Are you outside for your day job? Maybe you work in construction, air traffic control, mechanics, snow removal, lineman, electrician, refrigeration, ski resorts or many other industries that involve you to do your jobs out in the cold, sometimes frigid elements. Or, maybe you enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors during your weekend adventures. Minnesota has so much to offer for outdoor enthusiasts year round. From water skiing in the summer to downhill skiing in the Winter. Snowmobiling, ice fishing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowman & snow angel making, etc. My point is, weather you’re outdoors for your workweek or weekend you need to assess the weather and make sure you have what you need for cold climate protection.

There are many factors to consider with cold climate protection. Some, you might not even be aware of! I am here today to give you some pointers to stay safe and warm in cold climates whether your workweek requires you to be outside or your weekend plans have you enjoying the Midwest snow.

First of all, it’s important to know the effects the cold can have on you when preparing for cold climate protection.

How does the body react to cold conditions?

(OSHA)
In a cold environment, most of the body’s energy is used to keep the internal core temperature warm. Over time, the body will begin to shift blood flow from the extremities (hands, feet, arms, and legs) and outer skin to the core (chest and abdomen). This shift allows the exposed skin and the extremities to cool rapidly and increases the risk of frostbite and hypothermia. Combine this scenario with exposure to a wet environment, and trench foot may also be a problem.

The most common cold induced illnesses/injuries:

  • Hypothermia
  • Frostbite
  • Trench Foot

What is hypothermia?

Hypothermia occurs when body heat is lost faster than it can be replaced; the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F. Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F), if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.

Symptoms of hypothermia?
  • Mild symptoms:
    • An exposed person is still alert.
    • He or she may begin to shiver and stomp the feet in order to generate heat.
  • Moderate to Severe symptoms:
    • As the body temperature continues to fall, symptoms will worsen and shivering will stop.
    • Loss of coordination and the person effected will fumble with items in the hand.
    • They will become confused and disoriented.
    • He or she may be unable to walk or stand, pupils become dilated, pulse and breathing become slowed, and loss of consciousness can occur. A person could die if help is not received immediately.
How can you help a person suffering from hypothermia?
      • Call 911 immediately in an emergency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
      • Move the person to a warm, dry area.
      • Remove wet clothes and replace with dry clothes, cover the body (including the head and neck) with layers of blankets; and with a vapor barrier (e.g. tarp, garbage bag). Do not cover the face.
      • If medical help is more than 30 minutes away:
        • Give warm sweetened drinks if alert (no alcohol), to help increase the body temperature. Never try to give a drink to an unconscious person.
        • Place warm bottles or hot packs in armpits, sides of chest, and groin. Call 911 for additional rewarming instructions.
      • If a person is not breathing or has no pulse:
        • Call 911 for emergency medical assistance immediately.
        • Treat the worker as per instructions for hypothermia, but be very careful and do not try to give an unconscious person fluids.
        • Check him/her for signs of breathing and for a pulse. Check for 60 seconds.
        • If after 60 seconds the affected worker is not breathing and does not have a pulse, trained workers may start rescue breaths for 3 minutes.
        • Recheck for breathing and pulse, check for 60 seconds.
        • If the worker is still not breathing and has no pulse, continue rescue breathing.
        • Only start chest compressions per the direction of the 911 operator or emergency medical services
        • Reassess patient’s physical status periodically.

What is frostbite?

Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. The lower the temperature, the more quickly frostbite will occur. Frostbite typically affects the extremities, particularly the feet and hands. Amputation may be required in severe cases.

Symptoms of frostbite?
  • Reddened skin develops gray/white patches.
  • Numbness in the affected part.
  • Feels firm or hard.
  • Blisters may occur in the affected part, in severe cases.
How can you help someone suffering from frostbite?
  • Follow the recommendations described above for hypothermia.
  • Do not rub the affected area to warm it because this action can cause more damage.
  • Don’t apply snow/water. Do not break blisters.
  • Loosely cover and protect the area from contact.
  • Do not try to rewarm the frostbitten area before getting medical help; for example, do not place in warm water. If a frostbitten area is rewarmed and gets frozen again, more tissue damage will occur. It is safer for the frostbitten area to be rewarmed by medical professionals.
  • Give warm sweetened drinks, if the person is alert. Avoid drinks with alcohol.

What is immersion/trench foot?

