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Temperature Conditions - Legislation

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What does the legislation state about temperature conditions at work?

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In some cases, legislation provides a range of acceptable temperatures for specific circumstances. In other cases, occupational health and safety jurisdictions use the Threshold Limit Values® for heat stress or cold stress as published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Some Canadian jurisdictions have adopted these TLVs as occupational exposure limits and others use them as guidelines.


What does the legislation require?

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A summary of legislation concerning temperature is provided below. This list does not cite the exact text of each section. In all cases, consult with your jurisdiction to confirm what legislation applies in your situation, and that the most current legislation is applied.  Where temperature is not specifically regulated, employers must follow good practices to ensure a safe workplace.  Each occupational health and safety jurisdiction in Canada includes a “general duty clause” in its legislation. This clause places a duty on the employer to ensure that the health and safety of the employees are protected while they are working.

A list of contact information for all Canadian occupational health and safety jurisdictions is available.

Table 1
Canadian health and safety regulations with respect to thermal conditions in the workplace
JurisdictionRegulationTemperature
(This list does not cite the exact text of each section
Canada, FederalCanada Occupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 9.9: personal service room and food preparation area: 18°C minimum/29°C maximum 
NOTE:  personal service room means a change room, toilet room, shower room, lunch room, living space, sleeping quarters or a combination thereof
Section 14.9(2): motorized materials handling equipment, operators' compartment: 26°C maximum
Section 16.10(2)(b) First aid room: 21°C to 24°C
National Joint Council (Public Service Canada)Occupational Health and Safety DirectiveSection 2.2 Environmental Conditions: Ideal range between 20-26°C. Temperatures between 17°C and 20°C and above 26°C can be uncomfortable, and occupancy in each of those extremes should not exceed 3 hours daily or 60 hours annually.
Humidex 40°C maximum (as measured at workstation)
British ColumbiaOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsHeat: Sections 7.27 to 7.32: current ACGIH TLVs®
Cold: Sections 7.33 to 7.38: current ACGIH TLVs®
AlbertaGuidelines 
SaskatchewanOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 6-7: Thermal conditions: Provide and maintain measures to protect workers, and offer reasonable thermal comfort to workers
ManitobaWorkplace Safety and Health RegulationSection 4.12: Thermal Stress: current ACGIH TLVs® for heat and cold exposure
Section 4.13: Thermal Conditions – indoor workplaces: appropriate to work being done
Ontario

 

Guidelines

The Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development fact sheet on heat stress refers to the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for Heat Stress and Heat Strain published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). These values are based on preventing workers’ core body temperatures from rising above 38°C.
Construction Projects RegulationsSection 260(3)(d): Change room for underground workers, 27°C minimum
Section 357(7): Medical locks, minimum of 18°C
Section 380 (2): Air lock used for people, maximum of 27 °C. Also see Section 384: No work at temperatures greater than 27°C  and when the temperature at the entrance to the service shaft is above ground, nor, 38 °C maximum
Industrial Establishment
Regulations
Section 129. Enclosed workplace, minimum of 18°C.
QuebecRegulation respecting occupational health and safetySections 116 to 120: Heating Environment – Appropriate temperature considering the work being done. Section 118: Lunch rooms - minimum temperature of 20 °C (but does not apply to facilities used as offices)
Sections 121 to 124: Heat Stress
Schedule IV: Standards of Temperature in Establishments. Minimum depends on work being done (e.g., heavy work 12°C; light work 20°C)
Schedule V: Evaluation of Heat Stress – Outlines work/rest schedule and Wet Bulb-Globe Temperature (WBGT) equations.
Section 154: Change rooms minimum - temperature of 20 °C
New BrunswickGeneral RegulationsSection 21: In an enclosed place of employment, minimum depends on work being done (e.g., heavy work 12°C; light work 20°C)
Section 22: Extremes of Temperature: 2016ACGIH TLVs® for heat and cold exposure
Nova ScotiaWorkplace Health and Safety RegulationSection 2.1 and 2.3: current ACGIH TLVs® for heat and cold exposure (physical agents)
Prince Edward IslandGeneral RegulationsSection 11.10 and 11.11: In an enclosed place of employment, the minimum depends on work being done (e.g., heavy work 12°C; light work 20°C). Exceptions apply.
Section 11.9: relative humidity in an office environment must be minimum of 30%
Section 42.1: Extremes of temperature - current ACGIH TLVs® for heat and cold exposure
Newfoundland and LabradorOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 44: Reasonable and consistent with the nature and degree of work performed, as established by current ACGIH TLVs®
Section 566: Refuge station to be at minimum 10°C
Northwest TerritoriesOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 74: Thermal conditions. Appropriate to nature of the work, effective protection of worker health and safety, and reasonable thermal comfort
Mine Health and Safety RegulationsSections 9.57 to 9.62: Program required when thermal conditions and nature of work can cause distress. 1994-1995 ACGIH TLVs®.
NunavutOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 74: Thermal conditions. Appropriate to nature of the work, effective protection of worker health and safety, and reasonable thermal comfort
Mine Health and Safety RegulationsSections 9.57 to 9.62: Program required when thermal conditions and nature of work can cause distress. 1994-1995 ACGIH TLVs®.
Yukon TerritoryOccupational Health and Safety RegulationsSection 5.75: Conditions specific to tower cranes
Occupational Health RegulationsSection 9: Thermal environment. Reasonable and appropriate to the work performed.
Section 12: Heat Stress

Where can I find more information?

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Please see the following OSH Answers documents:


  • Fact sheet last revised: 2023-08-16