Winter Hazard Awareness Week: Staying safe indoors and out
Ways to protect yourself outdoors and indoors this winter
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We continue our Winter Hazard Awareness Week and turn our attention to safety, both inside and outside. Outdoor exposure, indoor air-quality concerns, and fire risks all increase during the winter months, and understanding these hazards can help prevent emergencies.
Outdoor safety
Outdoor safety remains one of the most important focuses during the harsh winter months. Our weather can turn dangerous in a matter of minutes in the winter. The extreme cold and harsh winds can cause hypothermia, frostbite and dangerous wind chills.
The wind chill is the temperature the air feels like on exposed skin, and it should be monitored closely during the coldest months.
The wind chill chart is a valuable tool that includes a frostbite indicator, showing how combinations of temperature, wind speed and exposure time can lead to frostbite.
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Frostbite can develop in just minutes on exposed skin during extremely cold temperatures. Wind-chill values around minus 20 degrees can trigger early frostbite.
Hypothermia occurs with prolonged exposure to the cold, causing the body’s core temperature to drop below 96 degrees.
Dressing in proper layers, protecting exposed skin and limiting time outdoors in extreme cold are the best defenses against frostbite and hypothermia.
Ice safety
There is no such thing as completely safe ice on Minnesota’s frozen ponds and lakes. Knowing the minimum ice thickness for different activities can help prevent going through the ice.
Clear, new ice should be at least 4 inches thick for walking, 5 to 8 inches for snowmobiles and ATVs, and 9 to 12 inches for small cars. Snow-covered ice is especially dangerous because it hides thin spots and slows the freezing process.
Indoor air-quality safety
While many people assume most winter dangers are outdoors, indoor air quality can become a significant concern when homes are tightly sealed against the cold.
Carbon monoxide is a leading winter hazard, often caused by poorly vented furnaces, malfunctioning fireplaces or stoves, or gas-powered equipment used indoors.
Working carbon monoxide detectors are essential. Furnaces and fireplaces should be inspected regularly to ensure they are in proper working order.
Indoor mold exposure is another concern during the winter months. Maintaining indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent, using exhaust fans while cooking or bathing, and replacing furnace filters regularly can help keep indoor air healthier.
Fire safety
Heating homes during the winter can pose serious fire risks. Space heaters are responsible for a significant number of seasonal house fires. Experts recommend buying heaters with automatic shutoff features and keeping them at least three feet away from anything flammable.
Fireplaces and wood stoves should be professionally maintained every year to prevent chimney fires. Holiday decorations and live trees also increase fire risks, so lights should be turned off before bed, and trees should be watered daily.
Working smoke alarms remain the most important line of defense and should be tested monthly.
