Temperature extremes pose serious threat of injury, including death, in the workplace. Effective control of these extremes will be managed through proper work preparation, work planning and physical conditioning. Both extreme cold and extreme heat situations will be evaluated to control employee work related risk of injury and/or illness.
Although cold stress is generally less of a hazard in Oklahoma than heat stress, it too has the potential to cause serious injury or even death. Cold stress can result in frozen skin, other physical discomfort, irritability, reduced judgment, slower physical and mental reaction times as well as a potentially fatal lowering of the normal body temperature. Cold and icy weather also increases the frequency of injuries from slips and falls.