In 2014, prolonged exposure to cold killed 43 people in the U.S., nearly double the 2013 number. But we refuse to accept this as a mere fact of life. Coupled with the right controls and proper personal protective equipment (PPE), we can reduce this number to where it should be: zero. Prepare yourself to stay compliant and protect your workers when winter’s chill inevitably sets in.
There are no specific cold weather standards for workplaces covered by OSHA. 1910.132 allows an exception to the requirement to provide PPE for workers, stating that employers do not need to provide workers with “ordinary clothing” or gear and clothing that is “used solely for protection from weather, such as winter coats, jackets, gloves, parkas.”