12.2.2.2-2 Engineering Controls

Engineering controls should be applied where cold may impair the effectiveness or threaten the wellbeing of workers.

Additional Information: Engineering controls increase the amount of heat received by the worker or insulate the worker from the cold; examples include providing space heaters or wind breaks and insulating tool handles or valve handwheels. In addition, equipment handles and latches and panel switches and pushbuttons should be operable with gloved hands if located in areas where workers may be exposed to cold. In general, when monitoring, servicing, repairing, or other similar maintenance tasks are to be performed in areas in which the temperature will drop below 18 degrees C (65 degrees F), air heating should be provided if maintenance tasks are conducted in a shirtsleeve environment. In addition, work practices should be adopted to minimize risk caused by cold exposure that cannot be eliminated by engineering controls. Examples of administrative controls include scheduling outdoor maintenance for warmer seasons or times of day, assigning more workers to a job to reduce the duration of the exposure to cold, and allowing workers to take a break in warm areas when needed. Insulated clothing, hats, and gloves should be provided to workers who are exposed to cold. The need to remove gloves to perform certain tasks should be considered, and engineering and administrative controls should be applied accordingly. Under extremely cold conditions, or where there is significant wind-chill [below

12 degrees C (–10.4 degrees F)], design for operations and maintenance should accommodate the requirements of special gloves or other protective equipment.1472G, 0700, 5680