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- How to Prevent Cold Stress in the Workplace
How to Prevent Cold Stress in the Workplace
- Workplace Health & Safety
Michelle Ann Zoleta, Health & Safety Team Manager
(Last updated )
Michelle Ann Zoleta, Health & Safety Team Manager
(Last updated )
In Canada, severe winter conditions create many challenges for outdoor workers. Construction, agriculture, and other industries must plan for cold temperatures, ice, and limited daylight. Employers should train teams on safe practices and provide protective clothing, regular breaks, and warm shelters. Early planning and clear procedures can help prevent accidents and illnesses.
Employers should:
Learn the signs of cold stress.
Understand how to prevent cold stress.
Create safer work environments during winter months.
Protect employees’ health and productivity.
What is cold stress?
Cold stress occurs when the body is no longer able to maintain its internal core temperature (37°C). The body then begins to redirect blood flow from the skin and extremities (arms, legs, hands, feet) to the chest and abdomen. This causes the skin and extremities to cool quickly and increases the risk of injuries such as
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frostbite and hypothermia
.
Early warning signs of cold stress
Here are early warning signs of cold stress:
Feeling cold and shivering.
Grogginess, poor judgment, or confused thinking.
Loss of feeling or tingling in the extremities, i.e., fingers and toes.
Trouble moving fingers, hands, and toes.
Frostnip (skin surface turning white).
Symptoms may get worse and include:
Violent, extreme shivering.
Confusion, inability to think or concentrate.
Slow, shallow breathing.
Slurred speech.
Impaired body coordination.
Loss of consciousness.
Severe cold stress symptoms
Here are some common signs that an employee is severely affected by cold stress:
Frostbite:
The skin becomes blistered, grey, and pale, especially on the fingers, toes, nose, or ears with numbness or tingling sensations in those areas.
Hypothermia:
Watch for shivering, confusion, slurred speech, and drowsiness. Hypothermia can be life-threatening, and employers must take immediate action to address the issue.
Trench foot:
Identify red, swollen feet with numbness and a tingling or burning sensation. Trench foot is often a result of prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions.
Chilblains:
Chilblains appear as red, swollen, and itchy skin, usually on the hands and feet. They can be painful and may lead to infection.
How to prevent cold stress and protect your staff
Cold stress can pose significant risks to employees who work in cold temperatures, wind, and wet conditions. Here are some of the steps and measures employers can take to prevent workers from developing cold stress:
Step 1: Prevent or eliminate risk
Adjust work location or environment
Consider whether the work can be performed in a different environment, such as moving it indoors or postponing it to warmer months or seasons.
Change work schedules or practices
Modify work schedules to reduce prolonged exposure to cold. Rotate tasks or duties between employees to limit the time spent in cold environments. Also, schedule work tasks to include breaks in warm areas to allow employees to warm up.
Education and training
Educate employees about the signs of cold stress, such as shivering, confusion, numbness, and frostbites, so they can recognize symptoms in themselves and their colleagues. Provide training on the importance of proper clothing and regular breaks.
Monitor weather conditions
Stay informed about weather forecasts, wind chill, and temperature to anticipate potential incoming risks. Plan your employees’ work and schedules around severe weather events and develop an
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inclement weather policy
to address business closure.
Step 2: Implement worksite measures
Modify work procedures and conditions
This method involves modifying your equipment, worksite and work process to minimize hazards. For example, you can make changes to how employees operate machines or tools in a way that they don’t have to remove their mittens, gloves, or outerwear.
Remind staff to avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin and insulate metal handles where possible to prevent instant heat loss and skin damage.
Provide heated work areas
If the work is conducted outdoors and in below freezing temperatures, you could set up heated shelters or zones where employees can warm up. Access to warming shelters is vital for preventing prolonged exposure to cold conditions.
Schedule warm-up breaks
Schedule regular warm-up breaks to allow employees to recover from the cold. Whenever possible, provide warm liquids such as soup or decaffeinated tea during these breaks to help workers keep their core temperature up and stay hydrated. Encourage them to take breaks before they feel too cold, preventing the onset of cold stress.
Step 3: Change work policies
First aid and safety training
Provide comprehensive training on recognizing and preventing cold stress. Ensure employees understand the risks, symptoms, appropriate preventive measures, and basic first aid skills. You should have at least one employee trained in dealing with cold-related emergencies per shift, so your team can respond quickly when there is an incident.
Stock your first-aid kit with a thermometer and chemical hot packs so trained staff can respond promptly to cold-related emergencies.
