OSHA issues call to action for Texas employers to protect workers during freezing temperatures

HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a call to action for Texas employers to protect workers during freezing temperatures, according to a release.

Workers, especially those working outdoor, can experience the dangers of cold stress due to the frigid temperatures and wind chill, OSHA stated. This stress causes heat to leave the body more quickly, putting workers at risk.

The common types of cold stress, per OSHA, are the following:

• Hypothermia
• Normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to 95°F or less.
• Mild Symptoms: alert but shivering.
• Moderate to Severe Symptoms: shivering stops; confusion; slurred speech; heart rate/breathing slow; loss of consciousness; death.
• Frostbite
• Body tissues freeze, e.g., hands and feet. Can occur at temperatures above freezing, due to wind chill. May result in amputation.
• Symptoms: numbness, reddened skin develops gray/white patches, feels firm/hard, and may blister.
• Trench Foot (also known as Immersion Foot)
• Non-freezing injury to the foot, caused by lengthy exposure to wet and cold environment. Can occur at air temperature as high as 60°F, if feet are constantly wet.
• Symptoms: redness, swelling, numbness, and blisters.

For more safety tips, visit OSHA’s Winter Weather page.