cold stress facilities management by: chaizong lor, safety coordinator
TRANSCRIPT
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