Frostbite Recognition and First Aid
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- Frostbite occurs when tissue freezes, most commonly in fingers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks. Wind chill dramatically accelerates frostbite — at -10°F with 15 mph wind, frostbite can develop in 30 minutes.
- Early stage (frostnip): skin turns red and feels very cold, then becomes numb. This is reversible with gradual rewarming. Do not rub the affected area — rubbing damages frozen tissue.
- Advanced frostbite: skin turns white or grayish-yellow, feels waxy or hard, and blisters may form. The area feels wooden and the person cannot feel touch. This requires immediate medical attention.
- Rewarm frostbitten tissue by immersing in warm (not hot) water at 100-105°F. Do not rewarm if there is a risk of refreezing — refreezing after thawing causes catastrophic tissue damage.
- Do not pop blisters, apply direct heat (heating pads, campfires), or let the person walk on frostbitten feet unless absolutely necessary for evacuation.
Ask the crew
What is the wind chill today, and can everyone identify the early signs of frostbite?
Standards this talk is built on
- Section 5(a)(1)
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
In Jobsite, workers sign in on their phones in English or Spanish, and you keep who attended, when, and where, with every other talk your crew has had.
Using an AI assistant? Jobsite's free MCP server serves this library, with OSHA rule text, no sign-in: https://jobsitecerts.com/api/mcp/public (/mcp)
Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
© Jobsite. Free to read aloud, print and use in your own crew's safety meetings. Republishing, reselling or bulk-copying these talks is not permitted.