OSHA has a “ Quick Card” you refer to for the signs and symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Make sure that all workers who are exposed to cold weather are aware of cold stress symptoms and can act immediately to prevent them. Frostbite, hypothermia and trench foot can often be the results of cold stress. You can go as far as to consider this condition a type of near miss because it can have serious consequences such as permanent tissue damage or even death. When the body reaches the point where it’s unable to warm itself, it’s under cold stress. In essence, it occurs when the internal body temperature is lowered by environmental factors. Idea #6: Cold stress – trench foot, frostbite and hypothermiaĬold stress can mean different things in different geographical regions. Make sure that there are procedures to prevent injuries and your staff is aware of them. So, impress upon your employees the importance of proper footwear with good rubber treads, or even rubber over-shoes, for extra protection. But it becomes even more important in the winter season. Preventing slips, trips and falls is on our list of 100 + safety topics for a daily toolbox talk, and for a reason. Idea #5: Preventing slips on snow and ice Or some types of ladders can be particularly dangerous when there is snow or ice. For example, electrical hazards and skylights can be hidden by blankets of snow or hard to see in poor weather conditions. That’s why it’s a good practice to remind your employees of the additional hazards to look out for.Įlectrical safety and ladder safety are two big topics you may want to talk about here. From decorating and shoveling snow to using ladders and scaffolding, knowledge on this topic is crucial. Idea #4: Working at heightsīesides being an important construction toolbox topic, working at heights is also very applicable to the festive season. OSHA has key guidelines on snow removal and the relevant hazards on their website, with a short infographic that you can print off and share with your team. Give them more opportunities to rest and don’t stimulate working long hours or taking on extra work. To support your employees through this time - and, ideally, around the year - make sure that they have someone to speak to. This can be as a result of working more, having more to do at home, worrying about finances, eating and drinking too much or simply feelings of loneliness. The holiday season is very stressful for many families. Staff with cough, temperature and other similar symptoms may have slower reactions. It’s important to remember in the case of fatigue, that winter illnesses such as cold, flu and sore throat also lead to tiredness. Whether they’re on production lines, construction sites or operating heavy machinery, employees should look out for the signs of fatigue to prevent workplace accidents. And, because it’s a busy season, you should take extra precautions with staff. Similar to the previous point, drowsiness and fatigue can cause issues both in and outside of the workplace. All of these and many other factors can lead to dangerous driving when employees get behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle at work.ĭrowsy drivers are far less aware of hazards and have longer braking distances.īy the way, drivers who have to get up early will be more at risk of drowsy driving. This is, of course, heightened during the month itself, with Christmas parties and celebrations.ĭrowsy driving can be as a result of many things including working overtime in the busy December period having friends and family visit or even just the exhaustion of preparing food, presents and everything else required for Christmas. Department of Transportation has shown that an average of 300 people die in drunk driving crashes in the week between Christmas and New Year. On the topic of driving to and from the workplace and within the workplace itself, drunk and drowsy driving is at its peak across the holidays. Without further ado, here are some of the biggest safety concerns during the holiday season. There are changes in weather and driving habits, shifts in work/life balance and, often, additional strains on the families. When it comes to the festive season, there are additional safety concerns to think about. The biggest safety concerns during the holidays
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