Cold weather dehydration: The overlooked safety hazard
October 9, 2023
By Kent Precision Foods Group for the Blue Print
By Kent Precision Foods Group for the Blue Print
Most people think of dehydration as a summer hazard, but cold weather also presents workers with a serious dehydration risk.
In this article, we’ll look at how dehydration occurs in colder weather, signs to watch out for, and effective strategies to prevent it. Understanding cold weather dehydrationOn a hot day, the sweat on your skin is a visual cue that you’re losing fluids. In colder, drier air, however, sweat evaporates more quickly and doesn’t accumulate on the skin in the same way. That makes the fluid loss less obvious.
During the winter, the body actually loses more fluid from respiration than on hot days. You can see this fluid loss in real-time by looking at your visible breath in the cold air. The more your body exerts itself, the more water vapor it loses this way. The cold weather also affects the body’s ability to detect thirst (an early sign of dehydration), which means that most people drink significantly less water when it’s cold. Urine output also tends to increase as the cold moves blood and other bodily fluids from your arms and legs to your core. In general, workers who are in cold conditions (indoors or outdoors) for less than two hours are at low risk for dehydration. Workers who spend most of their shift in the cold wearing heavy clothing and doing high intensity activities, however, tend to sweat fairly extensively, putting them at a much greater risk. Examples of occupations with a higher risk of dehydration include, but aren’t limited to:
Older workers are also at greater risk than younger ones, as the body is less able to conserve water and effectively respond to temperature changes as it ages. How to recognize cold weather dehydrationThe signs and symptoms of dehydration vary depending on whether the condition is mild, moderate, or severe.
Signs of mild to moderate dehydration include:
Dehydration that progresses to a more severe state can bring about symptoms including:
While mild to moderate dehydration can be remedied by consuming fluids, severe dehydration may require medical treatment, including intravenous fluid replacement.
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