While the holiday’s fast approach, conditions on the job and highway are beginning to be more dangerous now than at any other time of the year. As a security officer, working in cold conditions isn’t just uncomfortable, but it can also be hazardous. Frostbite, numbness, dehydration, and hypothermia are real concerns for outdoor weather. So, if you’re working outdoors this winter, be aware of the dangers and stay safe.
Here are some tips for cold weather safety:
- Monitor weather conditions by knowing the latest weather updates.
- Stay Hydrated! Dehydration causes headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Eating foods that are high in fat and carbohydrates is essential. Your body uses these nutrients as energy to stay warm.
- Always clear ice and snow of all walkways and entrance steps to buildings.
- Use anti-slip materials like sand or salt to make walkways and parking lots less slippery.
- Store shovels and gloves in areas known to all personnel.
- Follow proper procedures in safe lifting and shoveling.
- Dressing in layers is critical, as it not only keeps you warm but allows you to adjust to changing temperatures. Proper gloves, socks, and footwear are essential. In addition, keep your head and ears warm with the proper headwear. Please ask your manager if you need headwear.
- If you conduct roving patrols in cold weather, make sure to take a cold-weather kit. A cold-weather kit should include emergency blankets, candles, and matches. For example, a candle burning in a vehicle could provide enough warmth to ward off hypothermia for a period of time. If you need one of these for your roving vehicle, please contact your manager.