According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Outdoor work requires proper preparation in severe winter weather conditions. While there is no OSHA specific standard that covers working in cold environments, employers have a responsibility to provide workers with a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards, including winter weather related hazards.

In our last cold weather Blog, OSHA Cold Weather Requirements, we talked about the  standards that (OSHA) adopted for cold weather gear that keeps employees safe and warm on the job during the winter months. Today we’ll look at temporary heating for the job site from electric heaters.

Safety is always the top issue when using any type of cold weather heating for a job site. Listed below are the most important factors to take into consideration before adding an electric heating device to the working environment:

• Temporary electrical power is just as important as power installed for permanent installation. Don’t cut corners just because the power is temporary.
• Use the proper equipment in temporary installations. If the cable is exposed to wet and damp locations during use make sure that it is rated for outdoor environment use. Don’t use lower priced indoor cable.
• Hire a "Qualified Person" as defined by OSHA and NFPA standards to install, connect, and service the temporary wiring installation.
• when using portable cords, a Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) must be used to supply the cord.  Due to the complexity of a GFCI, it is necessary to test the device on a regular basis. Temporary portable type GFCI's should be tested each time before use.

Keeping your crew warm and safe during cold weather is an essential OSHA directive. BlackHawk Industrial Supply offers a large inventory of electric heaters that include everything from portable electric heaters to hazardous location heaters to electric washdown heaters and everything in between.  

Please visit the heaters’ section on our website for more product information. Our trained professionals at BlackHawk Industrial are happy to help you with any of your HVAC Equipment questions.

We welcome you to contact us here:  https://www.bhid.com/ContactUs or call us TOLL FREE at (855) 610-1001.