Ice and the extreme cold are formidable forces for those who routinely operate in polar and sub-polar conditions. The "work warm-up schedule" developed by the Saskatchewan Department of Labour, and adopted by The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) in 2013, exemplifies this reality. It states that in even what could be considered normal Arctic weather conditions there must be four breaks in a four hour work period, and that in temperatures below -32℃ in 20knot winds - not unusual in the Arctic - only emergency work should be undertaken. Such conditions can be alleviated by the design of a vessel's work areas, providing heat and shelter. However, despite their clear necessity, their arrangement is often not considered in collaboration with those who work on vessels sailed in ice; a fact that presents something of a growing problem.
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