Hot Weather Advice

Introduction

With rising temperatures posing increased risks for construction workers, it is crucial to implement measures to safeguard their health. This guidance offers actionable steps to mitigate heat-related dangers on construction sites.

Actions for businesses to take

Morning or team briefings:

• Remind staff about the risks of heat and sun exposure
• Educate them on the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke

Scheduling and job planning:

• Perform tasks with the greatest sun exposure during cooler parts of the day
• Reorganise or delay jobs to times when temperatures are lower
• Rotate staff when possible

Protective Measures:

• Encourage staff to wear hats and keep skin covered
• Allow removal of PPE during breaks without compromising safety during work
• Provide and encourage the use of high-factor (30+SPF) sunblock on exposed skin
• Assess sunglasses or eye protection used outside to ensure 100% UV protection/filtering

Hydration and breaks:

• Ensure access to water and encourage regular intake
• Provide additional breaks and shaded rest areas

Indoor Facilities:

• Ensure proper ventilation or air conditioning
• Use curtains, blinds, or shading to protect from direct sunlight

Risk profiles

Everyone is at risk, but certain individuals are more susceptible, including those with:

• Fair or freckled skin that doesn’t tan, or burns easily.
• Red or fair hair and light-coloured eyes.
• A large number of/exposed moles.
• A family history of skin cancer.
• The suns radiation profile (UV level) is highest between 11am and 3pm.
• Air temperatures are typically hottest between 2pm and 5pm.
• Consider mitigation measures when PPE leaves skin exposed, eg: covering when hard hats leave necks exposed.

Symptoms to watch for

Workers should be aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Immediate medical advice should be sought if the following symptoms are present:

• Unresponsiveness to cooling treatments within 30 minutes.
• Severe symptoms such as loss of consciousness, confusion, or seizures.

Emergency Response:

• Call 999 if a worker does not respond to cooling treatments or shows severe symptoms.
• If unconscious, place them in the recovery position until help arrives.
• Move objects away if they have a seizure to prevent injury.

Dehydration symptoms:

• Feeling thirsty
• Headache and feeling light-headed
• Dark yellow, strong-smelling pee
• Peeing less often than usual
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Feeling tired
• Dry mouth, lips and tongue
• Sunken eyes

Advice for Heat Exhaustion Symptoms (from UK Gov)

If someone shows signs of heat-related illness:

Cooling Down:

• Get them to lie down in a cool place (air-conditioned room or shaded area)
• Remove unnecessary clothing
• Cool their skin with cool water using a sponge, flannel, spray, or cold packs
• Fan their skin while it’s moist for better evaporation and cooling

Hydration:

• Encourage them to drink fluids like water, lower fat milk, or rehydration treatments
• Avoid giving aspirin or paracetamol

Monitoring:

• Stay with the person until they recover, which should be within 30 minutes

Potential mitigation solutions

• Mobile air-conditioning for interior works
• Opening windows/doors when working inside
• Shading for working areas with long sun exposure
• Hydration checks (e.g: whether drinking bottles are empty)
• Provision of lightweight UV protective clothing
• Relaxed dress code but not outside HSE safety requirements
• Multiple water stations
• Where possible, reducing heat increasing machinery, eg: using LED light bulbs.

Met Office

You can find information about UV levels at the Met Office website, alongside why controlling UV exposure is so important.

Mapped UV levels can be viewed at Meteored UK.