TOOL TYPE PRACTICE
GEOGRAPHY ALL
LAST REVIEWED 11/23/13
SOURCE:
WCB NT/NU
WORKSAFESK
COLD WORK WARM-UP BREAK SCHEDULE
BENEFITS
Working outside in cold weather can endanger your workers and lead to frostbite, hypothermia and other
conditions. So if your workers work outside in the winter or are exposed to cold weather conditions, you
should have a cold stress policy or cold exposure control plan that spells out the safe work practices to be
used to protect workers, including a warm-up break schedule.
HOW TO USE THE TOOL
This cold work warm-up schedule applies to moderate to heavy physical work activity in any four-hour
period and to workers wearing dry clothing. At the end of the four-hour period, an extended break in a
warm location is expected. Warm-up breaks should provide 10 minutes in a warm environment. Incorporate
this schedule into your cold stress policy or cold exposure control plan and make sure that all supervisors
and workers are trained on it.
Note that warm-up breaks aren’t intended to replace established cold weather work practices, such as the
wearing of appropriate clothing and use of portable heaters.
OTHER RESOURCES:
WCB NT/NU
WORKSAFESK
Cold Stress & the OHS Laws
Model Cold Stress Policy
Cold Exposure Control Plan
Cold Stress Handout
T H I S T O O L A N D H U N D R E D S M O R E A V A I L A B L E I N T H E O H S T O O L B O X A T www .oh s in sid er .c om . Templates and tools from
OHS Insider are provided for members of our service. Members may use this document as is or as a starting point to customize
their own documents. OHS Insider assumes no responsibility for the effectiveness or legality of any of its online templates or
tools. Always consult your legal counsel and management before implementing any new policies or procedures.
COLD WORK WARM-UP BREAK SCHEDULE
WORK WARM-UP SCHEDULE FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Air
Temp.
Sunny
°C
-26 to
-28
-29 to
-31
-32 to
-34
-35 to
-37
-38 to
-39
-40 to
-42
-43 and
below
No Noticeable
Wind
Max
Work
Period
120
minutes
120
minutes
75
minutes
55
minutes
40
minutes
30
minutes
8 km/h Wind (5
mph)
# of
Max
Breaks Work
Period
120
1
1
2
3
4
5
Non-emergency
work should
stop
16 km/h Wind
(10 mph)
# of
Max
Breaks Work
Period
75
1
minutes
75
minutes
55
minutes
40
minutes
30
minutes
2
3
4
5
Non-emergency
work should
24 km/h Wind
(15 mph)
# of
Max
Breaks Work
Period
55
2
minutes
55
minutes
40
minutes
30
minutes
3
4
5
Non-emergency
work should
32 km/h Wind
(20 mph)
# of
Max
Breaks Work
Period
40
3
minutes
40
minutes
30
minutes
4
5
Non-emergency
work should
# of
Breaks
minutes
30
minutes
4
5
Non-emergency
work should
stop
stop
stop
stop
*Number of breaks includes a normal break after 2 hours and the number of additional warm-up breaks
needed.
T H I S T O O L A N D H U N D R E D S M O R E A V A I L A B L E I N T H E O H S T O O L B O X A T www .oh s in sid er .c om . Templates and tools from
OHS Insider are provided for members of our service. Members may use this document as is or as a starting point to customize
their own documents. OHS Insider assumes no responsibility for the effectiveness or legality of any of its online templates or
tools. Always consult your legal counsel and management before implementing any new policies or procedures.