Applicable Regulations

OSHA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA is charged with the enforcement of safety and health conditions of workers through the use of regulations and by providing for research, information, education, and training.

OSHA regulations are published in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910 for General Industry. OSHA does not have a specific standard for working in cold environments. However, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act states that employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. This includes cold temperature-related hazards. One of ways employers can protect employees from cold temperature-related hazards is to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), which is covered in 29 CFR 1910.132.

OSHA has no specific regulations that determine cold temperature exposure limits.

To learn more about Cold Stress Safety visit our Cold Stress, Illness & Injury Safety Online Training web page.