Office Ergonomics Today

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Hypothermia
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Introduction
Dropping temperatures, wind chill, rain, sleet
and snow Cold weather conditions such as these
can leave you feeling chilled to the bone. If
your job requires you to work in cold conditions,
you need to be able to recognize the conditions
that can lead to hypothermia.
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Introduction
Hypothermia is a temperature related disorder
that occurs when exposure to cold causes a
decrease in your internal temperature so that
your normal muscular and brain functions become
impaired.
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Introduction
Your best defense against hypothermia is to be
prepared. Wear the appropriate clothing. Get
adequate food and rest. Avoid smoking, alcohol
and caffeine during exposure to cold. Be able to
recognize the early warning signs of hypothermia,
and know what to do if an emergency occurs.
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What is Hypothermia?
While the average normal human temperature is
about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, that temperature
can vary slightly from person to person. Your
body is capable of maintaining an internal core
temperature between 98.6 and 102.2 degrees
Fahrenheit. When the body begins to lose heat
faster than it can produce it, your temperature
begins to fall and hypothermia can occur.
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What is Hypothermia?
Hypothermia is a cold temperature related
disorder that occurs when exposure to cold causes
a decrease in the core (heart, lungs, and other
organs) temperature to a level that leads to
impairment of your normal muscular and brain
functions.
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What is Hypothermia?
Generally, hypothermia occurs at a core
temperature of about 95 degrees Fahrenheit or
below. In extreme cases, hypothermia can lead to
loss of consciousness, tissue damage, and even
death.
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What is Hypothermia?
This disorder is particularly dangerous because
it affects your brains ability to function
properly. You lose your capacity for good
judgement, reasoning, and mental clarity. You may
not even be able to recognize that you have
symptoms!
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What is Hypothermia?
Causes of Hypothermia
There are many different variables that can lead
to hypothermia. The primary factors include cold,
wind, and wetness. There are two main types of
hypothermia cold exposure and water immersion.
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What is Hypothermia?
Cold Exposure - Exposure to cold temperatures is
an important factor in hypothermia, but it is not
the only factor. In fact, most hypothermia cases
occur at temperatures between 30-50 degrees
Fahrenheit. Windchill is also an important
factor.
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What is Hypothermia?
For example, if the wind is calm but the
temperature is -30 degrees Fahrenheit, exposed
skin may freeze within one minute. But this may
also happen if the wind speed is 10 MPH and
temperature is -10 degrees Fahrenheit. When
wetness is factored in, the effects of cold and
wind are even more chilling.
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What is Hypothermia?
Water Immersion - Hypothermia due to water
immersion, such as falling into a cold lake, is
an even greater danger. The body cools up to 25
times faster in water than in air. This rapid
heat loss speeds up the hypothermia process and
can result in death within minutes.
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What is Hypothermia?
Contributing Factors
Other factors that can contribute to hypothermia
include

• Age
• Body Size
• Physical Condition
• Length of Exposure
• Exhaustion
• Hunger

• Dehydration
• Certain illnesses
• Some medications
• Alcohol intake
• Smoking
• Improper clothing and equipment

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What is Hypothermia?
Time Frame for Hypothermia
It is difficult to identify a specific time frame
for the onset and progression of hypothermia. One
person may develop symptoms faster than another
that same person may also progress through the
stages of hypothermia much more quickly. There
are a few reasons for this
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What is Hypothermia?
Time Frame for Hypothermia

• Physical condition and mental attitude can affect
  the rate of core temperature drop. A person who
  is fit, doesnt panic, and believes he will
  survive may experience a slower drop in core
  temperature than someone who is not as physically
  and psychologically prepared.

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What is Hypothermia?
Time Frame for Hypothermia

• Environmental circumstances vary from one
  situation to another. For example, a water
  temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit drains body
  heat faster than water at 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
  An air temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit may
  be endurable, but with a 25 MPH wind and humidity
  it can be chilling.

