- Wear a hat or head band the covers the ears – Your ears are one of the most sensitive parts of your body and it is imperative to protect them from the winter elements. Keeping your head and ears covered can help reduce the amount of body heat that escapes your body.
- Wear at least three layers of loose fitting clothing for better insulation –
- An inner layer of wool, silk or synthetic (polypropylene) to keep moisture away from the body. Thermal wear, wool, silk or polypropylene, inner layers of clothing that will hold more body heat than cotton.
- A middle layer of wool or synthetic to provide insulation even when wet.
- An outer wind and rain protection layer that allows some ventilation to prevent overheating.
(https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/beprepared.html)
- Be sure to have insulated boots along with wool socks – No matter how insulated your boots are, having on wool socks is still important. Cotton socks allow for your feet to perspire which results in cold, damp feet. There are many advantages to wearing wool socks.
According to traveling blog Snarky Nomad, these include:
- Unlike cotton, wool is a great insulator. When it’s cold out your feet will be toasty and warm in your wool socks.
- Wool can absorb a high amount of moisture — much more than cotton. Wool can actually hold a third of its weight in moisture before it even starts to feel “wet.”
- Wool keeps its insulating properties while wet, which is perfect for sweaty feet.
- Not only that, but wool also dries much more quickly than cotton or other synthetics.
- Because of their physical nature, wool fibers naturally have anti-bacterial properties and are, therefore, odor resistant….
- …which means they don’t have to be washed every time you wear them. Indeed, they can be worn multiple times before washing.
(http://snarkynomad.com/why-merino-wool-socks-make-the-best-travel-socks/)
As temperatures begin to drop, take these 3 easy steps to keep yourself safe and warm on the job site this winter!
