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' COLD EXPOSURE <br /> ' Persons working outdoors in temperatures at or below freezing may experience frostbite. <br /> Two factors influence the development of a cold injury: ambient temperature and the <br /> ' velocity of the wind. Wind chill is used to describe the chilling effect of moving air in <br /> combination with low temperatures. <br /> ' As a general rule, the greatest incremental increase in wind chill occurs when a wind of 5 <br /> mph increases to 10 mph. Additionally, water conducts heat 240 times faster than air. <br /> Thus, the body cools suddenly when personal protective equipment is removed if the <br /> ' clothing underneath is soaked with perspiration. <br /> Local injury resulting from cold in included in the generic term "frostbite". There are <br /> ' several degrees of damage. Frostbite of the extremities can be categorized into: <br /> Frost nip or incident frostbite. The condition is characterized by sudden blanching <br /> or whitening of the skin. <br /> Superficial frostbite. Skin has a waxy or white appearance and is firm to the <br /> touch, but tissue beneath is resilient. <br /> Deep frostbite. Tissues are cold, pale and solid; extremely serious injury. <br /> ' Systemic hypothermia is caused by exposure to freezing or rapidly dropping <br /> ' temperature. Its symptoms are usually exhibited in five stages: <br /> a. Shivering. <br /> b. Apathy, listlessness, sleepiness and(sometimes)rapid cooling of the body to less <br /> than 95 degrees F. <br /> C. Unconsciousness, glassy stare„ slow pulse and slow respiratory rate. <br /> ' d. Freezing of the extremities. <br /> C. Death. <br /> Prevention: <br /> a. Stay dry. <br /> ' b. Take warming breaks. <br /> C. Do not use cold therapy in treating frostbite. <br /> d. Transport to medical facility as soon as possible. <br /> ' 33 <br />