Cody Douglas,  Kelley Hull,  Taylor Lacey
Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699
 

Abstract

    Construction and medical rescue workers are often exposed to severely cold temperatures in winter while performing daily tasks for work. When the body is exposed to cold temperatures, a change in the body’s homeostasis and motor function occurs to adapt to the environment. Such physiological changes include a change in blood pressure, heart rate, grip strength, and reaction time to an external stimulus due to a distraction by the cold temperature. These changes can endanger the workers as they are more prone to work-related accidents when these physiological changes occur. In medical rescue workers, this also puts their patients in danger, as the workers may be more accident prone under these conditions. To further understand the extent of the physiological change, a hand dynamometer was used to test grip strength while blood pressure was measured by a sphygmomanometer. Other physiological parameters measured included heart rate through the use of a pulse transducer, and reaction time through the use of a push button switch. These parameters were measured before and after a minute long exposure to a cold water bucket or room temperature water bucket. The results did not coincide with the physiological changes expected to occur within the body when exposed to a cold stimulus; this may be due to the cold stimulus being given to a localized area rather than a whole-body exposure. Understanding physiological tendencies after exposure to a cold stimulus can further be applied to recognizing safety hazards for workers in a cold environment.