Extreme Cold Exposure and Lone Workers: Beyond Frostbite

Cold stress goes deeper than frostbite. For lone workers, prolonged exposure can impair physical and cognitive performance—creating hidden safety risks when no one is there to help.

• By Gen Handley
• Oct 22, 2025

The occupational hazard of frostbite goes only skin deep. Within the special circumstances of working alone and in isolation, that is meant both literally and figuratively. During the winter, lone workers face safety hazards that are not only physical and typically associated with winter work (like frostbite and hypothermia), but are non-physical and cognitive, requiring a combination of awareness, planning and consistent use of protocols (some creativity may be required).  

Physiological and performance impacts of prolonged cold exposure

In short periods of time, people can work in cold conditions as long as they are protected and prepared properly. However, during long periods of cold exposure for which they are not ready, lone employees can experience serious negative impacts on their physical and cognitive performance, including decision-making and reaction times.

Impacts on physical performance

The most obvious effects of prolonged cold exposure are how it can slow performance while at work and particularly among lone workers, unknowingly doing so without the supervision of a coworker or manager. The specific impacts can include:

• Extreme muscle stiffness with reduced dexterity and musculoskeletal strain/injuries from chilled muscles
• Dehydration risk and cold-induced diuresis
• Increased fatigue and reduced strength
• Increased risk of slips and falls
• Slower reaction times

Impacts on cognitive and decision-making performance

The less obvious effects of long-term exposure from working in the cold are psychological, harming the lone worker’s mind rather than their body. Research has established that “prolonged exposure to cold air can impair reaction time and cognitive function, which can lead to serious consequences.” The result are potential impacts on the lone workers’ mental health and how they function including:

• Impaired and limited attention focus
• Substandard work quality
• Inconsistent and patchy working memory
• Communication challenges
• Increased risk of error, missed alerts, increased decision delays

There is a dangerous combo effect. Physical decline with negative mental decline compounds safety risk for lone workers in these conditions.

The unique risks for lone workers in cold environments

In addition to this “combo effect”, lone workers are at risk of unique cold safety hazards that employees in teams or pairs do not need to worry about. They go to work with the risk of facing additional safety hazards and challenges in cold conditions, such as:

• Absence of direct supervision or coworker support and help
• Magnification of consequences and injuries from simple accidents like slips and falls, medical events or cognitive lapses.
• Delay and challenges in emergency or SOS alerts response or communication in remote, cold regions
• Battery-life degradation and wear in devices due to cold temperature or moisture
• Missed or forgotten safety protocols like check-ins with supervisor in cold regions
• Stress and depression from prolonged periods of isolation and working alone

Real-time monitoring and wearable technologies for cold stress

It is physically impossible for managers and supervisors to be able to support and monitor all of their lone workers for all the psychological and physical winter hazards previously mentioned. It is possible, however, through the use of safety technology and a simple plan personalized to your company’s safety challenges, it is possible to manage and mitigate these possible risks facing lone workers who are in cold environments for extended periods; they deserve – and need – the extra preparation.

Physiological monitoring wearables: These devices measure employee metrics such as skin and core temperature, heart rate, ECG, galvanic skin response, as well as lack of motion or inactivity if they are not moving. This includes innovative epidermal sensors and e-textiles or “skin-like” sensors for embedding physiological monitoring in clothing layers.

In-device lone worker safety apps: These technologies monitor the worker’s location and safety through a predefined check-in schedule, providing constant connectivity between the lone worker and their supervisor or safety contact. Lone worker apps do not require any additional hardware and can be downloaded onto the worker’s current smartphone.

Environmental sensors and microclimate monitoring: These devices monitor important environmental conditions like the ambient temperature around the lone worker, wind chill, humidity, and radiant cooling. It allows monitors to react quickly, in real time, to extreme heat or cold changes.

Emergency response and communication tools for winter fieldwork

Additionally, lone workers must have an emergency response plan with a reliable communication network in place to truly work safely in the cold. Every organization is different; however, it is crucial to have the following provisions in place for reliable communication, monitoring, and compliance:

• Satellite, GPS devices, or tracking systems
• Panic, SOS or emergency distress button devices
• Two-way communication for remote locations outside of cell service
• Lone worker rescue coordination and response protocols

Implementation considerations and best safety practices

None of these technologies or tools are effective if they are not implemented and introduced thoughtfully and proactively. Leading up to the winter months, consider these safety practices to help strengthen safety culture:

Early, preemptive hazard risk assessment: Document cold hazards and exposure amounts to lone workers

Train users: Train lone workers on specific device alerts mean, how to respond in certain cold-related situations, and maintain technology and battery life in the cold.

Educate and communicate about protocols: Talk to employees about the benefits of upcoming cold weather safety protocols, including safety technologies; provide a risk matrix for cold exposure versus lone worker status.

Prepare devices and equipment: “Device ruggedization” and waterproof your technology with cold-resistant batteries and low-temperature electronics.

Prepare work vehicles and transportation: Begin to look at work vehicles to determine if they are safe for winter conditions and require maintenance like winter tires or needs cold-grade fluids like winter windshield washer fluid.

Incorporate the four industrial hygiene principles: Try to implement the effective four industrial hygiene principles of anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control into your lone worker safety program.

Talk about transparency: People can be skeptical of new monitoring tools and devices. If introducing a new lone worker monitoring technology, educate staff beforehand about transparency and when they will be monitored.

Some hazards are only surface level

When working alone, and in challenging conditions like the prolonged cold, the occupational hazards are deeper and harder to detect. During the winter, physical hazards are only part of the risk for lone workers – they must deal with the dangerous physical-cognitive combo and being alone.

The good news is that cognizant employers can proactively help their lone workers by recognizing this ahead of time and implementing real-time monitoring systems and solid internal communications as well as safety protocols and response infrastructure that protects and acts now.