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How the Body Loses Heat
To better understand how hypothermia occurs, it
is important to know how the body loses heat.
There are five different ways your body can lose
heat to its surroundings
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How the Body Loses Heat
Respiration
When you breathe cold air into your lungs, it is
warmed to body temperature. You lose heat to the
environment when you exhale the warm air outside
of your lungs. You can reduce the heat loss by
covering your mouth and nose with a scarf or face
mask.
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How the Body Loses Heat
Evaporation
This type of heat loss occurs as the body becomes
hot and you begin to sweat. As the perspiration
reaches the surface and evaporates from the skin,
the body is cooled.
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How the Body Loses Heat
Conduction
Heat loss can also occur when you touch a colder
object. Heat from your body is transferred to
that object. An example would be touching cold
equipment or sitting on the ground.
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How the Body Loses Heat
Radiation
Radiation occurs when heat is radiated outward
from your body to the environment. This can
happen when skin is left uncovered, especially
the head, neck, and hands. Always wear the proper
clothing to prevent excess heat loss from
radiation.
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How the Body Loses Heat
Convection
Convection occurs when cool air or water move
across the body. Body heat is transferred to the
air or water, warming it. When the warm air or
water moves away from the body, the body then
becomes cold.
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How the Body Produces Heat
The human body can easily adjust to minor changes
in temperature for short periods by activating
its thermoregulatory system. The thermoregulatory
system is controlled by the brain, spinal cord,
and a network of nerves throughout the body that
sense temperature.
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How the Body Produces Heat
The brain monitors the difference between the
core(internal) temperature and the peripheral
(skin and muscles) temperature. Messages are sent
to the bodys two nervous systems the somatic
(voluntary) nervous system and the autonomic
(involuntary) nervous system.
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How the Body Produces Heat
Voluntary Response to Cold
The somatic, or voluntary, nervous system
receives thought patterns that give you specific
messages to prevent heat loss. Examples of these
messages might be to build a fire or put on more
clothing. You then decide if you will carry out
those directions.
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How the Body Produces Heat
Involuntary Response to Cold
The automatic, or involuntary, nervous system
controls the bodys internal organs and blood
vessels without our conscious knowledge. For
example, if you fall into an icy pond the heart
speeds up and blood pressure increases. Two
examples of how the body maintains or generates
heat include
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How the Body Produces Heat
Shivering
This is the bodys involuntary contraction and
expansion of muscles to increase heat production
through friction.
Reducing Blood Flow
The body reduces blood flow to the skin and limbs
by constricting blood vessels. The purpose is to
reduce heat loss to the core - the brain, heart,
lungs, and other body organs.
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Before Hypothermia Begins
Mild shivering and cold hands and feet do not
necessarily mean you are hypothermic. These are,
however, early warning signs that you are losing
more heat than you are producing. If you ignore
these signs, you will begin to experience the
early stages of hypothermia.
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Before Hypothermia Begins
Early Warning Signs
You may start to feel tired. Your bodys
metabolism increases to produce heat. This is
noticed as heavier breathing and an increased
pulse rate. Goose bumps appear. Goose bumps form
to hold the hair follicles upright. This
increases their ability to insulate and protect
the body from cold.
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Before Hypothermia Begins
Early Warning Signs
Shivering begins, on and off, as your body
temperature falls below 97 degrees Fahrenheit. At
this point, shivering can be overcome with an
increase in physical activity.
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Before Hypothermia Begins
Early Warning Signs
The body begins to reduce blood flow to the skin
and limbs to reduce heat loss to the bodys core.
Cold, white hands and feet are the first signs
that this is happening.
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Symptoms of Hypothermia
Hypothermia is generally believed to occur when
the core temperature falls to 95 degrees
Fahrenheit or below. However, it is important to
remember that not all victims experience symptoms
at exactly the same temperatures.
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Symptoms of Hypothermia
The response to cold varies depending on health,
age, type of exposure, and physical fitness. Once
hypothermia begins, the symptoms progress
steadily, from mild to severe unless treatment is
received.
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Symptoms of Hypothermia
By identifying the symptoms, you can prevent the
progression and decrease the severity of
hypothermia. Remember, a hypothermia victim may
not realize what is happening.
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Symptoms of Hypothermia
Ignore any pleas to leave me alone, Im okay.
Because hypothermia affects the capacity for good
judgement and mental clarity, you cannot rely on
what a victim tells you. Pay attention to the
symptoms!
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Symptoms of Hypothermia
Mild Hypothermia
At this stage, the victim may appear alert and
able to help himself or herself, but he or she is
experiencing some mild confusion. Restricted
blood flow to the limbs causes a loss of
dexterity in the fingers. Symptoms include
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Symptoms of Hypothermia

