Author: Rob Coppola

Anyone working in a cold environment may be at risk of cold stress. This includes workers required to work outdoors in cold environments, and also indoor workers who spend the majority of their work shift in cold rooms
without health and safety guidelines specific to these moderately cold temperatures.

A cold environment drives down the skin temperature, and eventually, the internal body temperature. As a result, the body is forced to work harder to maintain its normal temperature. Whenever temperatures drop below normal and wind speed increases, heat leaves the body more rapidly, and the body’s ability to warm itself decreases. When the body is unable to warm itself, cold stress occurs. This can lead to serious cold-related illnesses and injuries, permanent tissue damage, and even death.

Risk Factors That Contribute to Cold Stress

Some of the risk factors that contribute to cold stress are:

• Wetness, dampness, dressing improperly, and exhaustion.
• Predisposing health conditions such as hypertension, hypothyroidism, and diabetes.
• Poor physical conditioning.

Injuries Due to Cold Stress

Employees who work in cold temperatures are subject to illnesses or injuries induced by cold. The most common types are: frostbite, hypothermia, and trench foot.

Frostbite
In a cold environment, to keep its internal temperature warm, the body will begin to shift blood flow from the extremities (hands, feet, arms, and legs) and outer skin, to the core (chest and abdomen). This shift allows the exposed skin and the extremities to cool rapidly. In many instances, rapid cooling results in freezing of the skin and tissues, which is known as frostbite.

Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the extremities, and in severe cases can lead to amputation. The risk of frostbite is increased in people with reduced blood circulation, and among people who are not dressed properly for extremely cold temperatures. Symptoms of frostbite include:

• Reddened skin which develops gray or white patches in the fingers, toes, nose, or ear lobe.
• Numbness, firmness, or hardness in the affected part.
• Tingling, aching, loss of feeling, and blisters in the affected areas.

Frostbite Treatment
If a person is suffering from frostbite, loosely cover and protect the area from contact. Also, give warm sweetened drinks to the person if he or she is alert. However, those providing aid should never:

• Rub the affected area to warm it
• Apply snow or water to the affected area
• Break blisters
• Try to rewarm the frostbitten area before getting medical help
• Serve alcohol to the affected person

Hypothermia

Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures causes the body to lose heat faster than it can be produced. The result is hypothermia, which occurs when the normal body temperature (98.6 °F) drops to less than 95 °F. Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40 °F), if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water.

Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, loss of coordination, confusion, disorientation, dilated pupils, loss of consciousness, and slowed heart rate, pulse, or breathing. A person exhibiting these symptoms could die if help is not received immediately.

Hypothermia Treatment
The following measures should be taken to assist an employee who is suffering from hypothermia:

• Call 911 immediately in an emergency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
• Move the person to a warm, dry area.
• Remove wet clothes and replace with dry clothes, cover the body (including the head and neck) with layers of blankets; and with a vapor barrier (such as a tarp or garbage bag). Do not cover the face.

If medical help is more than 30 minutes away:

• Give warm, sweetened drinks (no alcohol) if the person is alert, to help increase the body temperature. Never try to give a drink to an unconscious person.
• Place warm bottles or hot packs in armpits, sides of chest, and groin. Call 911 for additional rewarming instructions.

If the person appears to not be breathing, or to not have a pulse:

• Call 911 for emergency medical assistance immediately.
• Check for signs of breathing and for a pulse. Check for 60 seconds.
• If after 60 seconds the affected worker is not breathing and does not have a pulse, trained workers may start rescue breaths for 3 minutes.
• Recheck for breathing and pulse for 60 seconds.
• If the worker is still not breathing and has no pulse, continue rescue breathing.
• Only start chest compressions per the direction of the 911 operator or emergency medical services.

Trench Foot

Trench foot is caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold temperatures. Trench foot can occur at temperatures as high as 60 °F if the feet are constantly wet. In such circumstances, injury occurs because wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet. To prevent such heat loss, the body constricts the blood vessels to shut down circulation in the feet. This deprives the feet of oxygen and nutrients, and causes a buildup of toxic products, resulting in the death of skin tissue.

