Immersion/Trench Foot
Trench foot is a non-freezing injury of the feet caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions.
What are thesymptoms of trench foot?
Reddening skin, tingling, pain, swelling, leg cramps, numbness, and blisters.
First Aid
- Remove wet shoes/boots and wet socks.
- Dry the feet and avoid working on them.
- Keep affected feet elevated and avoid walking. Get medical attention.
Frostbite
Frostbite is caused by the freezing of the skin and tissues. Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the body, and in severe cases can lead to amputation. Frostbite typically affects the extremities, particularly the face, ears, fingers and toes.
What are the symptoms of frostbite?
Reddened skin develops gray/white patches in the fingers, toes, nose, or ear lobes; tingling, aching, a loss of feeling, firm/hard, and blisters may occur in the affected areas.
First Aid
- Protect the frostbitten area, e.g., by wrapping loosely in a dry cloth and protect the area from contact until medical help arrives.
- DO NOT rub the affected area, because rubbing causes damage to the skin and tissue.
- Do not apply snow or water. Do not break blisters.
- DO NOT try to re-warm the frostbitten area before getting medical help.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F. Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F) if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water.
What are the symptoms of hypothermia?
Mild Hypothermia:Alert but Shivering
Moderate to Severe Hypothermia:shivering stops; confusion; slurred speech; heart rate/breathing slow; loss of consciousness; death.
First Aid
- Call 911 immediately in an emergency.
- To prevent further heat loss:
- Move the worker to a warm place.
- Change to dry clothes.
- Cover the body (including the head and neck) with blankets, and with something to block the cold (e.g., tarp, garbage bag). Do not cover the face.
- If medical help is more than 30 minutes away:
- Give warm, sweetened drinks if alert (no alcohol).
- Apply heat packs to the armpits, sides of chest, neck, and groin.