• Uncontrolled, violent shivering
• Pain and discomfort in exposed parts
• Muscles become tense
• Skin may be pale, numb, and waxy
• Unable to perform complex tasks with hands (such
  as buttoning your coat)
• Poor muscle coordination
• Tendency to stumble
• Movements become slower and less coordinated
• Difficulty in speech
• Mild confusion victim may appear dazed
• Tendency to become uncooperative or irritable

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Symptoms of Hypothermia
Severe Hypothermia
Severe hypothermia is generally believed to begin
when the core temperature falls to about 91.4
degrees Fahrenheit. This stage includes conscious
victims who experience slurred speech, mental
confusion and drowsiness to victims who may
appear dead but are still alive. Symptoms can
include
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Symptoms of Hypothermia

• Mental confusion
• May show signs of apathy or depression
• Speech is slow, slurred, or vague
• Drowsiness or an overpowering desire to sleep
• Sluggish thinking
• Signs of strange irrational behavior, such as
  undressing
• Shivering slows and stops at about 90 degrees
  Fahrenheit
• Muscles become rigid
• Fixed and dilated pupils
• Pulse rate slows significantly
• Breathing slows, is shallow and erratic

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Symptoms of Hypothermia

• Cold, blue skin
• Eventually victim is unable to walk and may curl
  up in the fetal position to conserve heat.
• Between 89.6 and 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit the
  victim can become semi-comatose.
• Risk of ventricular fibrillation (irregular
  heartbeat) increases.
• At about 86 degrees Fahrenheit the victim can
  sink into a metabolic icebox state. You may not
  be able to determine a pulse, and the victim may
  appear to be dead.
• Eventually, cardiac arrest can occur.

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Treatment
The treatment for hypothermia depends on the
patients condition. Mildly hypothermic victims
who are conscious usually re-warm without
complications once they are removed from the
cold. However, victims of severe hypothermia who
are unconscious often give no indications of
being alive, but still may have vital signs.
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Treatment
Never assume that an unconscious victim is dead
the vital signs may be so weak that you will not
be able to detect them, but the person can still
be alive.
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Treatment
Mild Hypothermia

• Encourage light physical activity to generate
  heat, such as moving the arms and legs or
  walking.
• Get the victim out of the elements to a dry,
  sheltered area.
• Remove any wet clothing and replace with dry
  layers.
• Wrap the person in a blanket. Make sure the head
  and neck are also covered.

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Treatment
Mild Hypothermia

• Apply warm (NOT hot) hot pads, hot water bottles,
  or other objects behind the patients neck and
  under the armpits.
• Provide a warm (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
  non-alcoholic, caffeine-free drink and some high
  energy food.

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Treatment
Severe Hypothermia
It is always best to let the hospital re-warm a
severely hypothermic person. But in some cases
you may not have immediate access to a medical
facility. In these situations, there are some
steps you can take to prevent further heat loss
before medical treatment can be received.
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Treatment
Severe Hypothermia

• If the victim is semi-conscious, try to keep him
  or her awake.
• Unconscious victims should be taken to the
  hospital for treatment as soon as possible.
  Hospitals have specialized equipment that can
  detect vital signs, properly monitor the person,
  and control the re-warming process.

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Treatment
Severe Hypothermia

• Handle the victim as gently as possible. Rough
  handling, in extreme cases, can cause cardiac
  arrest. Keep the patient in a horizontal
  position.
• Remove any wet clothing.
• Apply warm (NOT hot) heat packs or towels to the
  neck, armpits, sides, chest, and groin.

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Treatment
Severe Hypothermia

• Do not try to re-warm the patient in a hurry.
• Place the victim in blankets (or a sleeping bag,
  if available), making sure the blankets are under
  as well as over the victim. Keep the head and
  neck covered.
• Exhale warm air near the persons nose or mouth.

