Cold Stress

Cold stress occurs when your body begins to lose heat faster than it is produced and your body's core temperature drops below normal. Cold stress can lead to serious health problems and may even cause death.

So, how cold is too cold? This answer varies across different areas of the country. Some regions are not used to cold temperatures, and any temperatures near freezing can be considered extreme cold. Other regions experience cold temperatures frequently and have a higher tolerance for what they might consider "too cold." This is because the body acclimatizes to temperatures over time. For example, acclimatized fish processing workers can fillet fish with their hands in near-freezing water, which would be painful to a non-acclimatized person. However, research suggests that the body does not adapt as well to cold as it does to heat.

To learn more about Cold Stress Safety visit our Cold Stress, Illness & Injury Safety Online Training web page.