Region 7 Newsletter

Working in the Cold Weather Accident Investigations,
Buzz Lightyear is Fried,
and Barrel Racing?
Construction Work is difficult. Stress, difficult working
conditions, and job site hazards can all combine to make it
seem impossible to get the job done. However, the job
gets done despite of all the difficulties. One other factor
that can often make the job tough is the weather,
specifically cold weather.
Cold weather can complicate even the simplest of tasks
by making tools hard to handle, concrete icy or slippery
when there is moisture, and of course cold weather
requires us to dress differently. T-shirts, jeans, and even
work boots have to be replaced by clothing that will
protect the worker from the inclement weather. In
addition, the temperature outside may not be the only
consideration. In the winter seasons we must also
consider the "Wind Chill Temperature." The wind chill
temperature is how cold people and animals feel when
outside. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the
body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the
internal body temperature. Therefore, the wind makes it
FEEL much colder. If the temperature is 0 degrees
Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the wind
chill is -19 degrees Fahrenheit. At this wind chill
temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.
For this reason it is extremely important that we follow
simple rules to protect ourselves from the elements. First
of all, allow your body to acclimatize. That means before
starting to work out doors in the mornings, step outside
and warm up your muscles by stretching. This will help
prevent strains. Secondly, dress in layers and always
wear your gloves. By layering your clothing you trap air in
between the layers to create warmth. As the day
progresses and temperatures rise you can remove a layer
to make yourself more comfortable. Lastly, eat healthy
and get plenty of rest. You may not realize it but your body
is already working hard to maintain normal body
temperature. By eating healthy foods you will make
certain that your body has enough fuel to burn. Getting a
good nights rest will give your body time to recuperate
from the previous day's work and help fight colds. Stay
safe and warm!
TEMPERATURE ( F)
o
Calm
WIND CHILL CHART
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
WIND VELOCITY (MPH)
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
36
31
25
19
13 71
-5
-11
-16
-22
-28
-34
-40
-46
-52
34
27
21
15 93
-4
-10
-16
-22
-28
-35
-41
-47
-53
-59
32
25
19
13 60
-7
-13
-19
-26
-32
-39
-45
-51
-58
-64
30
24
17
114
-2
-9
-15
-22
-29
-35
-42
-48
-55
-61
-68
29
23
16 93
-4
-11
-17
-24
-31
-37
-44
-51
-58
-64
-71
28
22
15 81
-5
-12
-19
-26
-33
-39
-46
-53
-60
-67
-73
28
21
14 70
-7
-14
-21
-27
-34
-41
-48
-55
-62
-69
-76
27
20
13 6
-1
-8
-15
-22
-29
-36
-43
-50
-57
-64
-71
-78
26
19
12 5
-2
-9
-16
-23
-30
-37
-44
-51
-58
-65
-72
-79
26
19
12 4
-3
-10
-17
-24
-31
-38
-45
-52
-60
-67
-74
-81
Frostbite Times 30 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes
NAWIC's Buffalo, New York Chapter #172
hosted Region 14 Annual Planning Conference
on October 23rd, which included an afternoon
safety panel comprised of Donna Shave
(Capital District, NY #261), Patty Stagno
(Granite State Chapter #218) and Catherine
Schoenenberger (Granite State Chapter #218).
Director Sue-Ellen Stoddard facilitated the
discussions as each of the panel members
rolled out her tactic for safety awareness.
Accident Investigations:
First up was Donna Shave. She presented
three different case scenarios; each providing
clues that would later help solve the safety
mystery. The first case told of Careless Connie
Drives to Buffalo, the second was Clumsy Clara
at the Construction Site and the third introduced
us to Off-Balance Olivia at the Office. Donna
broke the crowd into three groups where each
group examined the facts and was able to
actually ask “Connie”, “Clara” and “Olivia”
questions BUT these questions could only be
answered with “yes” or “no”. At the end of a 10
minute investigation, Donna summarized the
events in all three cases, discussing the root
cause of the accident(s) and recommendations
for avoiding similar situations. Everyone in the
audience was engaged in the discussions and
summary.
(continued on page 5)
page 4