Don't delay: your Annual Payroll Report (APR) must be complete by February 28, 2020 to avoid penalty. You must submit an APR even if you are reporting zero (0) payroll. The penalty for late submission is 15% of your previous year's employer payroll assessment.

The Workers' Compensation and Safety Commission (WSCC) invites all employers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to help guide the development of a Safety Incentive Program. 

Every year the Northwest Territories and Nunavut experience some of the coldest temperatures seen in Canada. Understanding how to work safely in extreme cold is essential. Whether your employees are new to the North, or have been here all their life, it is important to review your company's policy and procedure on working in cold conditions every winter.

In an indoor work site, employers are required under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations ( NT and NU) to provide and maintain space that is appropriate for the work performed, is a reasonable temperature for the comfort of employees, and has a thermostat for measuring temperatures. If work is being performed outdoors, the employer must provide effective protection of the health and safety of workers. If the work is being performed outside of the normal duties of the worker, employers must provide and require the worker to use suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the health and safety of workers (Thermal Conditions - Part 6, Section 74; PPE Part 7, Section 90).

When working in cold conditions, have your workers take the time to make sure they manage for the environment they are working in. Workers must put on enough warm clothing, have the appropriate PPE to protect themselves from the cold, and take the time to warm themselves between shifts outside. 

SAFETY HAZARDS IN COLD CONDITIONS:

• Buildup of snow and ice create slick surfaces and cause slips and falls.
• Blizzard conditions can produce high winds and restrict visibility.
• Working on ice and frozen bodies of water requires ice testing to know the ice bearing capacity.
• Power tools and equipment need special care to be operational in a cold environment.
• Workers in remote areas need to take extra precautions and orient themselves in cold weather operations and emergency survival.
• Winter clothing can restrict movement and hoods or hat and face protection can obscure sight lines.
• Glasses and eye protection can fog up and obscure vision.
• Cold affects dexterity in your hands and feet, which may affect: task performance, coordination, the skin's ability to sense temperatures and pain, and even ability to use your hands.

HEALTH HAZARDS IN COLD CONDITIONS:

• Frostnip: The mildest form of a freezing cold injury. It often impacts the ear lobes, noses, cheeks, fingers or toes when exposed to cold. The affected skin will turn white and may feel numb.
• Frostbite: Similar to frostnip, frostbite most often impacts the ear lobes, noses, cheeks, fingers or toes when exposed to cold. It occurs when the fluids around the body's tissue freezes below 0°C. This may cause permanent damage, and blood may stop circulating to the affected area, which may lead to infection or gangrene. It is important to know that initial pain subsides as the condition gets worse.
• Snow Blindness: This is a temporary loss of vision caused by exposure to bright sunlight reflected from snow and ice. The symptoms are a sensation of grit in the eyes, pain in the eyes as you move your eye, inflammation, red and teary eyes, a headache that intensifies with exposure to light. Most causes of snow blindness will last no more than one day if the person rests indoors away from bright light, but prolonged exposure may lead to permanent vision loss.
• Hypothermia: Hypothermia sets in when your body is unable to compensate for heat loss, and the core temperature starts to fall. Muscular weakness, inability to think clearly, drowsiness, and, at this point, symptoms of pain and shivering will start to disappear. The result will be diminished consciousness and dilated pupils, which makes it especially dangerous, as an individual may not understand what is happening, and at 27°C a coma will set in.

Preventative measures and controls

1. Allow a period of adjustment for acclimatization if employees move from working in warm conditions to cold ones. Everybody requires an acclimatization period, and this time varies person to person but on average it takes approximately 1 week.
2. Minimize time outdoors in extreme conditions, do as many tasks indoors as possible. Use a work warm-up schedule for employees required to work outside. Ensure they take the time to warm up in a warm shelter or vehicle.
3. Educate and train your employees on safe work practices in cold climates. Make sure they know the hazards, risks, and controls for staying safe in extreme conditions.
4. Ensure employees all have appropriate gear to work in cold, and check that it is rated for the conditions. Suggest that every worker layer their clothing instead of wearing one large coat. Layers provide a vapour barrier from the cold.
5. Try to avoid working alone in cold conditions where possible.
6. If employees must work outdoors, particularly if it is in a remote area, ask your employee to establish a clear plan for where the employee will be and timeline for their return to the office, as well as a communication plan with their supervisor to ensure their employee arrived safely.
7. It is important to know that the body's ability to cope with cold working conditions is affected by alcohol, some prescription medication, and caffeine. Encourage employees to consider replacing caffeinated beverages with high calorie warm liquids like hot chocolate or non-caffeinated tea and coffee, and ensure that they never arrive to work impaired.
8. Encourage your employees to know the side effects of any medication they may be on, or if any health conditions may impact their own ability to manage the cold (For example, Diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease can impact a body's ability to acclimatize to working in cold climates).