5. Regulation
• The Regulation applies if workers may be
exposed to thermal conditions that:
– May cause cold stress injury
– Could cause core body temp to fall
– Are below ACGIH acceptable levels
7. Responsibilities
• Employer
– Conduct risk assessments
– Develop and implement exposure control plan
– Provide training
– Provide heated shelter or vehicle
9. Responsibilities
• Managers
– Ensure that a cold stress assessment is performed
– Provide administrative controls
– Ensure protective clothing is available
– Ensure workers receive training
13. Responsibilities
• Joint OHS Committee
– Advise the Employer on procedures and systems
– Help evaluate workplace conditions
– Deal with worker complaints
– Help with incident investigations and worksite
inspections
15. Risk Identification
• Environmental Risks
– Observe conditions and note hazards
– Determine risks of accidental exposure
– Look at previous history of exposure to cold
– Conduct risk assessment if hazard(s) is present
16. Risk Identification
• Job / Task Related Risks
– Observe the tasks
– Determine hazards that may expose workers to
risk
– If task-related hazard is present implement
controls
17. Risk Identification
• Personal Risks
– Poor physical fitness
– Not used to working in the cold
– Cold or other flu like symptoms
– Chronic illness or circulatory problems
– Using certain drugs or medication
– Exhibiting symptoms of fatigue
– Vibration white finger disease
18. Risk Assessment
• Documentation
• Taking measurements
• Categorizing the risk
• Vibration and accidental exposure
• Accidental exposure
• Conditions that require a mandatory
assessment
19. Risk Assessment
• Cold Stress Risk Assessment Form
– Section One
– Section Two
• Measurements
• Category and control
• Hand/arm vibration
• Accidental exposure
20. Risk Assessment
• Conditions Requiring Assessment
– Conditions that cold cause cold stress or injury
– Conditions that could cause worker’s core body
temperature to fall below 36C
– Conditions below levels classed by ACGIH as “little
danger”
21. Risk Controls
• Working in hazardous wind chill conditions
• Contact with cold surfaces
• Bare hands in a cold environment
• Administrative controls
• Personal Protective Equipment & Clothing
22. Risk Controls
• Wind Chill Conditions
– Heated shelter or vehicle to be available
– Worker instructions
– Workers must wear adequate protective
clothing
23. Risk Controls
• Contacting Cold Surfaces
– Protective clothing and equipment
– Wear protective gloves, mittens and footwear
– Wear insulated gloves when surfaces are
colder than -7C
– Avoid skin contact with cold surfaces
24. Risk Controls
• Hand Protection
– Warm air jets, radiant heaters or warm contact
plates for hand warming
– Controls designed for operation by gloved
hands
25. Risk Controls
• Administrative Controls
– Adjustment to the cold
– Reduce activities performed outdoors
– Remain well hydrated
– Eat properly according to the cold climate
– Establish a buddy system
26. Risk Controls
• Personal Protective
Clothing and Equipment
– Wear insulated outer
clothing
– Use protective clothing in
controlled environments
– Change out of wet clothing
27. Risk Controls
• Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment –
continued
– Immediately change to dry clothing if immersed in
water
– Wear PPE if danger of frostbite
28. Prevention
• Understanding the personal risk factors
• Following safe work practices
• Proper use of clothing
• Using shelters
• Following guidelines for eating and drinking
29. Prevention
• Personal Risk Factors
– Poor physical fitness
– Not used to working in the cold
– Cold or other flu like symptoms
– Chronic illness or circulatory problems
– Using certain drugs or medication that inhibit the
body’s response to the cold or impairs judgment
– Vibration white finger disease
30. Prevention
• Safe Work Practices
– Use a “buddy system”
– Do a regular “self-check” for symptoms
– If you discover a cold-related injury
32. Prevention
• Use of Shelters
– Provide shelters at -7C or below
– Use shelters at regular intervals
– Remove outer clothing and allow ventilation
– Assess cold injury or hypothermia victims
33. Prevention
• Eating and Drinking Guidelines
– High caloric intake is recommended for cold
work
– Warm sweet drinks available
– Drink frequently
– Avoid coffee
– Avoid alcohol
38. Recognizing Symptoms
• Severe Hypothermia
– Shivering has stopped
– Unconsciousness
– Little or no breathing
– Weak, irregular or non-existent pulse
39. Recognizing Symptoms
• Severe Hypothermia – continued
– Dilated pupils
– Exposed skin blue and/or puffy
– Similar symptoms to clinical definition of death
40. Recognizing Symptoms
• Frostbite / Frostnip
– Top layers of skin tissue freeze
– Skin appearance: white, waxy
– Top layer of skin feels hard & rubbery
– Deep tissue is still soft
– Numbness
41. Recognizing Symptoms
• Superficial Frostbite
– Skin appearance: white
– Wooden feeling throughout affected area
– All layers of skin affected
– Numbness, sensation may be absent
42. Recognizing Symptoms
• Deep Frostbite
– Skin appears white
– Affected areas feels ‘wooden’ to touch
– Includes all layers of skin
– May include freezing of muscle or bone
43. First Aid
• General Procedures
• Frostbite
• Managing & Re-warming Injuries
• Accidental Exposure
44. First Aid
• General Procedures
– Handle victim gently
– Remove from cold and assess
– Give hot fluids only if victim is conscious
– Do not attempt to exercise victim
– Prevent further heat loss
45. First Aid
• Frostbite
– Rewarm the area gently
– Do not rub the area
– If area is large, use immersion method
– Transport to hospital if necessary
46. First Aid
• Management and Re-Warming
– Minimize exertion
– Remove wet clothing
– Get the victim into warm, dry clothes
– Wrap victim in warm blankets
47. First Aid
• Management and Re-Warming - continued
– Cover victim’s head
– Place something warm and dry under the victim
– Move the victim to a warm environment
48. First Aid
• Management and Re-Warming - continued
– Do not make the victim exercise
– Do not suppress shivering
– Do not massage extremities or trunk
– Do not place in warm bath or shower
49. First Aid
• Accidental Exposure
– Unplanned event
– Clothing and equipment
– Treat appropriately
– Assessed by medic or physician
50. Survival Kit
• A change of clothing
• Emergency supplies
• Light weight emergency rain poncho
• Spare gloves, footwear, head covering and
face mask
51. Survival Kit
• Protective eye wear
• Sleeping bag stored in plastic vapor-barrier
wrapper
• Means of communication i.e. cell phone, 2-
way radio
52. Summary
• Government Safety OHS Regulation
• Risk identification
• Risk assessment
• Risk controls
• Symptoms
• First aid