With brutally cold temperatures predicted for this week, WorkSafe BC is encouraging workers to be mindful of their own well-being.
“If you’re not prepared for it and not thinking about it, it can be a problem,” explained WorkSafe BC spokesperson, Barry Nakahara.
Between 2015 and 2018, 30 workers in B.C. were injured as a result of cold exposure.
The most common cold-weather injury is frostbite, which can occur within minutes in extreme temperatures without proper clothing.
Cold stress is also a risk, which can also lead to hypothermia, where an individual becomes so cold they lose more heat than their body produces.
Cold-weather afflictions often become exponentially worse in windy or wet environments.
Employees are advised to wear waterproof boots and gloves, as well as layers to allow for heat and moisture to escape.
WorkSafe also encourages employees to stay hydrated, and pace intense work with breaks.
“I think many employers also know that these types of extreme cold conditions can be awfully hard on equipment which creates secondary risks for workers as well,” Nakahara cautioned.
WorkSafe BC advises that sometimes simply waiting for the weather to improve is the safest way of handling extreme conditions.
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
