Time again to think about Cold weather Hazards!

-Keep your home Safe.

Portable and fixed space heaters, including wood stoves, cause a disproportionate share of home fire deaths. Keep combustibles away from heat sources. 　Space heaters are involved in one-quarter of home heating fires, but three-quarters of home heating fire deaths.

-Winter clothing poses additional risk.

Coveralls, jackets, gloves can all pose additional hazards. Gloves cause you to lose dexterity and also pose hazards around pinch points. Insulated coveralls can be dangerous if zippers and straps are left undone. Jackets pose similar hazards of getting caught by moving parts if not zipped up.

But not wearing additional clothing can result in frost bite, so dress smart and keep extra clothes or blankets in your car.

-Equipment hazards

. Conveyor belts shrink up which can cause more material run off; mobile equipment needs time to warm up; windows and lights can get covered in snow, ice or mud which reduces visibility. Access ladders, stairways and walkways can become very slippery, so use handrails.

Use caution when conditions warrant - Better Safe than Sorry!

-Getting to work

. Think SAFETY! Give your car/pickup time to warm up, scrape the windows. Allow extra time for wet/icy conditions and inexperienced drivers…the frequecy of auto accidents increases as the weather deteriorates. If it snows, remove the snow from the vehicle (including the bumper; snow can block head and tail lights). Have you winterized your vehicle yet? Check your antifreeze, tires, wipers, fluids, belts, etc.

INSPIRATION - Before you can inspire the emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe. Winston Churchill

Numbers from the BLS

1.2　million – Number of work-related cases requiring days away from work (lost time) 87 – Percentage of the injuries that occurred during the normal (Mon-Fri) work week66 – Percentage of lost time cases involving men65 – Percentage of total lost time injuries that occurred between 8 am and 4 pm62 – Percentage of the days away from work that were related to back injuries 60 – Percentage of injuries involving workers aged 20-44 40 – Percentage of injuries that were the result of a strain or sprain34 – Percentage of injuries involving the trunk (including the back and shoulders)30 – Percentage of cases involving musculoskeletal disorders20 – Percentage of total lost time injuries that occurred between 4 pm and 12 am 7 – The median number of days missed