Cold Stress at Work: Causes, Signs & Prevention

Whether you work in a chiller unit or in construction, you must familiarise yourself with the concept of cold stress, its symptoms, and how to effectively prevent it. 

We’ve put together this comprehensive guide with practical tips, information on legal requirements from the HSE, and more, to help you navigate the risks of working in low-temperature conditions. 

What is Cold Stress?

“Stress” can be defined as the pressure or strain which results from facing demanding or adverse circumstances.

Cold stress, in particular, occurs when the skin’s temperature – and eventually the body’s internal temperature – drops below normal due to exposure to cold.

Those who work in environments with low temperatures, whether outdoors or indoors, are susceptible to cold stress and its consequences.

What are the Causes & Symptoms of Cold Stress?

What constitutes a cause can vary depending on region or interpretation.

Cold stress can be caused by exposure to cold, wind speed and even dampness, for instance. These conditions make it more difficult for your body to retain heat and remain warm.

Cold stress can lead to illness or injuries like frostbite, chilblains, trench foot and hypothermia.

Symptoms or signs of may include:

• Shivering
• Numbness
• Reduce blood flow
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Aching
• Blue skin
• Skin redness
• Loss of consciousness

Extended exposure to freezing temperatures can result in serious consequences, which is why it’s so important to implement preventative measures.

Did you know? Frostbite is a type of injury that is caused by freezing of your skin or tissues underneath. Usually underestimated, frostbite can actually cause longlife damage if not quickly and adequately addressed. Frostbite typically affects the nose, toes, fingers, cheeks and chin.

Hypothermia is particularly dangerous as it can make people unable to think or move, and therefore unable to do something about it.

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Please note different injuries or illnesses caused by cold stress may require different treatment. If you’re unsure what to do, please seek medical assistance immediately.

How to Prevent Cold Stress

In situations where people are exposed to low temperatures (especially for long periods of time), it’s key to take precautions to reduce the risk of injury and illness.

There are several steps you can take to prevent cold stress, which are all about keeping your skin and body temperature at normal levels.

Wear Suitable Workwear

Firstly, it’s important to wear suitable clothing, headwear and footwear such as cold store workwear and PPE, including items such as thermal jackets, trousers and gloves.

When choosing workwear, look for certified options like EN342 standard certified clothing. This specific standard specifies the requirements and test methods of clothing that is designed to protect against cold in chill, cold store and deep freeze conditions, covering aspects such as thermal insulation with and without motion, air permeability and waterproof penetration properties.

Opt for multiple layers of clothing as opposed to a single layer as the air between layers can offer increased protection against the cold.

You may want to carry a change of thermal clothes with you.

Furthermore, make sure to pick the right size of clothing, as wearing a smaller size can restrict blood flow.

Choose waterproof, insulated boots and wear a hat as this helps minimise the amount of heat that can escape from your head.

You may want to regularly apply lip balm and moisturiser to keep your skin protected.

Drink Plenty of Liquids

 You may want to carry a thermos of a hot drink to help keep you warm.

Cold can cause dehydration, so it’s important to drink plenty of liquids throughout the day.

It’s best to avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages as these cause the body to lose heat at a quicker rate.

Take Breaks & Rotate Jobs

Taking regular breaks in warming environments is also critical. Task rotation can also help reduce exposure to cold and reduce risk. This is to avoid spending too much time in low-temperature settings, which can lead to illnesses or injuries.

It’s a good idea to work with someone else so you can help each other when it comes to keeping an eye out for any early symptoms of cold stress.

Employer’s Duties

Health & Safety law regulates the air temperature of workrooms.

Employers have a duty to “make a suitable assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees, and take action where necessary and where reasonably practicable”, according to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Ideally, the temperature of workrooms should be at least 16° or at least 13° if the work involves serious physical effort. In cases where this is not possible, like cold storage rooms for chilled food products, you must implement the necessary controls to ensure the safety of your employees.

You should make special arrangements for your employees if they are exposed to low temperatures for extended periods of time. Indeed, as an employer, you have a duty to protect your employees from hazards, including those associated with cold stress.

Here are some the things you should do to protect workers from cold stress:

• Provide suitable protective clothing and footwear for cold environments
• Implement formal systems to reduce cold exposure such as task rotation and flexible working patterns
• Establish sufficient breaks in heated areas
• Provide a thermometer to check the room temperature
• Regularly monitor employees that are at risk of cold stress
• Provide appropriate training and information
• Provide appropriate first aid supplies

It’s also important to maintain a dry atmosphere and to reduce humidity or dampness.

You may want to assign extra workers for longer and more demanding tasks to avoid over-exposure to low temperatures.

Remember that some people may be more vulnerable to the effects of cold than others. This includes pregnant women and those aged over 65, for instance.

Risk Assessments & Health & Safety Management System

In low-temperature environments, it is absolutely critical to identify hazards, assess their risk and put appropriate control measures in place.

Temperature is considered one of the potential hazards that employers have to address in order to meet their legal obligations.

As such, you should conduct a thorough risk assessment and consider factors such as:

• The temperature of the workplace
• Exposure time
• Type of task – does it involve serious physical effort?
• Employee health
• Provision of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Supervision of employees
• Information provided to employees
• Rotation of tasks
• Heating solutions & resting facilities
• Means of escape / avoiding accidental lock-in

Make sure to document your risk assessments and include them in your Health & Safety Management System (HSMS). An HSMS is a formal framework which establishes best practices for managing health & safety within a business and is a fundamental element of risk management.

Working Indoors: Cold Stores, Freezers & Other Low-Temperature Environments

There are some situations where working in cold conditions is unavoidable, like rooms where food must be kept cold to ensure food safety.

Legal requirements in freezers and chill units include keeping employees “warm by providing suitable thermal clothing, appropriate breaks to warm up, task rotation etc”. Local heating should also be added in vehicle cabs where practicable.

For those working at lower activity rates such as forklift drivers, the Endurance Freezer Jacket from FlexiTog is a suitable option as it delivers enhanced thermal properties, flexibility and comfort.

Working in freezers can lead to respiratory problems because the air tends to be very dry in such environments. Noise levels also tend to be high – so make sure to take both factors into consideration when conducting a risk assessment and establishing control measures.

Working Outdoors: Construction, Farming, Fishing & More

Coping with cold is also commonplace in jobs which require outdoor work as employees are essentially at the mercy of weather conditions.

When temperatures decrease and wind speed increases, the risk of hypothermia and other cold stress injuries or illnesses is higher.

Make sure to wear appropriate workwear to keep yourself warm. If the conditions are wet, make sure to opt for waterproof clothing and shoes.

Wearing a foundation thermal layer is key, as it helps insulate the body and wicks moisture away. Outer layers should be windproof as the wind can lead to rapid heat loss from your body.

Plan ahead and check the weather forecast so you’re never unprepared.

Don’t forget to take regular breaks and move around to keep the blood flowing and prevent clotting.

References

Warehousing and storage, A guide to health and safety; Health & Safety Executive; Published in 2017; Accessed in May 2022

Chilled and frozen products, Workroom temperatures in places where food is handled; Health & Safety Executive; Accessed in May 2022

Temperature Cold Stress; Health & Safety Executive; Accessed in May 2022

How to stay well in winter; NHS; Accessed in May 2022

How your body copes with cold weather; UK Health Security Agency; Published in January 2019; Accessed in May 2022