It is that time of year again… these heaters can become a serious hazard in the workplace. And each year I get emails asking for help in controlling their use. And as you know, I love to use safety standards that may not be legally applicable but provide excellent guidance to improve safety. For those of you working for a management team that always plays the OSHA card, I offer you this OSHA Standard from one of my favorite state OSHA plans. We usually rely on our property conservation insurance provider for help; however, this OSHA state plan has a standard on these “Temporary Heating Devices,” even specifically on “Salamander Heaters”. The standard makes for a GREAT baseline written program and the start of a training program. The standard covers: Ventilation needs, Clearance Distances, Stability, Oil-Fired Heaters, and Salamander Heaters.
The Salamander Heaters section covers General Requirements, Operation, Ventilation, and Fueling specific to this type of heater.
