DECEMBER 2 0 16

TimberTimes

PartnersforHealthyForests

SafetyFlyer

The Colorado Timber Industry Association (CTIA) is an association of small, family-ownedbusinesses committed to logging, processing and performing service work in the forests ofColorado. Weareexceptionalpartnerstothepublicandprivatestewardsofourvaluableandbeautifulforests.WeembraceBestManagementPractices(BMPs)andsustainableforestry.Tomeet these values, we host annual continuing education classes on BMPs and conduct fieldaudits to demonstrate our accountability to high quality, active management designed topromotelongtermforesthealth.

SPECIALPOINTSOFINTEREST

• WorkingSafelyinColdWeather

• HowtoPreventColdStress

• HowtoProtectWorkers

• HelpfulLinks• FrostbiteChart

HelloAll,Logging is dangerous work, and safety has always been a primary focus for CTIA. I hope these monthly safety flyers contribute to your company safety program and to the safety of you and your crews. Please share this safety flyer with your employees, contractors, or fellow loggers. If you’ll send me their email address, we’ll add them to our list. Our goal is safety for every logger, trucker, and mill worker in Colorado. If you find an interesting article or an OSHA related issue, please share with me so I send to our email list or incorporate into a future Safety Flyer. Molly

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WorkingSafelyinColdWeatherAnyoneworkinginacoldenvironmentmaybeatriskofcoldstress.Someworkersmayberequiredtoworkoutdoorsincoldenvironmentsandforextendedperiods,forexample,snowcleanupcrews,sanitationworkers,policeofficersandemergencyresponseandrecoverypersonnel,likefirefighters,andemergencymedicaltechnicians.Coldstresscanbeencounteredinthesetypesofworkenvironment.Thefollowingfrequentlyaskedquestionswillhelpworkersunderstandwhatcoldstressis,howitmayaffecttheirhealthandsafety,andhowitcanbeprevented.Howcoldistoocold?Whatconstitutesextremecoldanditseffectscanvaryacrossdifferentareasofthecountry.Inregionsthatarenotusedtowinterweather,nearfreezingtemperaturesareconsidered"extremecold."Acoldenvironmentforcesthebodytoworkhardertomaintainitstemperature.Whenevertemperaturesdropbelownormalandwindspeedincreases,heatcanleaveyourbodymorerapidly.Windchillisthetemperatureyourbodyfeelswhenairtemperatureandwindspeedarecombined.Forexample,whentheairtemperatureis40°F,andthewindspeedis35mph,theeffectontheexposedskinisasiftheairtemperaturewas28°F.Coldstressoccursbydrivingdowntheskintemperatureandeventuallytheinternalbodytemperature(coretemperature).Thismayleadtoserioushealthproblems,andmaycausetissuedamage,andpossiblydeath.Whataretheriskfactorsthatcontributetocoldstress?Someoftheriskfactorsthatcontributetocoldstressare:• Wetness/dampness,dressingimproperly,andexhaustion• Predisposinghealthconditionssuchashypertension,hypothyroidism,and

diabetes• Poorphysicalconditioning

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WorkingSafelyinColdWeather(cont’d)Howdoesthebodyreacttocoldconditions?Inacoldenvironment,mostofthebody'senergyisusedtokeeptheinternalcoretemperaturewarm.Overtime,thebodywillbegintoshiftbloodflowfromtheextremities(hands,feet,arms,andlegs)andouterskintothecore(chestandabdomen).Thisshiftallowstheexposedskinandtheextremitiestocoolrapidlyandincreasestheriskoffrostbiteandhypothermia.Combinethisscenariowithexposuretoawetenvironment,andtrenchfootmayalsobeaproblem.Whatarethemostcommoncoldinducedillnesses/injuries?• Hypothermia• Frostbite• TrenchFootWhatishypothermia?Hypothermiaoccurswhenbodyheatislostfasterthanitcanbereplacedandthenormalbodytemperature(98.6°F)dropstolessthan95°F.Hypothermiaismostlikelyatverycoldtemperatures,butitcanoccurevenatcooltemperatures(above40°F),ifapersonbecomeschilledfromrain,sweat,orsubmersionincoldwater.Whatarethesymptomsofhypothermia?Mildsymptoms:• Anexposedworkerisalert.• Heorshemaybegintoshiverandstompthefeetinordertogenerateheat.

ModeratetoSeveresymptoms:• Asthebodytemperaturecontinuestofall,symptomswillworsenandshiveringwillstop.

