Extreme temperature protections for landscaping employees

July 14, 1992

Mr. Joseph Peake
[Recipient identifier and address omitted]
Dear Mr. Peake:

This is in response to your letter of June 14, requesting information covering Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards applicable to landscaping employees working in extreme temperatures.

The general requirements at 1910.132 in Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment, and the sanitation requirements at 1910.141 in Subpart J, General Environmental Controls, contain standards which are applicable to landscaping employees working in extreme temperatures. By the proposed rule, published in the Federal Register Volume 54, Number 159 on Wednesday, August, 1989 (copy enclosed), OSHA intends to revise portions of the general industry standard addressing personal protective equipment (PPE), including clarification of 1910.132. The proposed 1910.132(d) paragraph would be added to require employers to select PPE for their employees based on an assessment of the hazards in the workplace and the hazards employees are likely to encounter. Because OSHA is aware that some employees are responsible for obtaining their own PPE, the proposed provision requires employers to inform their employees of the selection decisions and ensure, regardless of who obtains it, the correct PPE is, in fact, obtained. This provision covers selection of all personal protective equipment.

Enclosed for your information is a copy of the heat stress chapter of the OSHA Technical Manual. On page 3-11 of this chapter is a bibliography which includes Standards for Occupation Exposures to Hot Environments: Proceedings of a Symposium which may be of interest to you. This is a 15 page booklet which may be obtained free of charge from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Publications, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.

Thank you for your interest in occupational safety and health. If we may be of further assistance, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Raymond E. Donnelly, Director
Office of General Industry
Compliance Assistance