There is a very good reason why companies make sure their workforce is wearing the correct warmwear clothing in cold or freezing environments – because low temperatures can inflict a significant amount of damage on the human body in the short or long term. This is why it is vital that you wrap up warm if you are regularly exposed to cold temperature either at work or in your daily life.
There are a whole host of problems that can occur due to acute or prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Many of these problems are explored in greater detail below so you can see just how vital it is to have adequate warmwear.
MILD HEALTH PROBLEMS
Not all problems due to cold exposure need to be as severe as frostbite or hypothermia to wreak havoc on your body. Even just an hour or two’s exposure to cold temperatures can lead to problems such as swelling and soreness which will get worse and worse if you don’t do anything about it and continue to suffer from the cold.
Being wet in cold environments can be even more dangerous, which is why many companies also emphasise waterproof clothing alongside thermal wear. One of the more common conditions afflicting people is immersion foot which is caused when feet are consistently damp, something that can occur frequently if you are often working in rain or wet conditions.
In such cases, a reliable pair of boots would be able to prevent moisture absorption into the feet and keep them warm.
POTENTIALLY SEVERE CONDITIONS
If you are subjected to prolonged cold exposure or find yourself in extreme environments without the correct thermalwear, there are a number of severe health problems that could occur. One of the most common is hypothermia when the body temperatures drops and numerous symptoms begin to afflict the body including shivering, exhaustion and even a loss of consciousness in the early stages.
Frostbite is another potential problem with severe exposure to the cold. Even if most of your body is effectively wrapped up, leaving small sections unprotected such as your hands or feet can lead to frostbite. The early stage of frostbite is fairly easy to treat, but if the problem develops it can cause permanent damage to the skin and body.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT WARMWEAR
Given the dangers of not staying warm in low temperatures, you will need to invest in some reliable warmwear to protect you whether you’re working in cold temperatures or find yourself out and about a lot in your daily life. FlexiTog are a leading provider of thermalwear perfect for you whether you’re on the job or out of work.
The most important thing to remember is to avoid incomplete coverage as you don’t want some areas keeping warm and others exposed to the cold. When it comes to the level of thermalwear you will need, you also need to consider whether you will primarily be stationary or active in the cold as strenuous physical activity itself can warm the body up so you won’t need as much insulation.