Cold Weather Construction Safety Tips

Published November 6, 2023

As the season changes from warm to cold, the common weather-related risks in construction change as well.

While slips, trips and falls are a leading cause of construction-site injuries year-round, according to OSHA, freezing weather increases the risk. Shorter daylight hours and cold-weather clothing can reduce jobsite visibility. Cold temperatures can increase the possibility of electrical faults and equipment breakdowns.

Burns and fires from portable heaters represent a risk factor that’s only present during cold weather.

And dehydration is always a concern; while it makes headlines during summer heat, the puff of steam from every breath in cold air represents moisture leaving your body. And poor hydration exacerbates the effects of cold weather on the human machine.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) outlines four illness or conditions that result from cold-related stress:

Trench foot

Caused by the body’s attempt to reduce heat loss from wet or cold feet by constricting blood vessels. When the feet are constantly wet, it can occur at temperatures up to 60 degrees (F), but is considered a cold-weather concern because wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet, according to NIOSH. As circulation decreases, skin tissue begins to die and naturally secreted toxins accumulate.

Symptoms:

• Numbness, tingling pain and reddening of skin
• Leg cramps and swelling
• Blisters or ulcers
• Bleeding under the skin
• Gangrene, with the foot turning bluish or gray

What to do:

• Remove shoes/boots and wet socks.
• Dry the feet.
• Avoid walking on feet, as this may cause tissue damage.
• Seek medical care.

Frostbite

Caused by freezing of skin tissue as the body reduces blood flow to its extremities in order to maintain the temperature of internal organs. It can cause permanent damage and, in extreme cases, can necessitate amputation of affected areas.

There are four degrees of frostbite, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration:

• First degree, or “frostnip”: Surface of skin is frozen.
• Second degree: Skin freezes, followed in a day or two by the formation of blisters.
• Third degree: Muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels freeze.
• Fourth degree: Tissues die and turn dark blue or black.

Symptoms:

• Tingling or stinging pain
• Numbness
• Aching
• Bluish or pale waxy skin

What to do:

• Move to a warm place as soon as possible.
• Immerse the affected area in lukewarm water.
• If water is unavailable, warm affected areas with body heat.
• Don’t rub or massage frostbitten areas.
• Be careful not to use direct heat from heating pads, radiators or other heat sources; numb and damaged tissue can burn easily.
• If pain or signs of damage linger, seek medical care.

Chilblains

Itchy swellings on the skin that result when capillaries – the body’s smallest blood vessels – are permanently damaged by repeated exposure to cold temperatures.

Symptoms:

• Redness and itching, which can recur on subsequent exposure to cold.
• Inflammation
• Possible blistering

What to do:

• Warm skin slowly without rubbing.
• Avoid scratching.
• Use witch hazel or other soothing topicals to soothe itching and swelling.
• Keep blisters clean and covered.

Hypothermia

Results when the body can’t produce enough heat to offset heat loss, and the core body temperature drops below 95 degrees (F). Certain medications and conditions can reduce the ability to fight off hypothermia.

Symptoms:   

• Early stage
  • Shivering
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of coordination
  • Confusion and disorientation that can interfere with self-diagnosis

• Late stage
  • Shivering ceases
  • Blue skin
  • Dilated pupils
  • Slowed pulse and breathing
  • Loss of consciousness

What to do:

• This is a medical emergency; summon care.
• Move the victim to a warm room or shelter.
• Remove wet clothing.
• Use dry blankets, or skin-to-skin contact if necessary, to warm the chest, head and abdomen first.
• If the victim is conscious, provide warm beverages (no alcohol) to help increase the body temperature.
• After their body temperature has increased, keep the victim dry and wrapped in a warm blanket, including the head and neck.

Dress for distress

Here are the four layers of effective cold-weather protection, according to the blog at DOZR heavy equipment rentals:

1. Wicking layer: The closest layer to your skin, consisting of a light, breathable fabric (often synthetic or Merino wool) to draw moisture away from the skin.
2. Light insulating layer: Fleece, wool or other thin layer, on top of the wicking layer.
3. Heavy insulating layer: A light jacket or sweatshirt to trap heat into the body while allowing space for air to move between layers.
4. Windproof-waterproof layer: The heaviest and outermost layer to protect against wind chill and precipitation.

Cotton is to be avoided for all winter layers because it conducts heat away from the body when it gets damp.

Here are some additional equipment recommendations for people who work in the cold, from the trade publication For Construction Pros:

• Use a dust mask with exhalation valve in very cold weather. It will reduce irritation that cold air can cause to the upper respiratory tract, and reduce moisture loss.
• Wrap-around glasses or goggles protect the exposed area around the eyes, which are particularly sensitive to the loss of both heat and moisture.
• A face shield mounted to your hard hat can provide protection from wind, and improve visibility on snowy days.
• Use a helmet liner to protect the head and neck from heat loss.
• In cold weather, steel-toed boots can conduct cold through to your feet; boots with a composite toe may be warmer.
• Up-size your boots to allow for an extra layer of socks.
• Use insole inserts for insulation from frozen ground.
• Carry changes of socks and gloves in your vehicle.
• Do some warmup exercises before starting work to circulate warm blood to oxygenate muscle mass.
• Proper hydration is as important to helping you stay warm in winter as it is to keeping you cool during summer; but avoid caffeine, which can facilitate dehydration.
• Use barrier cream on exposed skin to protect against chilblains and frostbite.
• Moisturize chapped skin after working.

A word on wind chill

The TV meteorologists who insist on calling it the “feels-like temperature” are missing the point of calculating wind chill. It’s not about how it feels; it’s about how much bodily harm the wind adds on a cold day.

According to the National Weather Service, wind chill calculates “the rate of heat loss from exposed skin. … As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature.”

So yes, wind makes a winter day feel colder. But it can’t make anything colder than the actual air temperature; rather, it shortens the time needed to reach the air temperature.

So you can’t get frostbite if the temperature is above freezing—no matter how hard the wind is blowing. But you can get hypothermia, as the wind helps to pull heat out of your body.

According to the National Weather Service wind chill chart, if the temperature is 0 degrees (F) with no wind, it can take more than 30 minutes for exposed skin to freeze. Adding a 15-mph breeze takes the wind chill temperature to -19 degrees (F)—helping exposed skin to reach freezing in just a few minutes.

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