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Treatment
Severe Hypothermia

• Do NOT warm or rub the victims arms or legs.
  This may bring cold blood from the bodys surface
  to the core (heart and lungs) and can cause a
  cardiac arrest.
• Do not give a victim of severe hypothermia who is
  semiconscious any liquids.
• Do NOT begin CPR unless you are absolutely sure
  the victim is in a state of cardiac arrest.

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Prevention
The best prevention against hypothermia is to be
prepared. Your main goal is to prevent fatigue
while remaining warm and dry.
Clothing
To dress properly for cold conditions, you need
to understand that the higher the wind speed and
the lower the temperatures, the greater danger to
exposed skin. For example, if the temperature is
-30 degrees Fahrenheit with no wind, exposed skin
may freeze within one minute.
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Prevention
Clothing
This could also happen if the temperature is -10
degrees Fahrenheit with a wind speed of 10 MPH.
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Prevention

• Wear several layers of clothing, rather than one
  bulky layer, so you can remove a layer when you
  become to warm. The layer closest to your skin
  should be made of material that allows sweat to
  escape while keeping out environmental moisture.
• Synthetic materials such as polypropylene and
  Gortex are good for this (cotton traps moisture).
  Wool is a good choice for the second layer
  because it can absorb much moisture before it
  loses its ability to insulate. Wear waterproof,
  wind resistant clothing for the outer layer if
  you will be in wet conditions.

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Prevention

• Do not wear clothing that is tight or constricts
  your movements.
• Hands and feet are affected most during cold
  conditions. Wear well insulated gloves, mittens
  and boots. Wear two layers of socks a synthetic
  material under wool.
• Always keep your head and neck covered. Up to 50
  percent of heat loss occurs through the head and
  neck! A wool knit cap or a liner under a hard hat
  can greatly reduce heat loss.

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Prevention
Keep Dry

• Wet clothing increases heat loss. Replace wet
  layers as soon as possible. In very cold
  temperatures, changing clothes can increase heat
  loss, so be careful. If you cant change clothes
  indoors, the it may be better to just put on more
  clothes on top of those you are already wearing.
• If possible, always bring an extra set of
  clothing with you in case your clothes become wet.

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Prevention
Food, Fluids Fitness

• Eat balanced meals with plenty of carbohydrates
  and drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic and
  caffeine-free) to prevent dehydration.
• Avoid caffeine in cold weather. Caffeine is a
  diuretic it causes increased urine production,
  which leads to increased heat loss. It also
  causes dehydration.
• Avoid alcohol in cold weather. A common mistaken
  belief is that alcohol will keep you warm in cold
  weather. That is NOT true. Alcohol dilates the
  blood vessels and causes blood to move away from
  the bodys core.

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Prevention
Food, Fluids Fitness

• Avoid nicotine and tobacco. They cause the blood
  vessels to constrict, increasing the risk of
  frostbite.
• Physical fitness and regular exercise can improve
  your tolerance to cold conditions.

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Prevention
Frequent Breaks

• If you will be working in a cold environment,
  take frequent breaks to provide relief from the
  cold, and when you experience uncontrolled
  shivering, increased perspiration, or feel
  numbness or pain in the extremities. Know your
  physical limits.

Buddy System

• Always try to work in pairs and rely on the
  buddy system in cold environment. Be aware of
  any possible warning signs of hypothermia in your
  co-worker. If you notice any, get him or her
  indoors as soon as possible to warm up.

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Prevention
Cold Water Survival

• Always wear a personal floatation device (PFD)
  when you will be on the water. If you fall into
  cold water, the PFD will help keep you afloat,
  allowing you to conserve some of your energy.
• Water safety experts recommend that persons in
  dangerously cold water should not swim or move
  around any more than necessary. Swimming and
  treading water consumes more energy, causes
  fatigue, and increases heat loss.

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Prevention
Cold Water Survival

• One position to use when in cold water is to draw
  your knees up, keeping your thighs together, and
  crossing your ankles. Keep your arms crossed
  close to your chest. This position reduces heat
  loss.
• Try to keep your head out of the water as much as
  possible to prevent further heat loss.

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