Heat & Cold StressPrograms

COLD STRESS – When the body is unable to warm itself, serious cold related illnesses and injuries may occur, and permanent tissue damage and death may result. Hypothermia can occur when land temperatures are above freezing or water temperatures are below 98.6°F/ 37°C. Cold related illnesses can slowly overcome a person who has been chilled by low temperatures, brisk winds, or wet clothing.

FROST BITE: Freezing in deep layers of skin and tissue; pale, waxy-white skin color; skin becomes hard and numb; usually affects the fingers, hands, toes, feet, ears, and nose.

HYPOTHERMIA – (Medical Emergency): Normal body temperature (98.6° f/37°c ) drops to or below 95°f (350 c); fatigue or drowsiness; uncontrolled shivering; cool bluish skin; slurred speech; clumsy movements; irritable, irrational or confused behavior.

HEAT STRESS – Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for inducing heat stress. in employees engaged in such operations. Such places include: iron and steel foundries, nonferrous foundries, brick-firing and ceramic plants, glass products facilities, rubber products factories, electrical utilities (particularly boiler rooms), bakeries, confectioneries, commercial kitchens, laundries, food canneries, chemical plants, mining sites, smelters, and steam tunnels.

Regulations / Directives / Training

• Heat & Cold Stress (OSHA – The Cold Stress Equations)

  • Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHA)  Heat and Cold Stress

  • Occupational Hazards  Cold / Heat Stress

Resources