ISO 15743:2008 Targets Risk Management in Cold Workplaces
July 3, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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A new standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides a methodology for assessing risk and managing work in cold environments.
ISO 15743:2008 - Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Cold workplaces - Risk assessment and management describes the methods and practices for assessing and managing occupational health and performance risks in cold workplaces.
The standard describes:
- A model and methods for risk assessment practices in cold work.
- A model and method for occupational health care professionals to identify individuals having symptoms that increase their cold sensitivity, plus guidance and instructions for individual cold protection.
- Guidelines on how to apply different international thermal standards and other validated scientific methods when assessing cold-related risks.
- A model and methods for cold risk management practices.
- Examples of working in cold conditions.
Working in a cold environment can involve several adverse effects on human performance and health, ISO said. These include thermal discomfort, increased strain, decreased performance and cold-related diseases and injuries.
Cold can also interfere with other factors in the workplace, modifying or aggravating the risk of common hazards and increasing the risk of cold-associated injuries.
A number of industries, types of commerce and occupations involve substantial cold exposure. These include:
- Outdoors (such as the construction industry, maintenance of electrical power lines, gas lines, telecommunication systems or road, agriculture and forestry work, fishing industry).
- Indoors (meat processing industry, cold stores in industry and in the transport chain from industry to the shops).
The standard also includes working inside vehicles and inland and offshore work, but it is not applicable to diving or other types of work performed under water.
"ISO 15743:2008 complements a series of ISO standards concerned with work in cold conditions as well as other areas of thermal stress," said Ken Parsons, chair of the ISO subcommittee that developed the standard.
"It supports good occupational health and safety practice and will help developers, manufacturers, management, occupational safety personnel, occupational health care workers and others," he said.
Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).