Cold Stress Awareness

Cold stress is the loss of body heat to the environment. Low temperature, wind, and wetness have a combined effect on the body to create cold stress, injuries, and illness. Cold-related disorders such as hypothermia and frostbite can kill or injure workers. Employers and employees should be aware of cold stress hazards, cold-related disorders and how to treat and prevent them.

Course Overview

What constitutes extreme cold and its effects can vary across different areas across the country. In regions relatively unaccustomed to winter weather, near-freezing temperatures are considered "extreme cold". Whenever temperatures drop decidedly below normal and the wind speed increases, heat can leave your body more rapidly. These weather-related conditions may lead to serious health problems. Extreme cold is a dangerous situation that can bring on health emergencies.

This online Cold Stress Awareness course addresses the causes of cold stress, its effects, and how to prevent and treat cold stress. After completing this course, an understanding should be gained of cold stress, sources of heat loss, what happens when exposed to cold, symptoms and treatment of hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot, and precautionary guidelines to prevent cold stress.

Course Topics

  • Definitions of extreme cold
  • Sources of heat loss
  • Consequences of exposure to cold
  • Symptoms, prevention, and treatment of hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot
  • Contributing factors to cold stress
  • Safety tips for working in extreme cold
  • Precautions to prevent cold stress