Cold Water Immersion
Falling into cold water is more dangerous than most people think. The first minute can bring uncontrollable gasping that fills the lungs with water. Within ten minutes your arms and legs weaken so you can't swim. Hypothermia takes longer. A life jacket and a plan to get out of the water within ten minutes save lives for workers on boats, docks, bridges, pipelines and ice.
- Marine & Dock Workers
- Bridge & Pier Crews
- Fishers & Boaters
- Utility & Pipeline Crews
- Anyone Working Near Water
The stages of cold water immersion
Cold water doesn't have to be icy. Water below about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 C) can cause these effects, and the colder the water the faster they happen. Safety experts teach the 1-10-1 principle:
| Stage | Time | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold shock | First 1 minute | Sudden gasping, rapid breathing, high heart rate and blood pressure. Inhaling water can cause drowning even for strong swimmers | Stay calm and control your breathing. Keep your airway clear, float with a life jacket |
| Cold incapacitation (swim failure) | About 10 minutes of meaningful movement | Cooling arms and legs lose strength and coordination, and you can no longer swim or grip | Use the time to get out of the water or onto something that floats. |
| Hypothermia | About 1 hour or more | Core body temperature drops. Confusion, drowsiness and unconsciousness follow. Time varies a lot with water temperature, body size and clothing | Stay as still as possible in the HELP position, wait for rescue |
Who is at risk
- Workers on or near water: boats, barges, docks, bridges, piers, pipelines, water treatment plants and dams. See Shipyard Workers.
- Workers on ice or near open water in winter. See Ice Safety.
- Anyone who falls from a boat or through ice, or who is swept into a flood. See Water Rescue.
Prevent and prepare
- Wear a properly fitted life jacket (PFD) every time you work near or on cold water. It keeps your airway above water during cold shock and when you lose strength. Choose one rated for the work, and consider work vests with inflatable or foam buoyancy. See Hand Protection and Water Rescue for rescue gear.
- Dress for the water, not just the air: wear insulating layers that stay warm when wet, and a dry suit or immersion suit where required. Avoid heavy cotton and rubber boots that fill with water.
- Use fall protection and guardrails on docks, barges and bridges. See Fall Protection Basics.
- Never work alone near cold water. Use the buddy system, carry a way to call for help and have a rescue plan and equipment on site (ring buoys, throw ropes, reaching poles, boats).
- Know how to get out: have ladders, ramps or ropes at the water's edge.
- Train for self-rescue and rescue practice.
If you fall in
- Don't panic. Resist the urge to gasp, wait for the breathing to calm within about a minute.
- Float, keep your head up and call for help. Orient yourself and swim to the nearest safe exit or floating object.
- If you can't get out, stay still in the HELP position (heat escape lessening posture: knees up to chest, arms across chest) in a life jacket to preserve heat. Huddle together with others.
- On breaking through ice, kick your legs, pull yourself out onto the ice forward and roll away from the hole.
Rescuing someone
- Reach, throw, don't go. Use a pole, rope or ring buoy. Do not jump in unless you are trained and equipped, because cold shock can disable you too.
- Call 911 and keep watching the victim. Get them out of the water, remove wet clothing and wrap them in dry blankets, handling them gently.
- Treat for hypothermia: warm the core with blankets and warm (not hot) drinks if conscious. Don't rub limbs. Start CPR if there is no breathing, and use an AED. See Cold Stress and CPR & AED.
- Anyone pulled from cold water needs medical care, even if they feel fine. Lung and heart effects can be delayed.
Cold water checklist
- I wear a fitted life jacket and appropriate layers near cold water
- I never work alone near water, and I have a way to call for help
- Ring buoys, ropes and exits are in place
- I know the 1-10-1 rule and how to float and get out
- I reach or throw rather than jump in to rescue
Standards & references
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