Take warm-up breaks and refuel
The hazard
Cold weather can pull heat out of your body faster than you can make it, especially when you are wet or out in the wind. As you cool down, your hands get clumsy and your thinking slows. That makes every other task more dangerous, from climbing a ladder to running a saw. Hypothermia and frostbite can creep up on you, so we watch for them in ourselves and in each other.
The action
Check the forecast and wind chill before the shift, and plan breaks in a warm, dry spot. Take them more often as it gets colder or windier. Drink warm, sweet drinks and eat during the day, because your body burns fuel to keep warm.
ASK THE CREW
Where do ice and standing water build up first on this site?
From the talk: Cold stress. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.