Be Prepared: Working In Cold Weather

Did you know every year on an average there are over 5,870,000 vehicle crashes, with about 23% of the crashes being weather-related? As the seasons change, Mastery Technologies wants to help you ensure the safety of those working or driving under inclement weather conditions.
Cold stress takes place when an individual gains body heat from food and muscular activity and loses it through convection, conduction, radiation and sweating to maintain a constant body temperature. Did you know that when your body temperature drops a few degrees below its normal 98.6°F, it can cause the body to go into shock, reducing the heat loss from the surface of the skin? Weather conditions such as low temperatures, high/cool winds, dampness and even cold water can cause this to happen to you.
In an article Risk Insights by Diversified Insurance Services, here are a few precautions employees should take while working in the cold or dangerous weather conditions:

• Take breaks to get warm
• Drink plenty of liquids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Avoid smoking, which constricts blood flow to skin
• Be aware of any cold weather related side-effects their medication may have
• Know and understand symptoms of cold-related illnesses and injuries
• Stretch before physical work to prevent muscle pulls and injuries
• Wear protective clothing:

To assist management with equipping employees with the tools necessary to stay warm while working in inclement conditions, Mastery released it’s new course, “Cold Stress: Working Safety in Cold Weather.” Available on Mastery’s Video On Demand (VOD) platform, the course, explores the effects of working in cold conditions, the hazards presented from working in cold weather, and how employees can protect themselves from maladies such as hypothermia and frost bite.
For a complete listing of Mastery’s weather preparedness courses, visit www.mastery.com