The Freeze is on!

Surviving the cold and working outside during winter can be a chilling experience. For thousands of outdoor workers, cold weather can be a serious hazard. There are also some safety problems associated with cold environments - ice, snow, blindness, burns from contact with cold metal and slowed reaction time.

OSHA’s Trade News Release dated December 9, 2003 warns employers and employees of the potential dangers of working in cold weather conditions. The combination of low temperatures, wind and moisture can cause serious health risks for your employees. Especially at risk are workers in construction, commercial fishing, and maritime and agricultural settings.

Remember these simple tips to prevent cold injuries:

• Dress properly- Wear appropriate clothing to retain body heat. Give your body a chance to adjust to working in the cold- Limit the length of your exposure to the cold and gradually increase that time over a few days.

• Drink plenty of fluids- Because of the dry air, working in cold areas causes significant water loss, so it's important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

• Watch out for warning signs- Workers should immediately go to a warm shelter if experiencing shivering, white skin, excessive fatigue or drowsiness.

• Balance your diet- In order for the body to be able to withstand the cold, it needs a healthy combination of nutrients.

Cold Stress Poster

Prolonged exposures to extreme conditions can put workers at serious risk of frostbite, trench foot, or hypothermia. In extreme cases, including cold-water immersion, exposure could cause death. OSHA’s article mentions danger signs and ways of preventing cold-related health problems. In their efforts to help protect workers from all injury and illnesses, they produced a wallet-sized OSHA’s Cold Stress card.

CPC feels strongly about workers’ health and safety issues. We recognize your obligation as an employer to protect your employees from workplace dangers. To assist you in communicating the risks associated with exposure to cold-weather conditions, we have developed a colorful, laminated Cold Stress poster. It is available in English or Spanish and includes the following:

• How to Protect Workers

• Workers at Increased Risk

• Frost Bite: What happens and what to do

• Hypothermia: What happens and what to do

RECENT FEDERAL AND STATE CHANGES

• Federal Family and Medical Leave

• Federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act

• Federal OSHA poster

• Federal Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law

• California effective 1/2004

• Louisiana effective 12/2003

• Illinois effective 1/2004

• North Dakota effective 12/2003

• Oregon effective 1/2004

• Rhode Island effective 1/2004

• Vermont effective 1/2004

• Washington effective 1/2004

SPANISH POSTERS:

Many states require employers with Spanish-speaking employees to post the State and Federal labor laws in Spanish. Others highly recommend posting in Spanish to ensure that your employees understand their rights and the labor laws. To fulfill the needs of many employers, CPC has available Spanish posters for the following states:

• Arizona

• Nevada

• Oregon

• California

• New York

• Texas

• Florida

• North Dakota

• Washington

• Georgia

• North Carolina

• Utah

• Minnesota

CUSTOM POSTERS

Many larger companies are taking advantage of CPC’s exclusive “Custom Poster Program.” This allows organizations to incorporate their logo, company colors, mission statement and even some custom verbiage into the design of the poster. Posters can be specially designed to specific size requirements, horizontal of vertical orientation and with heavy lamination.

For more information please contact your Compliance Poster Representative at 1-800-817-7678 or at www.complianceposter.com

Call us at (800) 817-7678 or click here to order online!