When temperatures rise, people can find it harder to concentrate, may feel more fatigued, or may even faint. All of these are symptoms of heat stress - where working in hot temperatures causes heat stroke, heat exhaustion and/or dehydration. Typically places like bakeries, foundries and laundrettes need to counteract this condition year round, however in the summer when temperatures soar, even office workers can be susceptible to heat related issues.
As part of your normal risk assessment, you can add in considerations for heat. The major factors that should be considered are:
- Work rate - the more physical the job, the more body heat will be generated.
- Working climate - consider the air temperature, humidity, air movement and the effects of working near a heat source.
- Employee Clothing and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) - while an important part of a job role, these can impair the efficiency of sweating and other means of natural temperature regulation. There are other factors too such as age, build and medical factors that can impact an individual’s tolerance for heat.
How can you reduce the risks?
Whether looking for a year round solution, or just something to help when summer temperatures soar, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk for your employees.
- Prevent Dehydration - provide regular breaks for workers to rehydrate.
- Control the Temperature - invest in air conditioning, or shaded rest areas for outside workers.
- Provide Equipment - fans, sun protection and water coolers can all be provided to help reduce the effect of heat on employees.
- Provide PPE - lightweight PPE, safety sunglasses, or switching to high cotton fabrics for a more breathable uniform.
- Schedule Work - when physical activity must be completed in the sun, consider scheduling tasks for times when the heat will be reduced.
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When working in uncomfortably hot environments, people may experience an inability to think clearly, which may lead to increased accidents in the workplace. Keep internal working environments as comfortable as possible through the use of air conditioners or electric fans and air coolers. Whether you provide a desk fan per person, or a pedestal fan for small group of workers, ensure you check in with the workers on the effectiveness of the solution.
Workwear
Where possible, clothing should be made from close-woven fabric or specially designed for wearing in hotter environments. When temperatures rise above normal, companies should consider amending any dress code policies to allow for more weather appropriate items - such as shorts.
Sun Protection and Eye Protection
Ensure your outdoor workers protect their skin from the damage of Ultra Violet (UV) rays. Skin damage can have serious and lasting effects, but can easily be avoided with very little cost and effort. For those who need the added protection of safety glasses, there is now the option of tinted safety sunglasses which provide protection from both debris and UV.
First Aid Kits for Outdoor Use
The BSI regulations for first aid kits have recently been upgraded to specify more clearly what should be included. Whether you are looking for a general first aid bag or a more use-specific kit such as football first aid kits, you can relax knowing that all our kits meet these new guidelines.
Event signs and Construction signs
Ensure your onsite safety procedures are followed, regardless of the temperature with easy to read, customisable safety and construction signs from Seton. Upgrade your signs with a Duraguard protective coating to protect them from UV rays and prevent fading. A variety of materials available including plastic signs, magnetic signs and recyclable signs.
Outdoor barriers
Keep your work areas safe with temporary fencing, perfect for crowd control or simply marking areas of work. Make use of the summer sun, and refresh your car park with our helpful car park line marking kits - everything you need for a pristine car park.
Smoking and cycle shelters and bike racks
Ensure your employees have a place out of the sun (and rain!) to smoke by proving a smoking shelter. You may also find that there is an increase in people wanting to cycle into the office when the weather is nice, so providing a bike shed can solve the issue of storage.