________________________________
|
Ask:
Do you have any
other concerns about exposure to cold on the job? Do you see any problems
on our job? (Let the steward answer first, if there is one.)
What about other jobs youve worked on? Have you had any experience
with cold temperatures that might help us work safer on this job?
GENERAL
SAFETY DISCUSSION
|
This is a time
to discuss all safety concerns, not just today's topic. Keep your notes
on this page before, during and after the safety meeting.
Are you aware
of any hazards from other crews? Point out any hazards other crews
are creating that this crew should know about. Tell the crew what you
intend to do about those hazards.
Do we have any
old business? Discuss past issues/problems. Report progress of
investigations and action taken.
Any new business?
Any accidents/near misses/complaints? Discuss accidents, near misses,
and complaints that have happened since the last safety meting. Also recognize
the safety contributions made by members of the crew.
Please remember,
we want to hear from you about any health and safety issues that come
up. If we don't know about problems, we can't take action to fix them.
To complete the
training session:
- Circulate Sign-Off
Form.
- Assign one
or more crew member(s) to help with next safety meeting.
- Refer action
items for follow-up. (Use the sample Hazard Report Form in the
Reference Section of this binder, or your companys own form.)
Date Prepared:_________________________ |
By:_______________________ |
Project
Name/No.______________________ |
Location:__________________ |
NAMES
OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THIS SAFETY MEETING
|
Tailgate
Meetings That Work : Collection
Published in June, 1994 by: Labor Occupational Health Program, School
of Public Health, 2515 Channing Way, University of California, Berkeley,
CA 94720. Phone: (510) 642-5507.
Permission is granted to duplicate these materials for non-profit educational
purposes, provided that copies are not offered for sale.
This paper appears in the eLCOSH website with the permission of the author
and/or copyright holder and may not be reproduced without their consent.
eLCOSH is an information clearinghouse. eLCOSH and its sponsors are not
responsible for the accuracy of information provided on this web site,
nor for its use or misuse.
eLCOSH | CDC | NIOSH
| Site Map | Search
| Links | Help
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy
|