Page 3 - November 2022 Track N Times
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FEATURE STORY





           Safely Navigating The Winter Months



           By Kyle Wesley, Manager Rail Grinding








            With the winter months upon us, I thought it would be good to refresh what it takes to be successful
            in battling the cold and snow. Our jobs are demanding and require a lot of focus, so being prepared
            to work outside during the winter will allow us to maintain that focus while not letting the elements
            get to us. So, lets dive right in:
            1.  Dress warmly – it seems like a no brainer right, but there are a lot of factors that come into play
                here to allow you to be as warm as possible.
                   •  Dress  in  Layers  –  You  want  to  wear
                       enough  layers  to  keep  yourself  warm  but
                       not too many that you make it difficult to
                       move.  Adding  a  wind  and  waterproof  top
                       layer can greatly increase your comfort.
                   •  Wear loose-fitting clothing – This helps to
                       promote  circulation  and  allows  for  warm
                       blood to reach all parts of your body.
                   •  Protect  your  head  and  neck  –  Both  of
                       these areas are prone to losing heat rapidly
                       so we must make sure we wear an insulat-
                       ed hat, balaclava, or something to protect
                       these vital areas.
                   •  Proper Footwear – warm feet are happy feet. Don’t try to make your summer boots last
                       just a bit longer. Also, when snow and ice come into the mix, make sure we have the
                       proper ice cleats or over boots to prevent slips, trips and falls. These are usually required
                       by the railroads.
            2.  Work in Pairs – This is just a good practice to get into and is a safe work practice to follow in the
                winter months. This allows you and your partner to keep an eye on each other and allows some-
                one to be there to assist in case of an emergency.
            3.  Warm up, take breaks – Take breaks to warm up and refocus. Trying to push through to get the
                job done is not the path we should be taking. By taking the time to warm up and refocus we can
                make sure we aren’t taking short cuts or doing things we normally wouldn’t.
            4.  Prepare your vehicle – We often work in remote areas and one thing our vehicles should always



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         Page 1                                                                                    NOVEMBER 2022
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