• Theworkermaylosecoordinationandfumblewithitemsinthehand,becomeconfusedanddisoriented.

• Heorshemaybeunabletowalkorstand,pupilsbecomedilated,pulseandbreathingbecomeslowed,andlossofconsciousnesscanoccur.Apersoncoulddieifhelpisnotreceivedimmediately.

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WorkingSafelyinColdWeather(cont’d)Whatcanbedoneforapersonsufferingfromhypothermia?• Call911immediatelyinanemergency;otherwiseseekmedicalassistanceas

soonaspossible.• Movethepersontoawarm,dryarea.• Removewetclothesandreplacewithdryclothes,coverthebody(includingthe

headandneck)withlayersofblankets;andwithavaporbarrier(e.g.tarp,garbagebag).Donotcovertheface.

• Ifmedicalhelpismorethan30minutesaway:• Givewarmsweeteneddrinksifalert(noalcohol),tohelpincreasethebodytemperature.Nevertrytogiveadrinktoanunconsciousperson.

• Placewarmbottlesorhotpacksinarmpits,sidesofchest,andgroin.Call911foradditionalrewarminginstructions.

• Ifapersonisnotbreathingorhasnopulse:• Call911foremergencymedicalassistanceimmediately.• Treattheworkerasperinstructionsforhypothermia,butbeverycarefulanddonottrytogiveanunconsciouspersonfluids.

• Checkhim/herforsignsofbreathingandforapulse.Checkfor60seconds.

• Ifafter60secondstheaffectedworkerisnotbreathinganddoesnothaveapulse,trainedworkersmaystartrescuebreathsfor3minutes.

• Recheckforbreathingandpulse,checkfor60seconds.• Iftheworkerisstillnotbreathingandhasnopulse,continuerescuebreathing.

• Onlystartchestcompressionsperthedirectionofthe911operatororemergencymedicalservices*

• Reassesspatient’sphysicalstatusperiodically.*Chestcompressionarerecommendedonlyifthepatientwillnotreceivemedicalcarewithin3hours.

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WorkingSafelyinColdWeather(cont’d)Whatisfrostbite?Frostbiteisaninjurytothebodythatiscausedbyfreezingoftheskinandunderlyingtissues.Thelowerthetemperature,themorequicklyfrostbitewilloccur.Frostbitetypicallyaffectstheextremities,particularlythefeetandhands.Amputationmayberequiredinseverecases.Whatarethesymptomsoffrostbite?•Reddenedskindevelopsgray/whitepatches.•Numbnessintheaffectedpart.•Feelsfirmorhard.•Blistersmayoccurintheaffectedpart,inseverecases.Whatcanbedoneforapersonsufferingfromfrostbite?•Followtherecommendationsdescribedaboveforhypothermia.

•Donotrubtheaffectedareatowarmitbecausethisactioncancausemoredamage.

•Donotapplysnow/water.Donotbreakblisters.

•Looselycoverandprotecttheareafromcontact.

•Donottrytorewarmthefrostbittenareabeforegettingmedicalhelp;forexample,donotplaceinwarmwater.Ifafrostbittenareaisrewarmedandgetsfrozenagain,moretissuedamagewilloccur.Itissaferforthefrostbittenareatoberewarmedbymedicalprofessionals.

•Givewarmsweeteneddrinks,ifthepersonisalert.Avoiddrinkswithalcohol.

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WorkingSafelyinColdWeather(cont’d)Whatisimmersion/trenchfoot?TrenchFootorimmersionfootiscausedbyprolongedexposuretowetandcoldtemperatures.Itcanoccurattemperaturesashighas60°Fifthefeetareconstantlywet.Non-freezinginjuryoccursbecausewetfeetloseheat25-timesfasterthandryfeet.Topreventheatloss,thebodyconstrictsthebloodvesselstoshutdowncirculationinthefeet.Theskintissuebeginstodiebecauseofalackofoxygenandnutrientsandduetothebuildupoftoxicproducts.Whatarethesymptomsoftrenchfoot?• Rednessoftheskin,swelling,numbness,blistersWhatcanbedoneforapersonsufferingfromimmersionfoot?• Call911immediatelyinanemergency;otherwiseseekmedicalassistanceassoonaspossible.

• Removetheshoes,orboots,andwetsocks.• Drythefeet.

