Cold weather poses a danger to construction workers and equipment operators. By recognizing the physical and mental signals of cold-weather stress, individuals can know when to take action that prevents fatigue, accidents and injury to themselves.

When an individual is experiencing the following symptoms, they should immediately go to or be instructed to go to a location where they can warm up, drink warm water and rest for a few minutes. These symptoms include:

• Discomfort from cold stiff hands and feet, runny nose and shivering.
• Reduced manual skills, dexterity, coordination and accuracy.
• Stiffness of muscles and joints.
• Difficulty maintaining their core body temperature.
• Red, swollen, tender and itchy patches or skin.
• Trench foot – swelling, numbness,...

On job sites, there are typically two causes of accidents: unsafe behavior and unsafe conditions. While monitoring and preventing unsafe behavior is the responsibility of each individual and the job site supervisors, recognizing unsafe hazards is the responsibility of all employees.

Some unsafe conditions that can lead to an accident include:

• Failing to wear proper personal protection equipment
• Horseplay
• Using frayed or cut extension cords
• Disregarding posted warning signs
• Failing to follow proper procedures when entering a confined space
• Poor housekeeping - everything should have a place and should be stored when not in use
• Using improper or defective tools
• Handling materials with sharp edges carelessly
• Failing to follow proper procedures for setting up traffic controls in work zones
• Failing...