Reactions to hand cooling in workers occupationally exposed to cold.

Abstract

ENANDER A, SKOLDSTROM B, HOLMER I. Reactions to hand cooling in workers occupationally exposed to cold. Scand j work environ health 6 (1980) 58-65. Ten men occupationally exposed to cold and ten office workers participated in the study. Reactions to immersion of the hands in cold water (+ lOoC) for 2 min were studied during the following 30 min at two different ambient temperatures, 10 and 20 o C. Hand skin temperature was recorded in thermograms, and the subjects rated cold sensation and pain. Considerable interindividual differences in hand skin temperature reaction were found in both groups. On the average the occupationally exposed workers had a somewhat higher hand skin temperature than the office workers during the recovery period in the lOoC ambient temperature, although the difference did not reach significance. The office workers rated significantly greater cold sensation as a result of the cold immersion, especially during an ambient temperature of lOoC, and the frequency of pain ratings was higher for this group. The results suggest that cooling among the occupationally exposed workers at work was not severe enough to produce physiological adaptations, although some psychological adaptation was indicated.

Homeostatic Responses to Prolonged Cold Exposure: Human Cold Acclimatization

“…Fish filleters, who worked each day with one ungloved hand immersed in ice water, showed a similarly enhanced ability to maintain higher finger and hand temperatures during immersion of the hand in cold water compared to control subjects (54). Slaughter house workers who handle cold meat throughout their daily workshift showed a tendency for a similar adjustment, but differences between their responses and those of control subjects did not achieve statistical significance (19), possibly reflecting less severe hand cooling compared to the people who must immerse their hands in cold water. To some extent, the maintenance of warmer skin during cold exposure is mediated by region-specific adaptations, that is, adjustments in local regulation of 0 hand blood flow.…”

Moderate cold exposure in the Faroe fishing industry.

“…In addition they reported pain below 20°C and distinctly experienced it below 16°C (6). However, daily or repeated immersion in cold or warm water will reduce the skin response, pain sensation, and impact on performance (7)(8)(9) . A subjective scaling of pain was con- …”

Thermal stress and human performance.

“…Conversely, while instances of improved manual performance have been demonstrated among subjects familiar with cold exposure, concomitant physiological changes have not necessarily been established. There is some evidence of psychological adaptation to cold in that subjects accustomed to cold exposure may experience less discomfort than unaccustomed subjects at equivalent skin temperatures (15).…”