Hypothermia

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C).

When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system, and other organs can’t work normally. Left untreated, hypothermia can lead to heart and respiratory failure and even death.

Often caused by cold weather exposure or immersion in cold water, hypothermia treatments are generally methods to warm the body back to a normal temperature.

Like many conditions, a person with hypothermia may not be aware of their condition, as the symptoms can come on gradually and confused thinking, associated with hypothermia, can prevent self-awareness. Being aware of the symptoms of hypothermia can help protect you and those around you.

Symptoms include:

• Shivering
• Slurred speech or mumbling
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Weak pulse
• Clumsiness or lack of coordination
• Drowsiness or very low energy
• Confusion or memory loss
• Loss of consciousness
• Bright red, cold skin (in infants)

Prevention is key and many say easier than the cure. The CDC/NIOSH has the following recommendations for employers to help their employees prevent cold stress issues, such as hypothermia.

• Schedule maintenance and repair jobs in cold areas in warmer months.
• Schedule cold jobs for the warmer part of the day.
• Reduce the physical demands of workers.
• Use relief workers or assign extra workers for long, demanding jobs.
• Provide warm liquids to workers.
• Provide warm areas for use during break periods.
• Monitor workers who are at risk of cold stress.
• Provide cold stress training that includes information about:
  
  • Worker risk,
  • Prevention,
  • Symptoms,
  • The importance of monitoring yourself and coworkers for symptoms,
  • Treatment, and
  • Personal protective equipment.

NIOSH makes the following recommendations to workers for cold stress prevention

• Wear appropriate clothing—tight clothing may restrict circulation while several loose layers provide better insulation. Movement restricting clothing may result in a hazardous situation.
• Make sure to protect the ears, face, hands and feet in extremely cold weather.
• Boots should be waterproof and insulated.
• Heat rises—wearing a hat will keep your whole body warmer.
• Limit the amount of time in the cold and move into warm locations during breaks.
• Carry cold weather gear, such as extra socks, gloves, hats, jacket, blankets, a change of clothes and a thermos of hot liquid.
• Include a thermometer and chemical hot packs in your first aid kit.
• Avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin.
• Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.

Everyone that works outdoors in the winter (and their employers) needs to understand the issues of cold stress and take appropriate actions and provide training.

Stay warm and safe this winter.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training and Consultation, Evergreen Safety Council