Cold stress

Cold-stress prevention scores cold-work conditions using the National Weather Service wind-chill temperature (the 2001 NWS formula; at wind speeds of 3 mph or less the wind chill is just the air temperature). Cold-stress controls are required at a wind chill of 20 °F or below, and high-risk frostbite procedures apply at −18 °F or below.

Record an assessment

1. Go to Cold stress and use the Record an assessment form at the bottom of the page.
2. Pick the Site and Area, then enter the air temperature (°F) and wind speed (mph).
3. Tick each provision that is in place — warming shelter, warm/dry clothing, work/warm-up schedule, training, emergency response, and buddy system.
4. Choose Record. The system computes the wind chill and a frostbite-risk band.

Read the results

• The table lists each assessment with its wind chill and risk band, newest first. Filter by Site at the top.
• The band follows the NWS frostbite chart: Low above −18 °F, Moderate at −18 °F and below (frostbite in about 30 minutes), High at −32 °F and below (about 10 minutes), Severe at −48 °F and below (about 5 minutes).
• At a wind chill of 20 °F or below, five provisions are required: warming shelter, warm/dry clothing, work/warm-up schedule, training, and emergency response. At −18 °F or below the buddy system is required as well.
• A red row is deficient — it lists exactly which required provisions are missing. An amber row means high-risk frostbite procedures apply but nothing required is missing.

Correct a gap

A deficient row shows a CAPA button — use it to raise a corrective action for the missing provisions. Once raised, the row links to the CAPA so you can track it to closure.

What happens automatically

• The wind chill and risk band are computed for you from temperature and wind speed.
• The dashboard counts cold-stress assessments, frostbite-risk assessments, and deficient assessments.

Tip: only cold conditions require provisions — assessments above the 20 °F wind-chill trigger show provisions as "n/a" and never flag as deficient. For the hot end of the year, see heat illness.

Related

• Heat illness — Companion thermal-stress program for hot conditions
• Job hazard analysis — Identify cold-work step hazards and controls
• Risk assessments — Rate cold-exposure task hazards and residual risk
• CAPA (corrective & preventive actions) — Track the corrective actions that close gaps