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Industry Wide
Labor-Management Safety Committee
Safety Bulletin
#34
Guidelines for Working in Extreme Cold Temperature Conditions
INTRODUCTION
When working in cold conditions,
the two most common hazards are hypothermia and frostbite. With proper
awareness and pre-planning, these hazards can be eliminated.
HYPOTHERMIA
Hypothermia is a potentially
deadly condition, which results in an abnormally low body temperature.
This drop in temperature occurs when the body loses heat faster than it
is produced. Anyone exposed to near freezing temperatures for prolonged
periods of time should be familiar in the prevention and treatment of
hypothermia. A combination of cold, wet and windy conditions will result
in hypothermia for anyone who is inadequately prepared and protected.
Certain conditions will increase
your risk:
 | Improper dress for the
conditions |
| Poor physical condition |
| Fatigue |
| Illness |
| Poor diet or alcohol,
tobacco or drug use |
An individual’ s physiology
may affect the body’ s ability to acclimate; possibly, increasing the
risk.
Early symptoms of hypothermia
are often overlooked, they include:
| Intense shivering |
| Muscle tension |
| Fatigue |
| Intense feeling of cold
or numbness |
To most people these may just
seem like normal consequences of exposure to winter conditions. Ignoring
these early signs can be very dangerous. If you or a co-worker experience
early symptoms of hypothermia, take action.
Also watch for additional
behavioral signs including:
| Slurred speech |
| Difficulty performing
tasks |
| Loss of coordination |
| Lethargy |
| Erratic behavior, poor
decisions |
| Irritability |
| Slow breathing and heart
rate |
At the first sign of any of
these conditions, notify your supervisor and/or seek medical attention
(i.e. set medic, studio hospital or medical provider) then go inside and
get warm, before you attempt to complete the job or project you are working
on.
HYPOTHERMIA
PREVENTION
Preventing hypothermia is
not difficult. In fact, it is much easier to avoid hypothermia than to
treat it after the fact. You can prevent hypothermia if you pre-plan,
know what the conditions are expected to be and plan your clothing accordingly.
Some clothing tips to remember:
| Clothing does not warm
you, it provides insulation to preserve your warmth |
| Layer your clothing. |
| As much as half of your
body heat is lost through your head and neck, keep them covered. |
| Keep rain and wind out
of your clothing. |
| Avoid overheating and
sweating by ventilating as needed. |
| Wool clothing is best
followed by synthetics, down is ok if kept dry, cotton is a bad choice. |
Food and Behavior:
| Watch what you eat. Minor
changes to your normal behavior are an important step in preventing
hypothermia. |
| This is not the time
for a starvation diet. It is important to maintain your optimal metabolism. |
| Take extra steps to stay
warm and dry by preventing exposure to wind and water. |
If you are working in cold
weather, remember these tips:
| Do not diet; give your
body the appropriate nutrients. |
| This will increase your
metabolism and help keep you warm. |
| Continue to drink fluids,
water is best, no alcohol. |
Consider the following:
| If you do not need to
be outside, go inside, even if it is only for a few minutes. |
| If you cannot go inside,
exercise, jog in place, shake your arms, these activities will increase
your circulation and increase heat. |
If someone is showing signs
of hypothermia:
| Hypothermia symptoms
should receive medical treatment as soon as possible. |
| Prevent further heat
loss by sheltering from exposure to wind and water. |
| Bring the crewmember
inside to a warm area, if possible. |
| Treat the crewmember
gently. |
| Seek medical attention
(i.e. set medic, studio hospital or medical provider). |
| Remove any wet clothing
and replace with dry clothing. |
| Wrap the crewmember in
blankets and cover their head. |
| No caffeine, alcohol
or tobacco should be used. |
FROSTBITE
Frostbite is more common than
hypothermia. It is the result of the freezing of the extracellular fluid
in the skin, which can permanently damage the tissue. This condition usually
affects the extremities, such as the tips of fingers, the ears and nose
but other exposed areas can also be affected. Like hypothermia, a combination
of elements usually leads to frostbite not cold air alone. In fact, most
frostbite is the result of conduction, the rapid transfer of heat, for
example, touching cold metal surfaces with bare hands. Exposure to cold
temperatures and wind can quickly result in frostbite.
Factors that can increase
your risk of frostbite are:
Improper dress for the conditions,
poor physical condition, fatigue, illness, poor diet, alcohol, tobacco
or drug use.
Signs and symptoms of frostbite:
| Mild frostbite affects
the outer skin layers and appears as a blanching or whitening of the
skin. This usually disappears as warming occurs, but the skin may
appear red for several hours. |
| In severe cases the skin
will appear waxy-looking with a white, gray-yellow or gray-blue color.
The affected parts will have no feeling and blisters may be present.
The tissue will feel frozen or "wooden". |
| Other indicators are;
swelling, itching, burning and deep pain as the area is warmed. |
Frostbite Prevention:
Just as with hypothermia,
frostbite is much easier to prevent than it is to treat. All of the items
listed above for hypothermia would also apply for frostbite.
Summary:
| Wear proper clothing
which insulates from the cold and provides protection from wind, rain
and snow |
| Cover your neck and head. |
| Protect your hands and
feet. (Mittens are warmer than gloves but may limit activity). |
| Keep clothing and shoes
loose, to ensure good circulation. |
| Drink plenty of fluids. |
| Do not diet. Give your
body the appropriate nutrients. |
| Alcohol, tobacco or drugs
should not be used. |
| Keep moving, do not stand
still. |
| Take breaks to go inside
and warm up. |
| Never touch a cold metal
object with your bare hands. |
Frostbite Treatment:
If you think you may have
frostbite, even a mild case, immediately seek medical attention.
The following list will provide
some guidelines for treating frostbite:
| Get to a place where
you can stay warm after thawing. Do not allow the affected body area
to refreeze. |
| Seek medical attention
(i.e. set medic, studio hospital or medical provider), re-warming
should be conducted under medical supervision. |
| Warm water is best for
re-warming. Do not rub or massage the area, or use dry heat (sunlamp,
radiator, heating pad) |
| If blisters are present,
leave them intact. |
| No alcohol, tobacco or
drugs should not be used |
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
The following are some additional
steps the production can take to minimize the risks:
| Monitor local weather
forecast information daily and conduct cold stress assessments for
all areas. |
| Provide adequate heated
shelters for cast and crew. |
| Maintain a suitable thermometer
and anemometer (wind measuring device) at the site. These will be
used to determine the equivalent chill temperature. |
| Charts for establishing
acceptable working conditions based on temperature and wind speed,
are attached. |
| Establish safe areas
and paths, no wandering or sightseeing, this will reduce the risk
of getting lost. |
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