Labor Law Center Blog » Blog Archive » Montana Worker Safety

Montana Worker Safety

March 21st, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Everyone who has had a chance to spend some time in cold climates or mountain areas has experienced days when the sun shines brightly and yet the day is extremely cold. This phenomenon is known as wind chill temperature. The wind chill temperature is a combination of air temperature and wind speed, and offers a precise measurement of cold it would actually be outdoors. So it is possible that a bright, sunny day can be agonizingly cold. Extreme wind chill can cause cold stress, hypothermia or frostbite even at relatively moderate temperatures.

Frostbite is a serious hazard to Montana worker safety for those who work outdoors. High-risk occupations include forestry, construction, landscaping, roadwork and agriculture.

How do you recognize frostbite? Upon prolonged exposure to cold, the skin loses its moisture and freezes. It usually happens to fingers, toes, nose, and ears. The affected area turns red, purple and then white, and feels cold to touch. Frostbite starts with a cold, tingling or stinging feeling, and then the skin turns numb. In extreme cases, blisters may appear.

If a worker suffers frostbite, he or she should immediately be moved to a warm place, and help should be called. The affected skin should not be rubbed. It should be wrapped in soft, warm cloth instead. If help is late in coming, the affected part of the body should be immersed in warm water, with temperature not higher than 105 degrees. Water should not be poured on the skin.

If there is a need to take the worker out in the cold again, then the warm water treatment should not be administered, because the renewed exposure to cold can complicate matters further. If care is taken and help is provided in time, frostbite can be treated easily. But in extreme cases, sometimes it becomes necessary to amputate the affected areas.