Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
be. kept. off. clothes. by. removing. snow. prior. to. entering. heated. shelters.. While. the.
worker.is.resting.in.a.heated.area,.perspiration.should.be.allowed.to.escape.by.open-
ing.the.neck,.waist,.sleeves,.and.ankle.fasteners.
If. ine. manual. dexterity. is. not. required,. gloves. should. be. used. below. 40°F. for.
light.work.and.below.20°F.for.moderate.work..For.work.below.0°F,.mittens.should.
be. used.. Felt-lined,. rubber-bottomed,. leather-topped. boots. with. removable. felt.
insoles.are.best.suited.for.heavy.work.in.the.cold..Almost.50.percent.of.body.heat.is.
lost.through.the.head..A.wool-knit.cap.or.a.liner.under.a.hard.hat.reduces.excessive.
heat.loss.
The.contact.of.bare.skin.with.cold.surfaces.(especially.metallic).below.20°F.should.
be.avoided,.as.should.skin.contact.when.handling.evaporative.liquids.(e.g., gasoline,.
alcohol,.and.cleaning.luids).below.38°F..Sitting.or.standing.still.for.prolonged.peri-
ods.should.be.avoided..Alcohol.should.not.be.consumed.in.cold.environments,.as.it.
causes.rapid.loss.of.body.heat.and.thus.increases.the.risk.of.hypothermia..For.warm-
ing.purposes,. hot.nonalcoholic.beverages. or.soups.are.suggested.. Coffee.drinking.
should.be.limited.because.it.increases.urine.production.and.blood.circulation..Both.
effects.result.in.an.increased.loss.of.body.heat..Balanced.meals.and.adequate.liquid.
intake.are.essential.to.the.production.of.body.heat.and.the.prevention.of.dehydration.
Because. work. in. extreme. cold. presents. a. potential. health. hazard,. workers. and.
supervisors.involved.with.work.in.cold.environments.should.be.well.informed..Each.
must.know.about.the.symptoms.of.cold.strain.and.cold.injury,.measures.of.environ-
mental. conditions,. proper. clothing. habits,. safe. work. practices,. physical. itness.
requirements.for.work.in.the.cold,.and.emergency.procedures.in.case.of.cold.injury.
The.feeling.of.cold.is.a.combined.effect.of.air.temperature.and.wind.speed..The.
effects.of.cold.increase.as.wind.speed.increases..Uncomfortably.cold.working.condi-
tions.can.lead.to.reduced.work.eficiency.and.higher.accident.rates..Cooling.of.body.
parts.may.result.in.cold.injuries.such.as.frostbite,.frostnip,.and.trenchfoot..Extremities.
can.become.frostbitten,.even.while.the.rest.of.the.body.remains..suficiently.warm,.
because.the.blood.supply.is.relatively.poor.in.these.body.parts..The.most.severe.cold.
injury.is.hypothermia,.which.occurs.as.a.result.of.excessive.loss.of.body.heat.and.the.
consequent.lowering.of.the.inner.core.temperature..If.immediate.medical.attention.
is.not.provided,.hypothermia.can.be.fatal.
As.stated.before,.hypothermia.and.other.cold.injuries.can.be.prevented.by.wear-
ing. suficient. winter. clothing,. including. head. protection,. gloves. or. mittens,. and.
insulated.boots..It.is.important.that.all.clothing.remain.dry..Loose,.layered.clothing.
provides.better.protection.from.cold.because.of.the.added.insulating.properties.of.
air. trapped. within. the. layers.. Periodic. exercise. helps. keep. the. extremities. warm..
However,.once.limbs.are.frostbitten,.exercise.can.result.in.increased.damage..The.
preferred.treatment.is.slow.warming.of.affected.parts..Workers.should.be.educated.
to.identify.signs.of.cold.injuries.and.instructed.in.methods.of.providing.emergency.
care.to.affected.co-workers.
ergonomIcs
Ergonomics.is.the.science.of.itting.the.job.to.the.worker,.not.itting.the.worker.to.the.
job..When.there.is.a.mismatch.between.the.physical.requirements.of.the.job.and.the.
