Cool and comfortable
Employers are being urged to keep workers safe as summer temperatures soar to record levels. The UK is experiencing its second heatwave of the year and it’s thought more than 2,700 people in the country may have died in May and June from heat-related causes. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has highlighted the importance of assessing the risk to workers and putting control measures in place to protect them.
To keep workspaces more comfortable, it recommends using fans, air conditioning and window shades that block out the sun. Workstations can be moved away from direct sunlight and insulation around hot machinery and pipes can also help lower temperatures. Working patterns should also be considered, with flexible arrangements allowed to make the most of cooler spaces and times of day. Adequate breaks and relaxed dress codes can also make workers more comfortable.
PPE can add to workers’ discomfort in hot weather and the HSE advise removing it as soon as it’s not needed any more. Other tips include allowing slower work rates and longer recovery times, as well as switching staff more frequently.
Hot weather can have a particularly serious effect on people who work outdoors, where it’s much harder to control the temperature. Shaded areas and free access to cool drinking water are essential and it’s also important that workers can recognise the early symptoms of heat stress. The HSE said: “When working outdoors, the weather can have a serious impact on worker’s health if the risks have not been properly managed. This impact may be immediate or occur over a longer time, leading to conditions like skin cancer.
“The weather can also affect a worker’s ability to keep safe, for example when handling machinery. There are simple actions you can take to protect people working outdoors.”
