A timeline for hand function following exposure to 2 °C water

Publication date: July 2019Source: International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, Volume 72Author(s): Matthew Ray, Cecilia Power, Tammy Luscombe, Amber Jones, Heather CarnahanAbstractIn some regions of the North Atlantic Ocean water temperatures are close to 0 °C for half of the year. Individuals who work in this extremely cold water environment will experience hand temperatures that are associated with reduced hand function (e.g. < 8 °C). Despite this reality there is a paucity of research that indicates how long individuals can work in extremely cold waters before their hand temperature drops below the critical thresholds for hand function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the timeline for hand function following exposure to 2 °C water. Participants immersed their hands in 2 °C water and then fine manual dexterity and tactile sensitivity were assessed every 30 s until the index finger temperature dropped below the critical temperature threshold. The results showed that the initial impairment in tactile sensitivity and fine manual dexterity occurred very quickly (90 s of exposure) and the critical temperature threshold was passed at approximately 120 s. These findings demonstrate that hand function will start to deteriorate in less than 2 min during exposure to extremely cold water and therefore the time window for safe and effective use of the hands in cold water is extremely short. Knowledge concerning the timeline for hand function...
Source: International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics - Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research