| (1) | Subject to the provisions of subregulation (2), no employer shall require or permit an employee to work in an environment in which the time-weighted average dry-bulb temperature taken over a period of four hours is less than 6°C, unless the employer takes reasonable measures to protect such employee against the cold and further takes all precautions necessary for the safety of such employee: Provided that, where outdoor work is performed, the employer shall take such measures and such precautions in an environment in which the actual dry-bulb temperature is less than 6°C at any time. |
[Regulation 2(1) substituted by regulation 2 of Notice No. R. 1754 dated 18 August 1989]
| (2) | No employer shall require or permit an employee to work in a refrigerated environment in which the actual dry-bulb temperature is below 0°C unless— |
| (a) | the maximum exposure of the employee does not exceed the periods as indicated in the following table : |
Temperature °C
|
Maximum exposure
|
0° to -18° degrees
|
No limit.
|
Lower than -18° but not lower than -34° degrees
|
Maximum continuous exposure during each hour: 50 minutes. After every exposure in a low-temperature area at least 10 minutes must be spent, under supervisions, in a comfortably warm environment.
|
Lower than -34° but not lower lower than -57°
|
Two periods of 30 minutes each, at least 4 hours apart. Total low- temperature exposure: 1 hour per day.
|
Lower than -57°
|
Maximum permissible exposure = 5 minutes during any 8-hour period.
|
| (b) | the employee is provided with the following protective clothing: |
| (i) | A nylon freezer suit or equivalent and, where the said temperature is below -34°C, such suit or equivalent shall be of double layer; |
| (ii) | a woolen Balaclava or equivalent; |
| (iii) | fur-lined leather gloves or equivalent; |
| (iv) | waterproof outer gloves with knitted woolen or equivalent inners as well as a waterproof apron where wet or thawing substances are handled; |
| (vi) | waterproof industrial boots or equivalent; |
Provided that an employee who works in a low-temperature area in which the temperature is not lower than - 18°C for periods not exceeding five minutes in every hour need only be provided with an ordinary overall, gloves shoes, or equivalent;
| (c) | the employee is, beforehand and thereafter, at intervals not exceeding one year, certified fit to work in such environment by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse according to a protocol prescribed by such practitioner, and such employee is issued with a certificate to that effect; and |
| (d) | all the clothing worn by the employee is dry prior to entering the low-temperature area. |
| (3) | Where hand-held tools which vibrate at a frequency of vibration of less than 1 000 Hz are used at an actual dry-bulb temperature below 6°C, the employer shall provide an employee operating such tools with lined gloves, and ensure that he wears them. |
| (4) | Where the time-weighted average WBGT index, determined over a period of one hour, exceeds 30 in the environment in which an employee works, the employer of such employee shall— |
| (a) | if practicable, take steps to reduce the said index to below 30; or |
| (b) | where it is not practicable to reduce the said index to below 30 and where hard manual labour is performed— |
| (i) | have every such employee beforehand and thereafter, at intervals not exceeding one year, certified fit to work in such environment by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse according to a protocol prescribed by such practitioner, and every such employee shall, if found fit to work in such environment, be issued with a certificate to that effect by such practitioner or nurse; |
| (ii) | ensure that every such employee is acclimatised to such working environment before he is required or permitted to work in such environment; |
| (iii) | inform every such employee of the need to partake of at least 600 millilitres of water every hour; |
| (iv) | train every such employee in the precautions to be taken to avoid heatstroke; and |
| (v) | provide the means whereby every such employee can receive prompt first-aid treatment in the event of heatstroke: |
Provided that, where the question arises as to whether any particular type of work does in fact constitute hard manual labour, the decision of an inspector shall be decisive.
