Winter Safety in Industry: Navigating Cold Conditions with Confidence

As the temperature drops, it’s important to be reminded of best practices to stay safe (and warm). The following tips should always be top of mind:

1. Good Things Have Layers: Lasagna. Tiramisu. Employees who aren’t cold. Dressing in layers allows you to trap heat easily while providing you the ability to adjust clothing as needed. Start with a moisture-wicking layer (synthetic or polypropylene, not cotton!) to avoid your body cooling down due to sweat. Then add a light insulating layer (light fleece or long-sleeve shirt) to retain heat and, if needed, a heavier fleece to trap the heat and keep you warm. Choose layers that are compliant with your employer and allow the movement needed for work. A wind/waterproof layer can be added to increase protection during outdoor tasks.

2. Put Your Best Foot Forward: Good traction is key for navigating winter conditions. Invest in non-slip, insulated boots to prevent slips and falls on icy surfaces as well as to keep your feet warm. We chose the word invest deliberately, as well-made footwear will generate benefits. Avoid a tight fit that restricts circulation and movement. What’s inside of your boots is important as well. We recommend a two-layer sock system for cold conditions. Again, lose the cotton and opt for a thin polypropylene sock with a wool sock over top. The first layer allows moisture to be wicked from the feet, and wool stays warm even when wet from snow or sweat.

3. Have a Nice Trip, and See You Next Fall: This is not breaking news, but we’ll shout it out nonetheless: SNOW & ICE CREATE HAZARDS! Slips trips, and falls—the most common of workplace injuries—increase dramatically during winter months. To prevent such occurrences, along with the pain and embarrassment that often accompany them, snow and ice should be cleared from all walking surfaces. Salt and deicer should be used as quickly as possible for the best results. If walking on snow or ice is unavoidable, take shorter steps and walk slower to improve reaction time to traction changes.

4. I Don’t Feel Thirsty: Yes, but you still need to hydrate. During the winter season, it is not uncommon to feel like we need to consume less fluids. This can be perceived by less perspiration and decreased feelings of thirst. However, we are still losing fluids through respiration, sweat, and urination even in cold weather. Proper hydration is crucial to ensure our bodies can generate enough heat to maintain a healthy body temperature. Drink water regularly throughout the day even if you don’t feel thirsty. Decrease the intake of beverages with high concentrations of alcohol and caffeine as those can contribute to dehydration.

5. Communication Matters: Report any safety concerns promptly to ensure a quick and effective response to potential hazards and decrease the risk of injury. Enough said, right?

By following these safety guidelines, we can ensure a safe environment for everyone. Stay vigilant, stay warm, and let's navigate this winter season with caution and care.

All this being said, accidents do happen, and know Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine is here when you need us!

“Police Support Staff Person of the Year.”

Traci Tauferner supplying rehab services at Wausau PD.

On January 7, 2023, the Wausau Police Department recognized Traci Tauferner as “Police Support Staff Person of the Year.” Tauferner, the Director of Industrial & Tactical Medicine at Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, provides onsite preventative and reactive care for members of the Department and has been doing so since 2020.

Those who know Traci understand how squirmy this blog will make her, as she is the consummate team player who shuns any form of self-aggrandizement; however, the award is in her name, so we’re going to roll the dice and hope she’s too busy to notice we posted this.

And to put us in an even more precarious situation—because Traci flips really big tractor tires just for the fun of it—we’re going to use her own words to explain what she does and why:

“My passion to do my job to serve and protect others can be directly linked to the events of 9/11. The moment I saw TV news footage of departing soldiers leaving their families at airports across the country, I knew I was also going to help. I joined the Army soon after, and my 17 year old self went from "What have I gotten myself into?" to "I am capable of so much more than I have ever thought.

“I spent nine years in the National Guard, including a six-month deployment in Iraq providing security and surveillance support for tactical units. This training led me to where I am today. Helping others do what their job requires is what fuels and excites me, and a good deal of my energy now goes into developing programs and strategies that ensure essential job requirements can be performed safely.

“The day-to-day work with my tactical teams puts me in the unique position of understanding the physical and mental stressors they face; more importantly, it affords me the opportunity to do something about these circumstances. By providing the most advanced conditioning and rehabilitation resources available to the professionals tasked with keeping their communities safe, we can keep them performing at the highest levels while dramatically reducing the financial burdens placed on their departments.”

Congratulations, Traci!

Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine provides onsite therapy for Wisconsin companies, organizations and municipalities ranging from 50 to over 5,000 employees. To learn more about how we can customize an injury prevention and management program for your workforce, contact Traci Tauferner at 920-979-5597.