As the first official day of winter approaches, Saturday, Dec. 21, northern Nevada anticipates a season of colder weather and icy conditions, which can increase the risk for falls, cold-related illness and driving incidents on the job.
The Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of the State of Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations offers free resources and tips to help Nevada’s workforce prevent worksite injuries related to winter weather. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 41% of weather-related workplace fatalities in 2020 were linked to ice, snow and cold weather.
SCATS offers the following tips to keep Nevada’s workforce safe during the winter weather conditions and year-round:
Prevent falls in icy conditions
Inspect worksites for potential walkway hazards: Look for ice on walking surfaces, damage to walkways, leaks and spills, clutter or debris, and other obstacles. Be sure to de-ice walkways, repair surfaces, clean up spills, fix leaks and clear away debris, clutter and tripping hazards. During the winter, employers can also provide ice melt material on worksites to keep walkways free of ice, reducing the risk of falls and slips.
Stay warm
The risk for experiencing cold-related illnesses such as frostbite and hypothermia increases during winter months, especially for those who work outdoors. It’s important to educate employees about the symptoms to look for including reddening skin, tingling, pain, swelling, leg cramps, numbness and blisters. If symptoms occur, employees should be moved to a warm, dry area. Call 911 immediately in an emergency. Cold stress can be prevented by dressing properly, wearing at least three layers of loose-fitting clothing, insulated gloves and boots and covering the head. It is also important to stay dry as moisture can increase heat loss from the body, so employees may consider packing an extra set of clothes. Workers should also take frequent breaks in warm, dry areas and drink warm liquids.
Drive safely on the job
Winter driving can be hazardous, especially when trying to navigate snowfall and icy roadways. Businesses can make additional preparations to help make trips safer for employees who are driving on the job. Store an emergency roadside kit in work vehicles, provide winter driving training reminders for employees and ensure all routine maintenance is completed on business vehicles. For employees who drive a work vehicle, try to drive during the daylight whenever possible, rehearse maneuvers slowly on ice or snow in an empty lot, and remember to steer into a skid and allow for longer stopping distances.
“Winter conditions can create challenges on the worksite, but with additional preparation and education, injuries and fatalities are preventable,” Todd Schultz, Chief Administrative Officer for SCATS, said. “Our SCATS experts are here to support Nevada’s businesses–both big and small–to help ensure employees go home safely in all seasons.”
Business owners, managers, supervisors and employees can contact SCATS year-round for no-cost, onsite safety consultations for their workplace at 4safenv.state.nv.us or by calling 877-472-3368. SCATS also offers free training courses for fall prevention and other worksite safety topics online and in person. Visit 4safenv.state.nv.us/classes for a full course schedule.
About Nevada SCATS
The Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS), part of Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations, provides free and confidential consultation and safety services to assist businesses in Nevada to be in compliance with OSHA standards. SCATS helps Nevada businesses keep their employees safe and offers on-site consultation services designed to help employers recognize and control potential safety and health hazards at their workplaces, improve their safety and health programs, and assist in training employees. SCATS also offers Workplace Safety and Health Training classes in Northern and Southern Nevada. Bilingual services are also available. Visit 4safenv.state.nv.us.
Funding Statement:
The Nevada On-Site Consultation program (SCATS), at the time of initial publication of this document (10/2024), is funded by a cooperative agreement for $1,025,411 federal funds, which constitutes 25.7% percent of the program budget. 0% percent, or $ 0.00 of the program budget, is financed through non-governmental sources.
