MHA Newsletter_December 2023

How to prevent cold-related illnesses, injuries

josh wilder steff

Extended exposure to cold or freezing temperatures or a combination of cool temperatures, wind, and moisture can cause serious health problems, including trench foot, frostbite, and hypothermia In extreme cases, this exposure can be fatal

Because you spend so much of your workday outdoors, you face an increased risk of suffering cold-related illnesses and injuries compared to workers in other industries Coldrelated health problems can be prevented or treated early when crew members are aware of the dangers, precautions, symptoms, and first-aid procedures

What are the major cold-related illnesses and injuries and their symptoms?

• Hypothermia is lifethreatening low body temperature Symptoms: shivering, blue lips, trouble speaking, confusion, irritability, lack of coordination, fatigue, and possible loss of consciousness Hypothermia can occur even when temperatures are above freezing, especially if you are wearing wet clothing or are exposed to brisk winds

• Trench foot is an injury of the feet in which skin tissue dies It results from prolonged exposure to wet and cold or cool conditions Symptoms: reddened skin, numbness, leg cramps, swelling, and tingling pain

• Frostbite is injury to the body caused by freezing Symptoms: numbness, tingling or stinging, aching, and bluish or pale, waxy skin Since the frostbitten part of your body might be numb, frostbite can be difficult to detect

What types of clothing should you wear?

• An inner layer that wicks perspiration away from the skin (Example: long underwear)

• A middle layer of wool, fleece, or synthetic fabric that absorbs perspiration and retains warmth Polyester fleece is lighter, more insulating, and faster drying than wool

• An outer layer of waterproof nylon or Gore-Tex that protects against wind and allows ventilation.

• Don’t wear cotton tops and jeans because they don’t repel moisture

What other garments and gear can help protect all your skin?

• Headgear should cover your ears and neck

• Insulated, waterproof gloves designed for cold weather

• Waterproof, insulated boots

• Polyurethane socks next to your skin, covered by wool socks

• A knit mask to cover your face

What else can you do to protect yourself?

• Drink warm, noncaffeinated beverages and take short, frequent breaks in a heated area.

• Change into dry gear immediately if water contacts your body

What should you do for cold-related illness or injury?

• If you experience shivering or blue lips, go to a warm place

• If hypothermia symptoms progress, call

911 Get indoors, or inside a warm vehicle, remove any wet clothing, replace it with dry clothing, and cover

with blankets

• Frostbite: Move to a warm, dry place and call 911 Remove any wet or tight clothing Don’t rub or attempt to rewarm the skin Loosely bandage the area using supplies from your crew’s first aid kit

• Trench foot: Call 911, remove shoes and wet socks, dry the feet, and avoid walking

ginnys@hatcherlandscape

HOLIDAY WINNER

Master Lawn wins big at Christmas parade

Congratulations to Master Lawn!

On Dec 2, Angie Olive, Treva Hughes, Tim Gulvas, and Paxton Pace represented the Master Lawn team in a snow globe-themed float that won the Vehicle Category in the 45th Annual Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade

Master Lawn was recognized at an awards program on Dec 13 along with other parade honorees at the historic Wesson House

TIM GULVAS

Above, from left, Paxton Pace, Angie Olive, and Treva Hughes represented Master Lawn in the Olive Branch Christmas Parade. Below is a screenshot from a live recording on Facebook of the parade that features the Master Lawn float

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Tim Gulvas drives the Master Lawn float in the Olive Branch Christmas Parade.

JOSH WILDER

Elves from Michael Hatcher & Associates and Master Lawn teamed up to install Christmas decorations at Tanger Outlets, one of our Commercial Maintenance customers.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Angie Olive, left, and Treva Hughes are shown with Master Lawn’s award.

JOSH WILDER

Tim Gulvas and Elijah Cato work to assemble the top of the Christmas tree at Tanger Outlets.

CELEBRATE AND HAVE FUN

The Fun Committee gave out Kroger gift cards for Christmas this year Fun Committee member Cam Poindexter distributed gift cards to the Commercial Construction team

Lupe Bownes won first place in The Landscape Center’s Christmas Decorating Contest. Second place went to the Shop, and Katie Goodwin and Rachel Green won third

WINNING BEHAVIORS

STEPHEN SHIKLE

GINNY SHIKLE

Josh Abston, a Crew Leader in Commercial Maintenance, was honored as the December Team Spotlight winner #ExpectToWin

Winners of the Holiday Dress-Up Contest at The Landscape Center were, from left, Malika Cleaves, third place, Cam Poindexter, first place, and Russ Sneed, second place.

GINNY SHIKLE

GINNY SHIKLE

Michael Hatcher and Russ Sneed pose with Alex Moore, David Loyd, Rick Tarr, and Nick Gardner at the Holiday Appreciation Breakfast

CHRIS BRUNO

Bruce Drumwright, AKA Mr. Bruce, mans the grill at the Holiday Tech Appreciation Potluck at Master Lawn.

GINNY SHIKLE

GINNY SHIKLE

Ron Bobal, VP of Commercial Sales, was recently recognized by a teammate for an act of kindness. #DoTheNextRightThing