Health monitoring
Monitor employees' health regularly, especially during extreme cold weather. Encourage them to report any signs of cold stress immediately. You can use a buddy system where workers are assigned tasks in pairs, so they can monitor each other for signs of cold stress. Also, ensure you’re familiar with the
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regulations in your province
and are working within the safe temperature guidelines.
Hydration and nutrition
Hydration is essential even in cold conditions. Encourage employees to stay well-hydrated by providing access to warm beverages or soup. Additionally, promote a balanced diet to support energy levels. Avoid alcoholic drinks, coffee, or food that can cause dehydration.
Warm-up exercises
Introduce or recommend warm-up exercises that employees can perform before starting work in the cold. These exercises can help increase blood flow and circulation to warm the body, reducing the likelihood of getting cold stress.
Step 4: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Issue and provide PPE
Supply employees with high-quality, insulated, and waterproof clothing. This may include jackets, pants, boots, and other equipment necessary for working in cold conditions. Any PPE you provide must be suitable for the specific conditions employees will face, which could include factors like wind, humidity, and temperature.
Teach layering techniques
Instruct employees on the importance of layering clothing for insulation. Multiple layers trap warmth better than a single thick layer. Here are a few layering techniques for keeping warm:
Use moisture-wicking base layers to keep the skin dry.
The outer layer should be waterproof and wind-resistant if the environment is cold, wet or windy.
Avoid having cotton clothing close to the skin as it gets damp or wet quickly and takes longer to dry.
If workers feel hot while working, they can open their jackets but should keep hats and gloves on.
Wear hats or hoods to protect the ears and prevent the loss of heat from the head.
Wear face coverings or knit masks if needed.
Workers should carry a change of clothes in case the clothes they’re wearing get wet.
How to prepare new employees for working in cold environments
Your new workers need time to become fully acclimatized to working in cold environments. To help them ease into their work situations faster, you can provide onboarding and orientation programs to include components that address working in the cold and preventing cold stress.
Here are some key elements you can include:
Cold stress awareness training
Include a dedicated section in your onboarding program that educates employees on what cold stress is, its symptoms, and the importance of prevention.
Identify cold stress factors
Provide information about factors that contribute to cold stress, such as wind chill, humidity, and temperature, and explain how these elements impact the body. You should gradually increase the workload of new workers or those returning to work in cold environments, so they have time to develop a cold tolerance.
Proper PPE and dress code guidance
Clearly communicate the dress code for working in cold environments. Detail the importance of layering, wearing insulated clothing, and using appropriate accessories like hats and gloves. Provide new employees with the necessary and appropriate PPEs for their tasks and working conditions.
Cold-related emergency protocols
Educate new employees about emergency procedures related to cold stress, including how to recognize signs of hypothermia or frostbite and the steps to take in case of an emergency.
Continuous training and education
Keep employees informed about changes to training or work policies related to cold stress prevention. Employers should update their training programs regularly to reinforce cold stress awareness and best practices. The programs must align with the most current provincial OHS legislation and labour laws.
FAQ: Can workers build up tolerance to cold weather?
Yes, workers can build up a tolerance to cold weather through a gradual process known as acclimatization. This helps employees adapt to working in cold environments more safely and comfortably. Here are step-by-step guidelines for acclimatizing workers to cold weather:
Start with shorter exposure:
Have new or returning workers begin with shorter periods outdoors in the cold, gradually increasing exposure each day over one to two weeks.
Monitor health closely:
Encourage workers to report any symptoms of cold stress and monitor them for early warning signs during acclimatization.
Increase workload gradually:
Allow employees to perform less physically demanding tasks at first, then increase intensity as their bodies adjust.
Provide warm-up breaks:
Schedule frequent breaks in heated areas during the acclimatization period.
Dress appropriately:
Ensure workers have proper PPE and understand layering techniques to stay warm and dry.
Educate and communicate:
Offer ongoing training on cold stress symptoms, prevention, and safe work practices to reinforce acclimatization steps.
By following these steps, employers can help their teams adapt to cold weather, reducing the risks of cold stress and supporting a safer workplace.
Key takeaways
Recognize early and severe symptoms of cold stress to act quickly.
Provide adequate training, breaks, and warm rest areas for workers.
Equip staff with the right clothing and PPE for cold, wet, or windy environments.
Encourage ongoing communication and hazard assessments.
Do you need help creating a cold stress exposure control plan for your workplace?
We’re here to help. Peninsula’s experts can help you develop
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health and safety policies
for dealing with cold stress and emergencies. We can
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assess your workplace for risks
, take care of all your essential H&S documentation, and ensure your workplace is compliant with the applicable Health & Safety legislation. Call
1 (833) 247-3652
today to find out more.
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