CBC picks Canada's coldest jobs

[snopes]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said the country's four coldest winter jobs are mail carrier, construction worker, power line technician and dog musher.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/01/...4591359136376/

[WildaBeast]

Airport ramp worker probably deserves to be on that list, too. I flew out of Minneapolis-St. Paul last Wednesday and the guys out there marshaling planes into the gate looked rather bundled up.

[Lainie]

Water main breaks tend to happen in the winter, and that's the most miserable cold-weather task I can think of, but I don't think anybody works full-time just fixing water main breaks.

When I worked for a city the nicest resident thank-you notes came in after water main breaks. People often brought the workers hot drinks, too. It was pretty cool, actually.

[Sue]

Tow truck drivers need a special mention here too. This past week saw temps dipping down to -30c and every morning I saw break downs/accidents along the highway that someone was going to have to deal with.

[UEL]

I think the distinction here is that the four mentioned get no reprieve from the cold when on the job. Their job is outside.

The fantastic tow truck driver does have a cab of a truck where he works to move vehicles, and the city crew doing the water work do have trucks and workshops where they do other work.

I would submit that the utilities person reading meters, garbage collectors and the by-law officer giving out parking tickets for expired meters all count too.

Brrrrrr (as I say it, it was 25C today and beautiful)

[Lainie]

It's about 25 here, too. Not Celsius, though.

[Mickey Blue]

[Lainie]

I get that weather is relative, but calling temps above freezing "arctic" is just ridiculous.

[overyonder]

Originally Posted by UEL

I think the distinction here is that the four mentioned get no reprieve from the cold when on the job. Their job is outside.

I second that. The mailman that delivered on foot to our house in Canada, year round, didn't have a truck, always walked his route on foot, and never came in from the cold until he was done. It's the "no reprieve" that's brutal. Though, our neighborhood did have a few stores where the mailman could come in (not sure if he did) if he ever got too cold.

OY

[crocoduck_hunter]

I doubt any of those are as bad as being a Bombardier driver was when that was the only way to get supplies into and out of Yellowknife.

[Latiam]

I talked to a mail carrier about this once and he said you get used to the cold but you never get used to the wind.
He didn't understand why teachers going out on duty didn't buy an oversize one-piece set of cold gear from Mark's Work Wearhouse and pull that on instead of fussing with coats and stuff. I considered it, but it seemed more trouble than it was worth when you're only outside for 20 minutes at my school anyway.

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by Latiam

I talked to a mail carrier about this once and he said you get used to the cold but you never get used to the wind.

As someone who runs outdoors in the winter, I agree with this wholeheartedly.