Safety Tips for Outdoor Workers

Anyone who is outdoors during January in Kentucky should take precautions, but those who work outside must be particularly vigilant about safety, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Failing to do so can lead to serious injury, or even death.

January can bring unpredictable weather to the state. One day may be sunny and balmy while the next brings a winter storm capable of paralyzing the entire state. For outdoor workers, preparedness is often the key to survival. Whether you are a delivery driver who hustles in and out of the elements or a construction worker who spends your entire day outside, OSHA urges precautions to avoid workplace accidents and injuries caused by winter storms.

Preparedness starts by staying informed about current weather conditions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides up-to-the-minute weather conditions and forecasts. Understanding the warnings and advisories issued by NOAA is a crucial for being prepared.

• Winter Storm Watch: Stay alert, a storm is likely.
• Winter Storm Warning: A storm is coming or is already in your area.
• Winter Weather Advisory: Winter weather conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous, especially to motorists.

Some workers are required to brave the elements regardless of how bad it is outside. Emergency response personnel, utility workers, postal workers, and sanitation workers, for example, do not have the option to remain inside.

For those workers, OSHA urges employers and fellow workers to watch for signs of weather-related injuries such as:

• Carbon monoxide poisoning from machinery operating in confined spaces
• Hypothermia
• Frost bite
• Exhaustion
• Dehydration
• Electrical or burn injuries caused by downed power lines
• Slips and falls on ice or snow-covered surfaces
• Roof cave -ins from snow

In addition, anyone who must work outside during the winter months will likely be driving on ice- and snow-covered streets. OSHA urges employers to ensure that vehicles are well- maintained and that workers  exercise extreme caution when driving during a winter storm. Be particularly careful around bridges, overpasses, and other places where black ice is likely to form.

If you must drive in Kentucky during the winter, then you should prepare an emergency kit and carry it in your vehicle at all times. A pre-packaged emergency road kit can be purchased online or you can make one yourself.  Consumer Reports offers a list of items that should be included in any emergency road kit.