Safety in the Snow

I decided to do some research into safety whilst playing in the snow and was quite surprised in how it has effected my design direction. I had initially decided to focus mainly on the fun aspect of snow, and hadn't looked into the dangers and risks, so it was a real eye opener, and also gives me more things to consider. I was quite shocked that there is an actual condition were people have a fear of snow.


Safety sledging:
-Choose a slope that’s not too steep – an ideal slope ends with a long flat run
-Don’t sledge on slopes that end near a road, pond or lake, line of trees, fence or wall
-Make sure the slope is free of obstacles such as trees and rocks
-Only sledge during the daytime when obstacles are visible
-Only let children sledge individually when they know how to stop
-Consider a helmet - ideally a ski helmet, but a bike helmet is better than nothing

''Studies have shown that older children and teenagers are more likely to want to take risks. Managing their safety is more difficult, so we recommend that parents help their children to understand the risks and encourage them to adopt safe habits early on... tobogganing and sledging injuries are related to frostbite and hypothermia. Make sure that children, especially those under the age of three, are wrapped up warm, and that they changed out of wet clothes as soon as they get home.''

http://www.capt.org.uk/who-we-are/news/child-safety-snow

 

''Children between 5 and 9 are the group most susceptible to sledding and tobogganing injuries, according to a handout from the National Safety Council. Among the most common serious injuries are “facial lacerations” and “skull fractures,” the handout reads. Between 2003 and 2007, tobogganing and snow disk accidents caused an average of more than 33,000 injuries a year, according to estimates by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.''

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/2010042699810/News/Local-News/Child-fractures-skull-in-snow-sled-accident

Chionophobia - a fear of snow -

''This particular condition of unease around snow is called chionophobia. It is quite real and not as uncommon as you might think... there are many people afflicted with this phobia. They do not need to be told twice to stay indoors when a snowstorm is coming.

The causes of this disorder often go back to incidents in childhood... Maybe you were in a bad sledding accident as a kid. 

It's possible that is an extension of being afraid of being trapped in freezing terrain and dying. If you were in a car accident from an icy road, especially involving a critical injury or death, you may end up with chionophobia.

The symptoms are closely related to panic attack. Sweating, trembling, panic, racing heart, and even difficulty breathing can occur. Some of the milder signs include shuddering and trying to hide from flakes. 

http://health.ezinemark.com/chionophobia-the-fear-of-snow-4f0199c05f9.html

Hypothermia -

Hypothermia occurs when a person's normal body temperature of around 37°C (98.6°F) drops below 35°C (95°F). It is usually caused by being in a cold environment. It can be triggered by a combination of things, including prolonged exposure to cold (such as staying outdoors in cold conditions or in a poorly heated room for a long time), rain, wind, sweat, inactivity or being in cold water.
Types of hypothermia -
-Acute or immersion hypothermia occurs when a person loses heat very rapidly, for example by falling into cold water.
-Exhaustion hypothermia occurs when a persons body is so tired it can no longer generate heat.
-Chronic hypothermia is when heat loss occurs slowly over time. This is common in elderly people living in a poorly heated house, or in people sleeping rough.
 When your body gets cold, the normal response is to warm up by becoming more active, putting on more layers or moving indoors. But if exposure to the cold continues, your body's automatic defense system will try to prevent any further heat loss by:
-shivering (which keeps the major organs at normal temperature)
-restricting blood flow to the skin
-releasing hormones to generate heat

Hypothermia is the main contributing factor to the deaths of more than 400 people over the age of 65.
Those most at risk -

-Elderly people

-Ill peopel who are unable to move around easily

-People who spend a lot of time in extreme weather conditions, especially if they are not wearing suitable clothing

-Babies are also more prone to hypothermia because their body's ability to regulate its temperature is not fully developed

Prevention-

-If the weather is cold, dress appropriately before you go outside... significant amounts of body heat can be lost through the head, so wear a warm hat

-Children do not always realize how cold they are when playing outdoors, so wrap them up well.

-Layers of clothing trap air, which helps to keep you warm. Tightly woven, waterproof clothes are best when outside. 

-Drink plenty of fluids and hot drinks

Keep dry and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible. Wet clothes lose about 90% of their insulating power. 

To sum it up, and things to take forward

Do's and Don'ts -

-Safety sledging tips

-A child should never play alone in the snow

-Staying too long in the snow without anything to keep them warm is extremely dangerous especially to children. Layer up and keep warm - This includes tightly woven/waterproff clothing, hat, head gear, gloves

-Have a hot drink

-Change out of wet clothes as soon as possible

Facts & Statistics -

-Older children and teenagers are more likely to want to take risks

-tobogganing and sledging injuries are related to frostbite and hypothermia

-Children between 5 and 9 are the group most susceptible to sledding and tobogganing injuries

-Chionophobia is a fear of snow

 -Hypothermia is the main contributing factor to the deaths of more than 400 people over the age of 65

-Wet clothes lose about 90% of their insulating power.

-Between 2003 and 2007, tobogganing and snow disk accidents caused an average of more than 33,000 injuries a year