Commercial Construction & Renovation helps our subscribers design, build and maintain better commercial facilities by delivering content to meet the information needs of today's high-level executives.
Issue link: https://ccr-mag.epubxp.com/i/108449
iNdustry News
industry news
that's what he said…
We're seeing new signings in the hotel industry. We had 153,000 new rooms enter the pipeline
in the last 12 months. And the pipeline is only at 350,000 rooms. that's a positive sign that people
are beginning to bet that the end of 2013 and 2014, 2015 looks like a great time to be opening a hotel.
– Bruce Ford, SvP Business Development, Lodging Econometrics, on the number of hotel
projects that have entered the new construction pipeline over the past 12 months
Freeze warning
How to protect your workers from cold stress injuries
As winter progresses, falling temperatures leave many workers
exposed to cold stress-related injuries. Illnesses could include trench
foot, frostbite and hypothermia. Just being in the cold can limit your
range of motion, creating a possible workplace hazard. Following are
some cold stress illnesses and treatment options.
itching, burning pain and swelling. More advanced cases include
blisters and infection.
Limited Range of motion
Frost bite
While pumping blood away from the limbs to increase the temperature of the torso isn't a sign of a cold stress illness, it can create a
workplace hazard. This natural response limits the flexibility and agility in your hands and feet. This can affect your ability to grip and carry
objects or move away from pinch points.
At or below 32 degrees F, your blood vessels close to the skin start to
constrict, and blood is shunted away from the extremities. In extreme
cold, or when your body is exposed too cold for long periods, this
strategy can reduce blood flow in some areas of the body to dangerously low levels. This could lead to eventual freezing and death of
skin tissue in the affected areas. There are four degrees of frostbite,
each with varying degrees of pain.
keep your feet warm and dry. Move the victim to a warm area,
soak feet in warm water and wrap with a dry towel.
Get into a warm room; immerse affected area in warm water;
and warm affected area using body heat. Do not rub or massage the area or use a heating pad, heat lamp, stove, fireplace
or radiator. Affected areas that are numb can be easily burned.
Hypothermia
keep your limbs warm by wearing gloves
and socks that are heavy enough to keep
you warm, but also can maintain flexibility.
Hypothermia is where your core temperature drops below the
required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions.
Symptoms vary depending on level (mild,
moderate, severe and critical). The basic
principles of rewarming a hypothermic
victim are to conserve body heat and body
fuel being used to generate heat.
Chilblains
Trench Foot
Trench foot occurs when your feet are
cold and damp while wearing constricting
footwear. Unlike frostbite, trench foot
doesn't require freezing temperatures. It
can occur in temperatures up to 60-degrees F and with as little as 13 hours of
exposure. Symptoms include foot tingling,
Chilblains are a result of repeated exposure of
skin to temperatures just above freezing. The
cold exposure causes damage to the capillary
beds (groups of small blood vessels) in the skin.
This damage is permanent, and the redness
and itching will return with additional exposure.
The redness and itching typically occurs on
cheeks, ears, fingers and toes.