Winter continues to bring cold weather challenges for the agricultural community — no holiday hours or closures. Farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses do what needs to be done no matter what the conditions.
“Many of us have stories from days where we made it through snowdrifts, ice and extreme temperatures to do what we love,” says Dan Kent, Agri-Services Agency loss control consultant.
But temperatures and outside conditions can change quickly. “We sometimes forget those close calls, and we push ourselves to the limit,” Kent adds.
Education around cold stress can save lives and should be a continuous conversation through the winter months.
What is cold stress?
Cold stress occurs when the body loses heat and can’t warm itself. If a body is under cold stress long enough, certain life-threatening conditions can set in such as hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and chilblains. Implementing precautions and training staff on proper cold weather safety can keep the team safe and healthy.
Cold stress is generally seen as what happens when the blowing snow and the temperature is well below freezing. However, for some, cold stress can set in at 40 degrees F. It does not have to be bone chilling to experience cold stress, Kent advises.
With the right conditions, people may experience cold stress in what may be considered normal conditions. Submerged in cold water when it is 40 degrees out? You might be cold — think of perspiration and being wet from rainwater, Kent says. Cold stress can happen in a variety of conditions.
Proper clothes, personal protective equipment, processes, procedures and understanding are ways to combat the issue of cold stress and make sure everyone is safe.
Best practices
Be cognizant of the weather each day. Check the weather every morning and dress appropriately for the day and tasks at hand, Kent says.
Here are some best practices:
- Check the weather frequently and adjust tasks if needed.
- If temperatures dip below negative 15 degrees F, prioritize outdoor tasks during the highest temperature points of the day and potentially shift to indoor tasks.
- Fuel your body. Prioritize eating breakfast and eating and drinking throughout the day. A body burns more energy to keep warm during times of cold stress.
- Increase the number of breaks or warm-up times to allow workers to elevate their body temperature to normal.
What to wear
Here are some tips on what to wear while working in cold weather:
Feet. Wear muck boots or slip-on boot covers and consider boot waterproofing oils. Wear wool socks, double up on pairs of socks, or consider using foot warmers or heated socks.
Legs. Use long underwear and breathable or sweat-wicking layers to keep the moisture away from your body. Coveralls, wind pants and insulated pants are also options.
Torso. Wear coats, sweatshirts, vests, insulated clothes, coveralls, turtlenecks or heated layers.
Hands. Use insulated gloves, work gloves with knit gloves underneath, hand warmers or heated gloves.
Neck. Wear neck gators, balaclavas, wild rags and scarves.
Head. Choices include knit hats, stormy Kromer hats, trapper hats, hoods on clothes, earmuffs, headbands, goggles, sunglasses or safety glasses.
While working in cold weather is part of the job, it can be challenging and potentially dangerous. Arming yourself and staff with the necessary protection and education should be part of ongoing training.
Agri-Services Agency has loss control consultants with engineering, dairy and feedlot experience. All are authorized OSHA outreach trainers and can assist in safety training needs. To learn more, visit agri-servicesagency.com or call 877-466-9089.
Source: Agri-Services Agency