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HowtoPreventColdStressHowcancoldstressbeprevented?AlthoughOSHAdoesnothaveaspecificstandardthatcoversworkingincoldenvironments,employershavearesponsibilitytoprovideworkerswithemploymentandaplaceofemploymentwhicharefreefromrecognizedhazards,includingcoldstress,whicharecausingorarelikelytocausedeathorseriousphysicalharmtothem(Section5(a)(1)oftheOccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970).Employersshould,therefore,trainworkersonthehazardsofthejobandsafetymeasurestouse,suchasengineeringcontrolsandsafeworkpracticesthatwillprotectworkers’safetyandhealth.Employersshouldtrainworkersonhowtopreventandrecognizecoldstressillnessesandinjuriesandhowtoapplyfirstaidtreatment.Workersshouldbetrainedontheappropriateengineeringcontrols,personalprotectiveequipmentandworkpracticestoreducetheriskofcoldstress.Employersshouldprovideengineeringcontrols.Forexample,radiantheatersmaybeusedtowarmworkersinoutdoorsecuritystations.Ifpossible,shieldworkareasfromdraftsorwindtoreducewindchill.Employersshouldusesafeworkpractices.Forexample,itiseasytobecomedehydratedincoldweather.Employerstherefore,canprovideplentyofwarmsweetenedliquidstoworkers.Avoidalcoholicdrinks.Ifpossible,employerscanscheduleheavyworkduringthewarmerpartoftheday.Employerscanassignworkerstotasksinpairs(buddysystem),sothattheycanmonitoreachotherforsignsofcoldstress.Workerscanbeallowedtointerrupttheirwork,iftheyareextremelyuncomfortable.Employersshouldgiveworkersfrequentbreaksinwarmareas.Acclimatizenewworkersandthosereturningaftertimeawayfromwork,bygraduallyincreasingtheirworkload,andallowingmorefrequentbreaks inwarmareas,astheybuildupatoleranceforworkinginthecoldenvironment.Safetymeasures,suchasthese,shouldbeincorporatedintotherelevanthealthandsafetyplanfortheworkplace.

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HowtoPreventColdStress(cont’d)Dressingproperlyisextremelyimportanttopreventingcoldstress.Thetypeoffabricwornalsomakesadifference.Cottonlosesitsinsulationvaluewhenitbecomeswet.Wool,silkandmostsynthetics,ontheotherhand,retaintheirinsulationevenwhenwet.Thefollowingarerecommendationsforworkingincoldenvironments:• Wearatleastthreelayersofloosefittingclothing.Layeringprovidesbetterinsulation.Donotweartightfittingclothing.

o Aninnerlayerofwool,silkorsynthetictokeepmoistureawayfromthebody.

o Amiddlelayerofwoolorsynthetictoprovideinsulationevenwhenwet.

o Anouterwindandrainprotectionlayerthatallowssomeventilationtopreventoverheating.

• Wearahatorhoodtohelpkeepyourwholebodywarmer.Hatsreducetheamountofbodyheatthatescapesfromyourhead.

• Useaknitmasktocoverthefaceandmouth(ifneeded).• Useinsulatedglovestoprotectthehands(waterresistantifnecessary).• Wearinsulatedandwaterproofboots(orotherfootwear).

HowToProtectWorkers• Learnthesignsandsymptomsofcold-inducedillnessesandinjuriesandwhat

todotohelpworkers.• Trainworkersaboutcold-inducedillnessesandinjuries.• Encourageworkerstowearproperclothingforcold,wetandwindyconditions,

includinglayersthatcanbeadjustedtochangingconditions.• Besureworkersinextremeconditionstakeafrequentshortbreakinwarmdry

shelterstoallowtheirbodiestowarmup.• Trytoscheduleworkforthewarmestpartoftheday.• Avoidexhaustionorfatiguebecauseenergyisneededtokeepmuscleswarm.• Useabuddysystem-workinpairssooneworkercanrecognizedangersigns.• Drinkwarm,sweetbeverages(sugarwater,sports-typedrinks)andavoid

drinkswithcaffeine(coffee,tea,sodasorhotchocolate)oralcohol.• Eatwarm,high-caloriefoodssuchashotpastadishes.• Remember,workersfaceincreasedriskswhentheytakecertainmedications,

areinpoorphysicalconditionorsufferfromillnessessuchasdiabetes,hypertensionorcardiovasculardisease.

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HelpfulLinkshttps://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/guides/cold.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/windchill.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEKaCOx7igIhttp://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-hypothermia#1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ85WHTIAl4