How to Stay Warm During Winter Storms?

Winter storms can wreak havoc on your local community, but you still have a job to do. If you and your team need to step out in the cold, you’ll need outdoor winter work clothes to keep you warm, including insulating gloves, protective goggles for harsh, icy winds, and high-visibility clothing to keep your team safe and seen at night. Learn about some of the best clothes for working outside in winter.

Taking Stock of Your Work Environment

Protecting your workers from freezing temperatures and winter storms all starts with getting to know your workers and your workplace. Outdoor workers, such as construction crews, snowplow operators, clean-up crews, and forest workers, can easily suffer from what’s known as cold stress when working in extreme temperatures. Cold stress occurs when the body can no longer warm itself, which can lead to cold-related illnesses, permanent tissue damage, trench foot, frostbite, hypothermia, and even death.

Be aware of the wind chill temperature when working outdoors. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio will send out an alert if wind chill temperatures become potentially hazardous. You should also monitor your workers as they complete different tasks. This will give you a better idea as to what kinds of equipment and outdoor winter work clothes are best for the task at hand. For example, if your workers need to use their hands when working outdoors, look for insulated outdoor work gloves that retain a firm wet and dry grip.

Winter Clothes for Working Outdoors

Once you have a better idea of what kinds of hazards you and your team are working with, you can start investing in a set of reliable outdoor work clothes that will keep you warm on the job, even under the most extreme circumstances.

Here at PK Safety, we have everything you need to do your job during winter storms. That’s why we created GRIT, a private line of flame-retardant clothing (some insulated) for those that need to work outdoors and other winter activity enthusiasts.

When working outdoors, use the MCR Safety Ninja Ice Glove. It stays soft and flexible even when the temperature sinks to negative 58 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re made with special Hydropellent technology that repels liquids while still providing a firm wet or dry grip, so you can handle tools and equipment with ease.

Seeing clearly can be a challenge when you have snow flurries flying in your face. To stay vigilant, use these Pyramex V2G-XP Hot/Cold Resistant Goggles. They help you see under all kinds of conditions, including snow, fog, sun glare, UV rays, extreme wind, dust, and other flying particles. They even insulate against extreme cold and heat, so your face stays the right temperature. They’re often considered the go-to choice for those that need to see outside in the cold, including the military, snowmobilers, and commercial fisherman.

We lose most of our heat through our forehead, so having the right hat is key to staying warm. This Berne Enhanced Lime Yellow Hi-Visibility Knit Beanie will keep you warm and visible when working outdoors at night.