Symptoms of trench foot include:

• Redness of the skin
• Swelling
• Numbness
• Blisters

The following measures can be taken to assist an employee suffering from trench foot:

• Call 911 immediately in an emergency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
• Remove shoes, boots, and wet socks.
• Dry the feet.

Determining Unsafe Temperature Using Wind Chill

Outdoor workers exposed to cold and windy conditions are at risk of cold stress. Wind chill is the term used to describe the rate of heat loss from the human body resulting from the combined effect of low air temperature and wind speed. The wind chill temperature is a single value that takes both air temperature and wind speed into account. For example, when the air temperature is 40°F, and the wind speed is 35mph, the wind chill temperature is 28°F—this measurement is the actual effect of the environmental cold on the exposed skin.

The National Weather Service offers a wind chill calculator an employer can use to calculate the wind chill temperature.

Preventing Cold Stress

Although OSHA does not have a specific standard that covers working in cold environments, employers have a responsibility to provide workers with a place of employment which is free of recognized hazards (including cold stress) that can cause death or serious physical harm to them.

Here are 10 tips employers can use to help prevent employees who work in cold temperatures from developing cold stress:

1. Train workers on how to prevent and recognize cold stress illnesses and injuries and how to apply first aid treatment.
2. Monitor workers’ physical conditions.
3. Schedule frequent short breaks in warm dry areas, to allow the body to warm up.
4. Schedule heavier work during the warmest part of the day.
5. Provide plenty of warm, sweetened liquids to workers, but avoid alcoholic drinks.
6. Assign workers to tasks in pairs so that they can monitor each other for signs of cold stress.
7. Acclimatize new workers and those returning after time away from work by gradually increasing their workload, and allowing more frequent breaks in warm areas, as they build up a tolerance for working in the cold environment.
8. Provide engineering controls such as radiant heaters.
9. If possible, shield work areas from drafts or wind to reduce chill.
10. Allow workers to interrupt their work if they are extremely uncomfortable.

The following safety tips can be used by employees to guard against cold stress:

1. Wear at least three layers of loose fitting clothing. Layers should include an inner layer of wool, silk, or synthetic to keep moisture away from the body; a middle layer of wool or synthetic to provide insulation even when wet; and an outer wind and rain protection layer that allows some ventilation to prevent overheating.
2. Wear a hat or hood to help keep your whole body warmer.
3. Use a knit mask to cover the face and mouth (if needed).
4. Use insulated gloves to protect the hands (water resistant if necessary).
5. Wear insulated and waterproof boots (or other footwear).
6. Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.
7. Stay dry, as moisture or dampness (e.g., from sweating) can increase the rate of heat loss from the body.
8. Keep extra clothing (including underwear) handy in case you get wet and need to change.
9. Drink warm sweetened fluids, but no alcohol.

Additional Information

OSHA Safety and Health Cold Stress Guide
Cold Stress (NIOSH)

Did you know that the rate of traffic deaths at night is three times greater than driving during the day? It is more difficult to see hazards ahead on the road, and often the lack of scenery can be hypnotizing, sending you into a state of dangerous drowsiness. If your job requires that you drive after dark, it is important to remember the challenges you may face on the road.

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00AM on Sunday, November 5, 2023 which means shorter days and more time driving in the dark. It’s a good time to refresh yourself on nighttime road safety.

Use these safety tips to prevent night driving accidents:

• Turn on your headlights one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise so other drivers can see you easily. Make sure all of your exterior lights are working properly.
• Refrain from looking into your rearview mirror at oncoming headlights. Use the “day-night” feature to reduce the light.
• Do not look directly at oncoming headlights. Look toward the right side of the road, following the white line with your eyes.
• Dim your dashboard lights if excess street lighting is causing a glare.
• Keep your windows clean, as dirty windows can reduce visibility by up to 90 percent. Increase your following distance by four or five seconds to give yourself more response time. Slow your speed, especially in dangerous weather conditions.
• Adjust your outside mirrors so that the view is just outside of the bodywork of the vehicle. Avoid smoking, as the nicotine and carbon monoxide hampers night vision.
• Keep your headlights on low beams when following other vehicles.
• If you have vehicle trouble, pull off the road as far to the right as possible and set up reflector triangles near your vehicle and up to 300 feet behind it. Turn on your flashers and your dome light, and call for assistance.

