December 27, 2021 Safety Tip of the Week delivered to your inbox each Monday by GrainnetSafety.com
Dangerous Wind Chill
Wind chill is the temperature it "feels like" outside based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effects of wind and cold.
As wind speed increases, the body is cooled at a faster rate, causing the skin temperature to drop.
The wind chill, "feels like," temperature can freeze body tissue. The most susceptible parts are the extremities such as fingers, toes, earlobes, or the tip of the nose.
Frostbite symptoms include the loss of feeling of an extremity and a white or pale skin appearance.
Frostbite may be prevented by:
• Wearing layers of loose fitting, light weight, warm clothing.
• Wearing outer garments that are tightly woven, water repellant, and hooded.
• Wearing a hat (40% of body heat is lost from the head).
• Covering the mouth to protect the lungs from extreme cold.
• Staying dry and staying out of the wind.
The National Weather Service developed the chart below to indicate the relationship between wind speed and temperature.
For example, working in an environment with 20 mph winds and an air temperature of zero degrees may cause frostbite to exposed skin within 30 minutes.
Wind chill advisories are issued when the wind chill temperatures are potentially hazardous.
A wind chill warning is issued when wind chill temperatures are life threatening.
This Safety Tip of the Week originally published Jan. 7, 2019.
