Three years ago, I decided to move from the Midwest, where I’d lived my whole life, to a city in the Southeast.
When I told people about my plan, many told me how lucky I was to be getting away from the cold winters of the Great Lakes region. I’d previously teased other family members who’d moved to warmer areas about “getting soft” whenever they came back to visit and said they were feeling cold. I was confident I’d bring my Midwestern heartiness with me to my new home.
Although it’s sometimes up to 30 degrees warmer where I live than it is in Chicagoland, it’s not always balmy; last weekend’s lows were in the 20s. One of those mornings, when I went out to run errands, I laughed to myself because the cold was hitting me hard. (And yet it was nothing compared with the subzero temperatures my Midwestern family, friends and co-workers were dealing with.) I had to be honest: I’ve gotten soft. I pulled out my heaviest coat in the closet because the cold wasn’t something I could tough out.
But for workers who spend long periods of time outdoors, cold weather is nothing to laugh about. And it’s definitely not something to try to tough out. In his article this month, Associate Editor Barry Bottino writes about why it’s so important to make sure workers are properly protected during winter weather. He speaks with some in-the-field safety pros who offer advice on everything from the right way to layer clothing, to hydration and nutrition, to inviting workers to weigh in on what they need to stay warm and safe.
Wherever you live, I hope you’re warm and safe, too.
The opinions expressed in “Editor’s Note” do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.
