This and winter I thought to start something new for employees and employers. I have sawed that many employees and employer still not aware about cold weather and it’s hazardous to the workers. Keeping employees fit to work must be an employer’s expectation also if the workers are healthy and fit to work operation will run smoothly. Good and experience man power not easy to be hired and maintain. Must be all the employees are frequently given an on job training and must workers are let know every day occupational safety. In this point Doctors, health and safety mangers can help the Human Recourse department for maintain occupational safety and health at mean level. in additional they can made a comments on Human Recourse department for what kinds of accidents are happening in each departments and they can keep record book for yearly and decide what safety precaution have to enforce.

At cold weather when body is unable warm itself serious cold-related illnesses and injuries may occur it may lead to the permanent tissue damage and death may result. Employers with employees working with cold environments such as a construction, agriculture, even a food processing and food storage lookers must be take precaution to prevent and treat cold-induced illnesses and injury. Cold related illnesses can slowly overcome a person who has been chilled by low temperatures, brisk winds, and wet clothing .prolong exposure to freezing or cold temperature may cause serious health problems such as a frostbit and specially hypothermia, in extreme cases, including cold water immersion, exposure can lead to death. Frostbit usually can first affected to the fingers, hands, toes, feet, ears, and nose. It’s a freezing of the deep layers of skin and tissue. The skin becomes hard and numb and turns a pale, it may seems waxy-white in colour.

Hypothermia (a medical emergency) can occur when the normal body temperature of

98.6°F/37°C drops to or below 95°F/35°C. Danger signs include fatigue or drowsiness, uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy moments, and irritable, irrational or confused behavior.

I have a suggestion here for whole work force. employers can develops a cold stress card which provides guidelines and recommendations for preventing cold weather induced illnesses and injuries and they can freely distributed cold stress card for their employee . Here are basic tips for protecting your employees at winter and risk.

• Identify the environmental and workplace conditions that may be dangerous.

• find out the signs and symptoms of cold-induced illnesses and injuries and what to do to help employees, ask doctors and health and safety officers help

• Train all employees about cold-induced illnesses and injuries.

• Encourage employees to wear proper clothing to guard against cold, wet, and windy conditions. Layer clothing to adjust to changing environmental temperatures. Wear a hat, gloves, and underwear (made of polypropylene) that will keep water away from the skin. Try to provide maximum covered and proper uniform for employees who work at cold environments

• Try to schedule work for the warmest part of the day.

• Ensure that employee in extreme conditions take frequent short breaks in warm, dry shelters to allow their bodies to warm up

• Avoid exhaustion or fatigue as energy is needed to keep muscles warm.

• Use the buddy system—work in pairs so that each employee can recognize the danger signs in the other.

• If work alone keep some communication system hourly or randomly any personnel can check. But best practice is buddy system

• Drink warm, sweet beverages (sugar water, sports-type drinks) and avoid alcoholic beverages or drinks with caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas, hot chocolate).

• Eat warm, high-calorie foods such as hot pasta dishes.

• Try to identify some employees at high risk such as who taking certain medication, who are at poor physical condition.

In additional employers can recognize who have a poor diet or are older, have a predisposing health condition such as a diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease.

‘Health of employee will be wealth of employer’

O.W.Palitha Ariyarathna

Rescuer and Deep Sea Diver- Former Beach Filed Supervisor