OSHA 10-Hour Construction ReviewHealth Hazards in ConstructionMedium
During a construction project, workers are exposed to extreme cold temperatures, leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and pale or waxy-looking skin, particularly on fingers and toes. Which cold-related condition are these symptoms most indicative of?
- AChilblains
- BFrostnip
- CTrench foot
- DHypothermia
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Frostnip
Numbness, tingling, and pale/waxy skin, especially on extremities, are classic signs of frostnip, which is a mild, reversible form of frostbite where only the surface skin tissue freezes.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Chilblains are small, itchy, red patches on the skin, often on extremities, that develop after exposure to cold, but typically not numbness or waxy skin.
- C. Trench foot (immersion foot) results from prolonged exposure to wet and cold, not necessarily freezing, conditions and involves blistering, redness, and decay.
- D. Hypothermia involves a dangerously low core body temperature, characterized by shivering, confusion, and loss of coordination.
Frostnip Symptoms
Frostnip is a mild cold injury characterized by numbness, tingling, or stinging in the affected area, and pale or waxy-looking skin, typically on extremities.
- Superficial skin freezing.
- No permanent tissue damage.
- Often affects fingers, toes, ears, nose.
Memory trick: Cold: Numb, Pale, Shiver, Wet.