Stay warm.
That, among other things, is City of Red Deer’s number one priority for crews working outside in freezing temperatures.
City workers are often working outside for Red Deer residents, for instance, during the power outage early Thursday in north west area in the freezing temperatures.
Dan Doyle, team lead for wellness and safety for the City of Red Deer, said proper clothing, use of common sense, working in groups, having the right equipment help crews tackle outside work on cold days, like Thursday.
Friday will be another cold one for Red Deerians when temperatures are expected to plummet to -30 C in the morning and - 21 C in the afternoon with a risk of frostbite.
Saturday, Red Deerians can expect -18 C during the day and -28 C in the night with periods of snow.
Sunday will bring chills with a high of -27 C in the day and -29 C at night.
Similar double digits will continue into next week and crews will be bundled up for the right temperatures said Doyle Thursday.
City of Red Deer reviews hazards and assess winter work, in fall every year.
“We conduct hazard assessments and field level assessments to determine why work can or cannot be done at various sites, snd if cold is a factor, in regards to conducting that job, then we put certain controls in place, for example, proper clothing, proper hydration, things of that nature,” he said.
What keeps workers busy during winter time is snow removal, and water main breaks, and in Thursday’s case, power outages.
In cases of severe cold, workers work in pairs, and switch to take a break from the cold, and keep inside, for example in a vehicle, so they’re not exposed to cold for a long periods of time.
In other cases work is reschuled for warmer weather.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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