Types of Cold Stress Illnesses
This is the freezing of skin and underlying tissue, most commonly affecting fingers, toes, ears, and the nose. Early warning signs include numbness, tingling, or pale, waxy skin. In severe cases, the tissue can become hard and blackened, sometimes requiring amputation.
What is Frostbite
This condition occurs when heavy sweating causes the body to lose water and electrolytes, leading to thirst, fatigue, and dizziness.
What is dehydration?
It is important to keep clothes this because wet clothing increases heat loss dramatically.
What is dry
This is a condition that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, leading to health risks such as hypothermia, frostbite, or trench foot.
What is Cold Stress
This occurs when the body gains more heat than it can release, causing internal temperature to rise during hot work conditions.
What is heat stress?
This develops from prolonged exposure to cold, wet conditions. The feet become numb, swollen, and discolored due to restricted circulation. If untreated, blisters, open sores, or tissue death can occur. Keeping feet dry and warm is key to prevention.
What is Trench Foot
This painful condition causes muscle cramps or spasms in the legs, arms, or abdomen after working hard in hot conditions.
What are heat cramps?
This prevention measure involves increasing calorie intake and drinking warm, non-caffeinated fluids to help the body generate heat in cold conditions.
What is proper nutrition and warm hydration? What are warm breaks
Makes the temperature feel colder and increasing heat loss, which speeds up the onset of cold stress.
What is wind chill
These two factors greatly increase the risk of heat stress by limiting the body’s ability to cool itself.
What are high temperature and high humidity?
This Illness occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing the core temperature to drop below 95°F (35°C). Symptoms include shivering, confusion, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and fatigue. If untreated, it can lead to unconsciousness or death.
What is Hypothermia
This illness develops when the body can’t keep up with heat stress, causing heavy sweating, weakness, nausea, headache, and possible fainting.
What is heat exhaustion?
Drink warm, non-caffeinated fluids and eat high-energy foods to help maintain this
What is Hydrated and Energetic
T / F - Cold stress can only occur in below-freezing temperatures.
False
This personal factor can make a worker more susceptible to heat stress, especially during the first few days on a hot jobsite.
What is lack of heat acclimatization
This occurs when the body loses fluids through respiration and sweat without adequate replacement. Cold weather reduces thirst response, leading workers to drink less water. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and confusion, all of which can worsen other cold-related conditions.
What is Dehydration
This medical emergency happens when the body can no longer regulate its temperature, leading to confusion, loss of consciousness, and possible death.
What is heat stroke?
This protective measure includes providing shaded or cooled rest areas and scheduling regular breaks to reduce heat exposure.
What are rest breaks in shade or cool areas?
This is the degree of risk for construction workers because they often work outdoors for long periods, handle cold materials, and may not always have access to warm shelters or protective gear.
What is High Risk
This type of clothing or equipment can increase heat stress by trapping heat and reducing sweat evaporation.
What is heavy or non-breathable PPE?
Inhaling cold air can cause airway constriction, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Workers with asthma or respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible. Covering the mouth and nose with a breathable face covering helps warm the air and reduce symptoms.
What is Cold Stress Asthma
This condition shows up as clusters of red, itchy bumps caused by sweat trapped against the skin under clothing or PPE.
What is heat rash?
It is important to dress in this to stay warm, wearing lots of clothes will help maintain warmth.
What is Layers
Low temperatures, wind chill, wet conditions, and prolonged exposure are factors of this, which increase the risk oof cold stress
What are Environmental Factors
This index combines air temperature, humidity, radiant heat, and wind to estimate how hot it actually feels to the body.
What is the heat index