Working in environments of extreme temperature present unique safety issues that have an impact not only on the way a job is done, but also the hazards an individual completing the job is exposed to.

Cold environments can be particularly dangerous, making it essential that measures are taken to control the hazards associated with low temperatures.

There are a wide range of health risks that can result from working in cold environments.

Some of the main hazards that cold environments pose are the temperature, the wind speed and moisture levels.

These hazards can pose an increased risk based on the type of activity being performed, the duration of the activity, the duration of the exposure to the cold and the health and fitness of the individual performing the task.

Without applying the appropriate control measures, these hazards could result in health issues such as frostbite, hypothermia, trench foot and cold muscles.

Frostbite is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues which can lead to mild tissue damage or severe tissue loss.

Hypothermia can happen when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. This may cause an individual's body to no longer function normally and can lead to death.