Trench Foot or immersion foot is caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold temperatures. It can occur at temperatures as high as 60°F if the feet are constantly wet. Non-freezing injury occurs because wet feet lose heat 25-times faster than dry feet. To prevent heat loss, the body constricts the blood vessels to shut down circulation in the feet. The skin tissue begins to die because of a lack of oxygen and nutrients and due to the buildup of toxic products.

Symptoms of trench foot?
  • Redness of the skin, swelling, numbness, blisters
How can you help a person suffering from immersion foot?
  • Call 911 immediately in an emergency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
  • Remove the shoes, or boots, and wet socks.
  • Dry the feet.

 

Cold Climate Protection Measures

Dressing for cold weather 

When dressing for cold weather be sure to have 3 layers and keep each layer loose.

First is your base layer. This layer should have moisture wicking properties if available. It’s job is to keep moisture off of your body and as dry as possible.
Synthetics like polyesters are great at both wicking and drying. Also, consider that wicking can’t happen in places where fabric isn’t touching skin, so you want a comfortably snug (not tight) fit everywhere.

Second, also referred to as the insulation layer is your mid-layer. This is the layer that traps the heat in keeping your body warm however it should be a breathable fabric allowing proper ventilation.

Third is the outer layer, or the shell. This layer should allow perspiration vapor to vent while blocking wind and rain.  The jacket and pants chosen should reduce heat loss and assist the rest of the layers in providing dryness and comfort.

Extremities. Let’s not forget about our head, fingers and toes! 45% of your body heat is lost through your head and neck another 20% is lost through your fingers totaling 60-65% of your body heat! That’s not something to ignore, cover up. In our post Winter Gear For Outdoor Workers, we share our top gear picks for staying warm and protected outside.

Winter Gear in Cold Climates

Cold Climate Protection from the Sun… Wait What?

It’s not Summer, why do you need sun protection now? Sure the sun is further from the Earth’s surface during our Winter months however it can still have damaging effects to your skin.

UVB rays which are the main cause of sunburn, are strongest during the summer months. However, they can damage your skin year-round especially on reflective surfaces such as snow or ice. In fact, snow can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s UV light, meaning the rays hit you twice further increasing your risk of skin cancer if you’re not wearing sunscreen. Furthermore, even if it’s overcast the suns rays can still penetrate the clouds. Check out our Ergodyne Krew’d Sunscreen, not only is it fragrance free and oil free it works better than most box store sunscreens!

Krewed Sunscreen - Trades Worker

Adding in Heat

There are many options to add in some heat to your outdoor jobsite or maybe an indoor jobsite that isn’t heated yet.

Portable heat is one of the easiest way to distribute heat to a larger area keeping multiple people warm. But, you need to know the square footage of the space you need to heat before you can decide which portable heater will work best for you. Here are a few to help give you an idea.

Mr. Heater – Portable Big Buddy up to 400 sq ft of working area.
Heat Star Radiant Heater up to 3,000 sq ft of working area.
Heat Star Portable Propane Forced Air Heaters. Multiple sizes ranging from 2,000-3,000 of working area.
Heat Star Portable Diesel Direct-Fired Heater up to 75,000 sq ft of working area.

See all of our portable heaters

If a portable heating element isn’t an option or you’re out all day enjoying a Minnesota Winter hobby like ice fishing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing we have some additional options for you!

First, is hand and feet warming packs. These are one-time use disposable warmers you can put in your gloves, at the base of your foot in your boot or even put them in some hats, hard hat liners and balaclavas to keep your ears warm.

Second is warming vests and jackets. This industry leading winter jacket has a heating element built in to keep you warm all day. See how they work in the video below:

Don’t Fall!

We all get a good laugh out of the extreme overreaction of slips on the ice in GIFs and animated movies, but in reality when it happens it’s the opposite of funny. Slips on the ice can cause sever injuries. Slipping injuries can range from from cerebral contusions, concussions and skull fractures to broken bones and all the in-between. According to the CDC, 1 million people in the United States slip on the ice and a staggering 17,000 of those result in death. Ensure you stay upright all winter on the jobsite or out on the Winter trails and frozen lakes. Grab a pair of YakTrax or Ice Traction gear to quickly throw over your boots… it takes a minute to put them on to avoid days, months or years of pain from an icey fall.

See all of our ice traction here

Ice Traction

 

STAY WARM THIS WINTER!

CONTACT MC TOOL & SAFETY FOR TOOL SUPPLIES, PPE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT

To get everyone home safe check out our website, shoot us an email at info@mcsales.com or give us a call now at 763-786-5350, or toll-free at 888-206-2569.

Photo Credit: Ergodyne