Thermal hazard is the risk of injury from extreme heat or cold, including burns, frostbite, or heat stress.
Any workplace condition capable of causing injury through extreme temperature exposure, including contact burns from hot surfaces, heat stress or heat stroke from high ambient temperatures, and frostbite or hypothermia from cold environments.
Workers in a foundry wear heat-resistant gloves and aprons when handling molten metal, while the facility also schedules rest breaks in cooled areas to prevent heat stress during summer months.
Early signs include excessive sweating, dizziness, muscle cramps, and fatigue, which can progress to heat exhaustion or heat stroke if not addressed promptly.
Common controls include providing insulated clothing, scheduling warm-up breaks, limiting continuous exposure time in cold environments, and training workers to recognize frostbite and hypothermia symptoms.
No, indoor environments like commercial kitchens, foundries, and cold storage facilities also present significant thermal hazards requiring specific controls.
Part of SafetyIQ's EHS glossary: plain-English definitions of workplace health and safety terms.
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