Working in heat

WorkSafe ACT was notified recently of an incident where a worker suffered severe heatstroke on a commercial construction site after collapsing in a site shed. The worker was taken to a hospital for treatment and observation. This incident serves as a reminder that working in heat can be dangerous and needs to be managed like any other hazard.

The human body needs to maintain a body temperature of approximately 37 degrees Celsius. If the body must work too hard to keep cool or starts to overheat, a worker can suffer from a heat-related illness.

As the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) you should be managing risks using the following steps:

  • identifying hazards—find out what could go wrong and what could cause harm.
  • assessing risks—understand the harm each hazard could cause; how serious the harm could be and the likelihood of it happening.
  • controlling risks—implement the most effective control measures that are reasonably practicable in the circumstances.
  • reviewing controls—measures to ensure they are working as planned.

Identify the hazard

Heat is a hazard in many workplaces, whether work is performed indoor or outside. When identifying if it is a hazard in your workplace you should consider:

  • air temperature
  • air flow
  • humidity
  • radiant heat sources
  • work requirements
  • the workers,

You should talk to your workers as their insight and experience will help you make informed decisions about how the work should be carried out safely.

Assess the risk

To assess any risk, you should consider:

  • what is the impact of the hazard, and
  • how likely is the hazard to cause harm.

For heat risks this can involve considering a range of factors such as:

  • Location of work
    • Are there heat sources?
    • Are workers in confined spaces?
    • Is there high humidity?
  • The type of work
    • Is it physical?
    • Are there long hours?
  • Clothing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
    • Do uniforms or PPE impair sweat evaporation?
  • The individual worker
    • Are workers acclimatised to conditions?
    • Are they physically fit?
    • Are they experienced?

Control the risk

You must aim to eliminate risks to associated with working in heat. Where that is not possible you must minimise it so far is reasonably practicable. You should work through hierarchy of controls when managing risks.

  • Eliminate - automated equipment or processes to access hot locations.
  • Isolate - separate workers from hot machinery.
  • Substitute - use a crane or forklift to lift heavy objects
  • Engineering controls – Shade tents or air conditioners
  • administrative controls – Schedule more physically demanding work for cooler parts of the day
  • personal protective equipment – hats, sunscreen, loose fitting lightweight clothing.

Review the control measure

Finally, you must review the control measures to ensure they are working as planned and do not introduce any new risks. Controls should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are effective. You should not wait until something goes wrong,

There are situations where a review is required:

  • when the control measure is not effective in controlling the risk
  • before a change at the workplace that is likely to give rise to a new or different health and safety risk that the control measure may not effectively control
  • if a new hazard or risk is identified
  • if the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary, or
  • if a health and safety representative requests a review

When reviewing controls consultation with workers can help determine if control measures are effective.

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