Working In Cold Conditions

Working outdoors in cold weather places workers at risk of losing body heat. Fingers and toes are the first to get cold and then shivering sets in – a distraction that could result in an incident. Exposed skin increases the risk of frostbite. 

Workers are encouraged to wear several layers of clothing, rather than one heavy layer, to prevent overheating and sweating. Sweating should be avoided to minimize the body’s heat loss, which may require removing clothing layer(s). 

For the body:

• Inner layer: light-weight polyester or polypropylene 
• Insulating layer: fleece or wool 
• Outer layer: rain, snow, and wind repellent with provisions for ventilation

For the feet: 

• Felt-lined, rubber-bottomed, leather-topped boots with removable insoles and socks

Plan for warm-up breaks 

Warm-up breaks for workers should begin when the temperature reaches -26 C (-15 F), with winds of 16 km/h (10 mph) or greater, and should be scheduled in addition to normal breaks every two hours. Once the temperature reaches -43 C (-45 F), all non-emergency work should stop. 

The Work Warm-up Schedule 

The Work Warm-Up Schedule shows the warm-up breaks required for working in cold conditions and the normal breaks to be provided every two hours. The schedule allows additional breaks for workers as the wind velocity at the work site increases and/or the temperature drops. 

Note: The information in the chart below applies to moderate to heavy physical work activity in any four-hour period. At the end of the four-hour period, an extended break in a warm location is expected. Warm-up breaks are assumed to be provided for ten minutes in a warm environment.