The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers the following tips for both employers and employees about avoiding cold stress when working in frigid environments.
Hypothermia - When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Prolonged exposure to cold will eventually use up your body's stored energy. The result is hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature.
La Nina, the climate phenomenon that sometimes appears in the fall and influences winter weather, is expected to have an effect this year, leading to warmer than normal conditions in the south and colder than usual temperatures in the north.
With unprotected nip and pinch points being prevalent in many workplaces, it comes as no surprise that many workers suffer hand injuries. Hand injuries range from minor scratches and fractures to catastrophic injuries such as amputation, loss of digits, or degloving accidents.
