Canadian Occupational Safety

October/November 2016 41 the water," says Lake. Symptoms may begin within several hours up to three days. The primary injury is to nerve and muscle tissue. Symptoms include tingling and numbness; itching, pain swelling and leg cramps; and blisters or bleeding under the skin, according to the Ther- mal Conditions Code of Practice of the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Terri- tories and Nunavut (WSCC). If a worker is suffering from trench foot, seek medical attention, remove boots and wet socks and dry the feet. REDUCE THE DANGER Cold stress should be treated no dif- ferently than any other workplace hazard, says Lake. A hazard assessment needs to be the fi rst step then controls can be put in place. While companies often cannot elimi- nate the cold work environment, they should ask questions around what really needs to happen in these condi- tions or what can be deferred, he says. Modifi cations can often be made to facilities and equipment, such as plac- ing heated shelters on site. Tools can also be redesigned so workers do not need to remove their gloves to use them. Since there is no exposure limit for working in the cold in Canada, safety managers need to make their own procedures. They need to be aware of the outside temperature as well as the wind chill. "As an example, if it's -15 C out- side and there's wind, the effect of the wind on your skin or extremities will be much worse," says Boucher. "With a 35 kilometre wind outside, it will feel more -27 C." A chart developed by Work Safe Sas- katchewan indicates various threshold limit values for work. For example, the chart indicates non-emergency work should cease at -43 C without wind, -40 C with wind at 8 kilometres per hour, -38 C at 16 kilometres, etc. Lake encourages his workers to assess the temperature every day for the specifi c task at hand. "Maybe it's a half-hour today but tomorrow two hours might be accept- able," he says. "Really, we look at it job by job, shift by shift." Every day, the health and safety department at the Hebron project gives out a communication on the wind chill and temperature so workers understand what the weather conditions are going to be like during their shift. There needs to be a policy that out- lines when workers need to go inside for a warm up break. Work Safe Sas- katchewan's chart outlines a suggested warm-up schedule based on tempera- ture and wind. As an example, for a four-hour shift, if the temperature is –33 C with an 8 kilometre per hour wind, the worker needs three breaks (of 10 minutes each) and the work period should not exceed 55 minutes. The warm up break can take place inside, in a tent, cabin, restroom or a warming shelter. A work truck or the cab of equipment may be suffi cient. Work rotation also works well, says Lake, so workers are not in cold envi- ronments for too long. Employers need to keep in mind there is an acclimatization process when working in the cold. According to WSCC, people need at least four to seven days to acclimatize, but it may take up to three weeks. It recommends a scheduled exposure. "Physiologically it takes a while for the body to adjust to those condi- tions, so if you sort of build it up on a gradual basis, so maybe every day you might increase the time you are spend- ing outside by half an hour or an hour each day to the point where the body is better adjusted to those conditions," says Serratore. Not all workers will acclimatize the same, and each worker needs to be monitored. Those who are healthy and fi t tend to adjust faster to the cold. Some medical conditions can increase susceptibility to cold, such as Raynaud's syndrome (white fi nger disease) and hypertension. Workers taking insulin or anti-thyroid drugs may also be more sensitive to the cold, says WSCC. WHAT TO WEAR Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important component when working in the cold. Clothing should be suited to the conditions (wind, rain, snow), the level and duration of activity and job design. Whatever the circumstances, layering is crucial when working in the cold. This allows workers to prevent excessive sweating by removing layers or putting them back on as conditions and activity levels change. "It's just like an onion with mul- tiple layers," says Boucher. "Provide the appropriate clothes regarding the temperature, not too cold and not too warm." Workers need to start with a base layer that is right next to the body, such as long underwear. This should be made of synthetic fabric or wool to allow moisture-wicking. Cotton should not be worn. "In the wintertime cotton is rotten. It holds moisture and it would hold it right against your skin," says Serratore. "You feel like you're freezing." A middle, insulating layer is next, which should be made of wool, quilted fibres or synthetic fleece, according to WSCC, and should be appropriately matched to the amount of activity a worker is doing. For most outdoor work in Canada, the outer layer should be windproof and waterproof. This layer should be able to close or open at the waist, neck and wrists to control how much heat is retained. The jackets should allow for ventilation, such as having zippers under the arms. When workers are taking warm-up breaks, they should remove this outer layer. Hard hats should be worn with an appropriate liner as well as face shield, face mask or baklava. Layering for hand protection is recommended. A thin glove that is suited to intricate tasks can be worn inside a large mitt. Workers should wear insulated gloves when working with cold surfaces. A good pair of boots is essential for winter work. Felt-lined, rubber- bottomed, leather-topped boots with removable felt insoles are best suited for heavy work in the cold, accord- ing to WSCC. But if the work involves standing in water or slush, waterproof boots must be worn. Keep in mind that waterproof boots do not allow ventila- tion and will become damp quicker. Boots should fi t comfortably — not too tight — and be insulated — but not too warm. Workers should use a two-layer sock system: a thin polypro- pylene sock with a wool sock over top. This allows moisture-wicking while staying warm. Workers need to take all this into consideration and be well prepared before working in cold temperatures because there is a higher accident rate when working outside, says Boucher. "When you have to do complex tasks outside, your mind may not be as sharp as when you are working in an offi ce or factory. Cold might affect concentration when performing com- plex mental tasks," he says. "Also the lower temperature can affect you physically. It might affect your muscles by deeply reducing your strength and joints mobility." All outside workers need to have an emergency kit with them at all times — which is often overlooked, says Ser- ratore. It should include warm clothes, food and basic emergency supplies because working in the elements means things don't always go as planned. "For example, a crew... hops in their heated piece of equipment but then they have a breakdown. Now they are 5 kilometers away from their truck. I have seen it happen where guys don't even think to bring a winter coat with them," he says. "That's where it would be more of an emergency situation. Now they're cold and it's going to be hard to get them warmed up and the severity of frostbite or the effects of the cold can become worse." The classic OH&S resource in the format you prefer Now you can access the go to OH&S resource for Ontario companies – the "Green Book" – as a smart eBook on your iPad, Android tablet or directly from your web browser. Powered by the Thomson Reuters ProView™ app, our eBook gives you the freedom and fl exibility to work wherever and whenever you want. You get fast, convenient access to the complete current Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act and regulations, and a list of OH&S information resources. To see what updates to the Act and Regulations are included in the 2016 edition, go to www.carswell.com/Pocket-ohs. Pocket Ontario OH&S Act & Regulations – Consolidated Edition is also available in a larger tabbed version with larger font, the Ontario OH&S Act & Regulations 2016 – Consolidated Edition. 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Symptoms include tingling and numbness; itching, pain swelling and leg cramps; and blisters or bleeding under the skin, according to the Ther- mal Conditions Code of Practice of the warming shelter. A work truck or the cab of equipment may be suffi cient. Work rotation also works well, says Lake, so workers are not in cold envi- ronments for too long. Employers need to keep in mind there is an acclimatization process when working in the cold. According to WSCC, people need at least four to "It's just like an onion with mul- "It's just like an onion with mul- tiple layers," says Boucher. "Provide the appropriate clothes regarding the temperature, not too cold and not too warm." Workers need to start with a base layer that is right next to the body, such as long underwear. This should be made of synthetic fabric or wool standing in water or slush, waterproof standing in water or slush, waterproof standing in water or slush, waterproof standing in water or slush, waterproof boots must be worn. Keep in mind that waterproof boots do not allow ventila- tion and will become damp quicker. Boots should fi t comfortably — not too tight — and be insulated — but not too warm. Workers should use a two-layer sock system: a thin polypro- pylene sock with a wool sock over top.

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