Cold Stress

Heat and cold stress are very serious matters in the workplace. Both can be very dangerous and life threatening. There is potential for short term and long-term damage to your body involving both conditions. There are many warning signs your body can give you to notice whether you are being affected by heat or cold stress. Many workers suffer from heat and cold stress when most of the problems could be prevented. Cold stress can occur with many outdoor jobs. Some jobs could include snow crews, police officers, sanitation workers and so on. Many of these jobs can be exposed to extreme cold temperatures and must be aware of the effects of cold stress. In areas that is not used to freezing temperatures, when it drops to almost or …show more content…
These could include hypothermia, trench foot, and frost bite. There are some mild signs if hypothermia is starting to occur, these are harder to notice because the worker is still alert and aware of everything. The worker may just be shivering and doing things to try to warm up. There are also some more serious symptoms of hypothermia. As it starts to set in, the body temperature will start to drop, causing all symptoms to worsen and the shivering may stop. The worker may at times become disoriented or confused, and they may start fumbling around objects because their grip is weakening, and the body is getting numb. With long enough exposure to the cold, the worker may not be able to walk or stand, the breathing and pulse become slowed, pupils get dilated, the loss of consciousness may occur. With these conditions occurring, much longer exposure to the cold could result in death. If this happens, move the person to a warm and dry place. Remove any wet clothes and replace them with dry ones. If they are conscious, give them warm sweetened fluids and put warm bottles or packs underneath the arms, on the sides of the chest, and in the groin …show more content…
Heat stroke happens when the body can’t regulate its core temperature. Sweating completely stops because the body can no longer get rid of excess heat. Some symptoms for heat stroke include confusion, dizziness, fainting, very high body temperature and excessive sweating for a short period. This is a very serious matter and 911 should be called in any of these types of situations. Some steps to take if a worker suffers from heat stroke is place the worker in a cool area and remove the outer layer of clothing for breathability. Fan the worker and get icepacks to lay on the skin. Provide as many fluids as possible so the worker can