Cold Stress Prevention

Cold stress occurs by driving down the skin temperature, and eventually the internal body temperature. When the body is unable to warm itself, serious cold-related illnesses and injuries may occur, and permanent tissue damage and death may result.

Employees who work outdoors are subjected to cold stress because of increased wind speed, which causes heat to leave the body more rapidly (wind chill effect). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many indoor workers can also be negatively affected by cold work environments. Workers in the food preparation and processing or cold storage industries, supermarkets, or in the transportation chain may spend the majority of their work shift in cold rooms without health and safety guidelines specific to these moderately cold temperatures.

Injuries Due to Cold Stress