The answer to whether you’ve already heard everything about cold weather personal protective equipment (PPE) is “probably.” So, let’s make it interesting and as newly promoted safety detectives, look at this from the body’s perspective. We will now embark on a cold case investigation to chip away at the frosty evidence provided by the human body.
To begin our investigation, we review some important facts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified over the past few years an eight to twelve percent higher death rate in winter months than in non-winter months. Even days that are only moderately cold can increase the risk of cold-weather death for workers, primarily those not acclimated to extreme weather or workers with compromised immune systems. National Weather Service (NWS) statistics for Arizona and California support this with a combined worker death total of six in just one year in moderately cold weather. Cold affects workers in all states with cold days made even colder by wind chill that combines air temperature plus wind speed, making it even more hazardous.