Portable Heater Approval Form

Portable heaters (aka space heaters) can be a useful way to supplement permanently installed heating systems or warm an outdoor workplace. But there are also risks. Portable heaters can lead to fires, explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards—not to mention OHS penalties—especially if workers use them without your knowledge or consent. Best Practice: Ban workers from using any portable heater that you don’t either provide or specifically approve. Establish a mechanism for workers to seek approval as well as a form for evaluating and approving or denying requests on the basis of consistent and appropriate criteria. Here’s a template form you can adapt for your own use.