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Heat and Cold Exposure |
Potential Hazard
Delivery locations are typically located
in outdoor areas that are subject to extreme seasonal weather and temperatures.
The following conditions can occur if
a worker is exposed to hot temperatures:
- Heat exhaustion can result
in headaches, dizziness, light-headedness, weakness, mood
changes, feeling sick to your stomach, pale clammy skin,
vomiting, and fainting.
- Heat stroke leads to dry,
pale skin, mood changes, seizure, collapse, and
possible death.
The following conditions can occur if
a worker is exposed to cold temperatures:
- Frostbite is the freezing
of deep skin tissue layers and leads to hardening and numbing
of the skin. It usually affects the fingers, hands, toes,
feet, ears, and nose.
- Hypothermia occurs when the
body's temperature falls below 95 degrees F. The person
becomes tired and drowsy, begins to shiver uncontrollably,
moves clumsily, and is irritable and confused. As the
hypothermia progresses, the victim's speech becomes slurred,
his or her behavior may become irrational, and unconsciousness
and full heart failure can occur.
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Possible Solutions
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Employers have the primary
responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their
workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work
practices of their employers.
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- Seek medical help for cold- and
heat-related stresses.
- Lower the employee's body temperature in heat-related
conditions and raise the employee's body temperature in
cold-related conditions to prevent the progression of
symptoms.
- Schedule deliveries during appropriate times of the
day (for example, at cooler times during hot summer-like
weather).
- Perform work during either the cooler or warmer times
of the day.
- Use the "buddy" system (work in pairs).
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Wear warm clothes, gloves, and a hat if working in cold temperatures.
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- Drink plenty of cool water in warm, hot weather.
- Drink warm beverages in cold weather.
- Wear appropriate clothing (hat and light,
loose-fitting, breathable clothing in warm, hot weather OR
warm, layered clothing in cold weather, including hat and
gloves). In cold weather, pay special attention to protecting
feet, hands, face, and head. Up to 40 percent of body heat can
be lost when the head is exposed.
- Apply sunscreen on sunny days.
- Take frequent, short breaks indoors to cool off or
warm up.
- Avoid exhaustion or overworking, because energy is
needed to keep muscles warm.
- Educate employees to recognize and
seek medical help for workers that have symptoms of cold-and-heat
related stresses.
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For more information on heat hazards see Cooking
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Heat Hazards Module.
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Additional Resources:
- Protecting Workers in Hot
Environments. OSHA Fact Sheet 95-16 (1995, January 1).
- The Heat Equation. OSHA Office of Occupational Health Nursing,
3154
(English) 3155
(Spanish), 1998, PDF.
- The Cold Stress Equation. OSHA Office of
Occupational Health Nursing, 3156
(English), 3158
(Spanish), 22KB PDF, 1999.
- Protecting
Workers in Cold Environments. Fact Sheet No. 98-55, (1998,
December 22).
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