National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN ISO 15743:2008.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee PH/9/1, Thermal environments.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 November 2008

Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

ISO 15743 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee SC 5, Ergonomics of the physical environment.

Introduction

This International Standard is one of a series of thermal standards (see Clause 2 and the Bibliography) intended to be used in the assessment and management of work in the cold, i.e. in conditions that cause uncomfortable sensations of cool or cold. In light physical work, these conditions can occur at 10 °C or below.

A number of industries, types of commerce and occupations involve substantial cold exposure, outdoors or indoors, where individual workers can also be exposed to windy and/or wet conditions. Working in cold environments can involve several adverse effects on human performance and health: thermal discomfort, increased strain, decreased performance and cold-related diseases and injuries. Cold can also interfere with several other factors in the workplace, modifying or aggravating the risk of common hazards and increasing the risk of cold-associated injuries.

Due to the negative impact of cold on human health and performance, as well as on work productivity, quality and safety, a comprehensive strategy of risk assessment and management practices and methods is needed for work in cold environments.

Even though some of the standards referred to above describe specific methods (instruments and indices) to be used to assess the required insulation of clothing for different cold exposures (see ISO 11079), or physiological and psychological consequences related to different thermal exposures, an instruction of practical application for cold working environments is lacking.

This International Standard was created to specify methods and practices for assessing and managing occupational health and performance risks in cold work. The choice of when these are to be used is at the discretion of those responsible for occupational health and/or safety.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 21 June 2008.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Foreword

This document (EN ISO 15743:2008) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159 "Ergonomics" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 122 “Ergonomics” the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by January 2009, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by January 2009.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Endorsement notice

The text of ISO 15743:2008 has been approved by CEN as a EN ISO 15743:2008 without any modification.

1 Scope

This International Standard presents a strategy and practical tools for assessing and managing cold risk in the workplace, and includes

models and methods for cold risk assessment and management,
a checklist for identifying cold-related problems at work,
a model, method and questionnaire intended for use by occupational health care professionals in identifying those individuals with symptoms that increase their cold sensitivity and, with the aid of such identification, offering optimal guidance and instructions for individual cold protection,
guidelines on how to apply thermal standards and other validated scientific methods when assessing cold-related risks, and
a practical example from cold work.

This International Standard supports good occupational health and safety (OHS). It is applicable to both indoor and outdoor work situations — indoor work includes work done inside vehicles, outdoor work both inland and offshore work — but is not applicable to diving situations or other types of work performed underwater.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Strategy for assessment and management

4.1 Cold risk assessment

4.2 Health assessment

4.3 Cold risk management

5 Practices for cold risk assessment and management

5.1 Responsibilities

5.2 Cold risk assessment

5.3 Cold risk management

Bibliography

BS EN ISO 15743:2008

Ergonomics of the thermal environment. Cold workplaces. Risk assessment and management

Current

Published:

30 Nov 2008