Combat fatigue while driving

• Don’t drive if you’ve been awake for over 16 hours.
• Make stops to use the restroom, stretch your legs and have a snack to reduce fatigue. If you get too tired while driving at night, stop and take a rest.
• Pull over and take a nap if you’re feeling drowsy.

Tips for older or compromised drivers

• Schedule annual vision exams
• Check your prescription drugs for side effects that may impair your driving.
• Reduce your speed to a safe level to allow for more reaction time.

Put Yourself First

Wherever your final destination, your safety on the road is more important than arriving on time. If you feel that you are unfit to drive for any reason—whether it is drowsiness, alcohol, or any other reason—do not get behind the wheel.

If you have any questions about your company’s safety policies regarding driving, contact your supervisor. Your safety is first priority!

This safety matters flyer is for general informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical or legal advice. © 2010, 2014, 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

Imagine that when you are striking a nail with a hammer, part of the hammer’s handle breaks off and hits you in the eye. How about breaking the bones in your hand when it is crushed by a press that you were attempting to adjust with slippery pliers instead of a wrench?

This safety matters flyer is for general informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical or legal advice. © 2015, 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

Work Site Scaffolding Safety

The majority of scaffold accidents on the construction site are caused by falls, slipping, or being struck by an object from above. All of these accidents can be prevented by taking the proper precautions. Working at heights of any level increases these workers’ risk of injury from falling and in 2020, 3,250 workers suffered injuries due to scaffolding.

Review this guidance to learn more.

General Safety Tips

• To prevent slipping hazards, conduct a daily routine inspection to ensure all walking and working surfaces are free from potential hazards. If you spot a hazard, remove it.
• Never move, dismantle or alter a scaffold unless under the supervision of a qualified person while doing such activities.
• Never move a scaffold with workers still on it.
• Keep scaffold loads below maximum capacity and remove your equipment when the scaffold is not in use.
• Be alert for bad weather. High winds and driving rain and snow can be dangerous when working at high levels.
• Be aware of your proximity to overhead power lines that could potentially lead to electrocution.

Protection for Those Below

• Always hoist up heavy tools, equipment and supplies, rather than carry them up by hand.
• There must be a 3½”-high toe board to prevent things falling off a scaffold. If things on the scaffold are taller than 3½” (above the toe board) other systems, like debris nets, must be used to catch falling tools or materials.
• Always wear a hard hat when working on and around a scaffold.
• Never walk under or near the scaffold if roped off when work is being performed above.

Fall Protection Basics

To help protect you against potentially deadly falls, fall protection is needed when working 6 feet or more above a lower level, and consists of either a personal fall arrest system or guardrail systems, depending on the job. If using a fall arrest system, keep the following in mind:

• Always attach your lanyard to a vertical lifeline, horizontal lifeline or scaffold structural member.
• If you are using a vertical lifeline, be sure you are fastened to a fixed safe point of anchorage, independent of the scaffold. This includes structural members of buildings, but not standpipes, vents, or electrical conduit. These items may give way under the force of a fall.
• Clean and test your gear regularly, and never tamper with your fall protection system.

Falls are the leading cause of death for construction workers, and 86% of deaths in the construction industry are due to scaffolding. Other factors that contribute to injury include:

• Lack of fall protection for the worker and no fall protection program in place
• Inexperienced or untrained workers who cannot identify common fall hazards
• Unstable work surfaces with no guardrails or wheels left unlocked before a worker climbs the platform
• Workers left alone on scaffolding during off hours

OSHA Regulations and Employee Training

OSHA also offers training courses on scaffold safety. In 1996, when OSHA revised its scaffold standards, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics found that 25% of workers received no training on scaffold safety. Training is key in protecting workers from debilitating accidents due to scaffolding.

When working on scaffolding, your safety is our top priority. For more safety tips, talk to your supervisor.

This Safety Matters flyer is for general informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical or legal advice. © 2009-2010, 2014, 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.