cold stress facilities management by: chaizong lor, safety coordinator

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Cold Stress Facilities Management By: Chaizong Lor, Safety Coordinator

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Cold StressFacilities Management

By: Chaizong Lor, Safety Coordinator

Objectives• Cold Stress Factors• Cold Environment• Basic Hypothermia Concepts• Conditions Affecting Hypothermia• Hypothermia Signs & Symptoms• Safety Procedures• Frostbite• Preventing Cold Stress

Cold Stress Factors• Cold stress is the loss heat to the environment due to:

– Low temperature: Cold air temperatures• The Cold will forces body to work harder to maintain it’s

temperature• The Cold air, water, and snow all draw heat from the body

– Wind: High velocity air movement • Wind chill is combination of air temperature and wind speed and

capable of bringing cold stress in the 50’s with rain and wind

– Wetness: Contact with cold water or surfaces • The body’s first response to cold stress is to conserve

body heat by reducing blood circulation through the skin.

Cold Stress Factors

• Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees F.• When body temperature drops below 86 degree F,

the temperature control system becomes ineffective.

• When body temperature drops below 59 degrees F, it begins to experience impairment of many functions.

Basic Hypothermia Concepts• Hypothermia means “Low Heat” and is a potentially

serious health condition• The major injuries associated with cold

temperatures are:– General hypothermia – Immersion hypothermia– Frostbite

• Prolonged exposure to cold causes the body to lose energy faster than it is produced

Conditions Affecting Hypothermia

• Aging, allergies, poor circulation & illness• Self-imposed conditions, such as alcohol use,

anti-depressants, or sedatives– The body may have difficulty regulating temperature.

• Wet clothing, windy conditions, & poor physical condition

Hypothermia Signs & Symptoms

• Increased Risk– Predisposing Health Conditions

• Cardiovascular Disease• Diabetes• Hypertension

– Poor Physical Condition

Hypothermia Signs & Symptoms

• Mild Hypothermia (98 – 90 degrees F)– Shivering– Numbness in limbs, loss of dexterity, and clumsiness– Slurred speech– Memory loss– Pale, cold skin

Hypothermia Signs & Symptoms• Moderate Hypothermia (90 – 86 degrees F)

– Shivering stops– Confused and irrational– Unable to walk or stand

• Severe Hypothermia (86 – 78 degree F)– Severe muscle stiffness– Very sleepy or unconscious– Ice cold skin– Reduced pulse– Death is a possibility

Safety Procedures

• Proper treatment depends on the severity of the hypothermia– Mild Hypothermia

• Move to warm area• Stay active• Remove wet clothes and replace with dry clothes or blankets,

cover the head• Drink warm (not hot) sugary drink

Safety Procedures Cont.• Moderate Hypothermia

– Use all of the Mild Hypothermia procedures and plus the following:

• Call 911 for an ambulance• Cover all extremities completely• Warm center of body first with warm objects

• Severe Hypothermia– Call 911 for an ambulance– Treat the victim very gently– Do not attempt to re-warm, the victim should receive

treatment in a hospital

Frostbite• Frostbite occurs when the skin actually freezes and

loses water.• Freezing of deep layers of skin• Pale, waxy-white skin color• Skin becomes hard and numb• Usually affects:

– Fingers and hands– Toes and feet– Ears and nose

Frostbite Cont.• Three stages of frostbite

– Frost nip• Individual experiences a “pins and needles” sensation and

skin is unusually white and soft.– Superficial

• Characterized by waxy feeling, frozen, numb, and possible blistering skin.

– Deep• The most serious type of frostbite affects the blood vessels,

muscles, nerves, tendons, and even bone -leading to possible permanent damage, blood clots, and death of body tissues.

Emergency Procedures• What to do:

– Call 9-911– Move to warm area– Remove wet clothing– Drink warm sweet fluids– Do not rub the affected area– Wrap in soft cloth

Preventing Cold Stress• Engineering Controls

– Provide for general or spot heating, including hand warming.

– Use insulating material on equipment handles.– Provide wind barriers if possible.

• Administrative & Work Practices– Train employees about cold stress,

cold-related disorders, and first aid.– Schedule work at warm times, if possible.– Move work to warm areas, if possible.– Take regular breaks in warm places.

Preventing Cold Stress Cont.

• Administrative & Work Practices Cont.– Use the buddy system (work in pairs when possible)– Drink warm, sweet fluids, avoid caffeine and alcohol– Recognize the environmental conditions

that lead to cold stress

• Personal Protection– Properly selected, insulated, and layered clothing– Waterproof boots and gloves– Eye protection for snow or ice-covered terrain

Cold Stress

Revision Dated: September 29th, 2014