Cold Stress Training

Identifying and Responding to Cold Exposure

Hazards
SOUTH CAUCASUS PIPELINE EXPANSION PROJECT
Cold Stress Factors

 Temperature of the air surrounding the body

 Body temperature

 Air movement around the body

 Body movement

 Length of exposure

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Cold Effects

 Increased heat loss to the environment

 Resulting in shivering, is body’s attempt to maintain body temperature

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Increased Risks

 Aging, allergies, poor circulation, heart disease, hypertension, or other

illness.

 Poor physical condition, poor diet.

 Self-imposed conditions, such as drinking, smoking, and taking

medicines or sedatives also increase risks.

 Wet clothing, windy conditions, and poor physical condition.

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Hypothermia

 Prolonged exposure to cold causes the body to lose energy faster than it

is produced.

 Body temperature drops to lower than normal.

 Can happen when temperatures are above freezing.

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Hypothermia

 Normal body temperature 98.6ºF (37ºC)

 Body temperature drops to or below 95ºF (35ºC), fatigue or drowsiness,

uncontrolled shivering, cool blush skin, slurred speech, clumsy

movements, irritable or confused behaviour

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 Hypothermia
 Body temperature drops below 86ºF (30ºC), control system becomes

ineffective.

 Below 59ºF (15ºC), body begins to experience loss of many functions.

 Most hypothermia results when ambient temperature is between 30º

and 40ºF ( -0,5ºC and 4ºC)

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 Hypothermia Symptoms
 Numbness, stiffness, drowsiness, poor coordination.

 Slow or irregular breathing and heart rate.

 Slurred speech.

 Cool skin, and puffiness in the face are common.

 May seem apathetic about getting out of cold.

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 Hypothermia Symptoms
 Shivering and teeth chattering is a sure sign that body temperature is too

low.

 Victim first feels cold then may feel mild pain in extremities.

 Victim may seem confused and disoriented with memory lapses.

 Worst-case can be death.

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 Safety Procedures
 Get victim to where it is warm.

 Get them out of wet, frozen, or tight clothing.

 Keep victim dry.

 Get them into loose warm clothes or blankets.

 Give warm (room temperature) sweet drinks (sugar water or sports-type drinks) if

they are able.

 Do not give alcohol, food or drink containing caffeine.

 Warm center of body first

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 Safety Procedures
 Have person move their arms or legs to create muscle heat. If they are

unable to do this, place warm bottles or hot packs in the arm pits, groin,

neck, and head areas. Do not rub the person’s body or place them in a

warm bath. This may stop their heart.

 If necessary, seek medical assistance (call emergency number ) and give

CPR

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 Frostbite
 Most serious, and second most common, cold exposure hazard.

 Nose, ears, cheeks, fingers, and toes most often affected.

 Freezing causes blood vessel constriction.

 What does frostbite look like? The skin around a frostbitten area initially becomes

red then pale (white) and very rarely bluish.

 As the skin warms up there can be some blisters

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 Frostbite (cont.)
 Results in lack of oxygen, excess fluid build up, blistering, and tissue

death.

 May not be aware anything bad is happening.

 Skin can go from white or greyish yellow, to reddish violet, to black

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 Frostbite (cont.)
 Usually, a feeling of being really cold, then numb

 May get a tingling or aching feeling or brief pain.

 Damage to skin sometimes causes blisters.

 Constricted blood vessels impair blood flow.

 Do not massage the frozen area or rub it with snow or ice

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 Frostbite (cont.)
 Can cause permanent tissue damage.

 Victim can become unconscious.

 Death may result from heart failure.

 If necessary, seek medical assistance and give CPR.

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 Care Of Frostbite
 Don’t rub the affected area.

 Don’t use hot baths, or heat producing devices.

 Don’t break blisters.

 Warm the frozen part with clothing, blankets, or with room temperature

water. It’s important to warm slowly, 25-40 minutes.

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 Care Of Frostbite (cont.)
 Once warm, skin may be puffy and with blisters. Have a burning or

numbness.

 When normal feeling and skin color has returned, the area should be

wrapped to keep warm.

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 Care Of Frostbite (cont.)
 Note: If the affected area becomes cold again, sever tissue damage may

occur.

 Exercise the affected parts. Exception: Do not walk on frostbitten feet.

 Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

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 Driving Emergency Preparedness
 Comfortable clothing (sweatshirt, jeans, coveralls, coat).

 Distilled water and anti-freeze.

 Easily stored, non-perishable food. (chips, candy bars, cookies, some

canned foods, etc.).

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 Driving Emergency Preparedness
 Matches, in a waterproof container.

 Working flashlights

 Tool kit (pliers, screwdrivers, crescent wrench, jumper cables, duct tape,

electrician’s tape, etc.).

 First Aid Kit

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 Driving Emergency Preparedness
 A couple quarts of motor oil and multipurpose lubricant, such as WD 40.

 Ice scraper, sand or kitty litter, traction mat, shovel.

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 Driving Emergency Preparedness
 Road map.

 Reflective triangles or flares.

 Several blankets.

 Keep a healthy respect for your safety in cold weather !!! AND

 A charged cellular phone!!

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 Prevention
 Prevention is the best way to deal with cold stress & hyperthermia.

 Stay dry. Change out of sweaty clothes.

 Don’t drink alcohol, bathe, smoke, or take drugs before being exposed to

cold.

 Dress in loose layers of dry clothing.

 Cover hands, feet, face, and head.

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 Prevention (cont.)
 Keep moving, but avoid exhaustion or fatigue because energy is needed to

keep muscles warm.

 Use the buddy system.

 Take regular breaks in warm places.

 Drink warm, sweet drinks, avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, hot chocolate).

 Eat warm, high calorie foods.

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 Cold Stress Temperature Chart

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Section : Questions

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