UnITE buildingWORKER at large
n By Keith Hatch Too hot to handle When the heat’s extreme, it’s time to stop
This summer saw the mercury regularly rising over 30 degrees as climate breakdown continues to ramp up, and heatwaves become commonplace.
With the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing heat health alerts across the country, Unite is warning workers to take care and talk to their union reps if employers do not put in place measures to protect them from the worst of the heat.
Outdoor workers in construction are at particular risk and Unite has long been calling on the government to introduce a maximum working temperature, encouraging reps to monitor temperatures at their workplaces.
Unite national health and safety adviser Rob Miguel said, “Unite is pressing for a maximum temperature for safe working of 27 degrees Celsius for strenuous jobs and 30 degrees Celsius for sedentary jobs.”
Unite is also encouraging reps to use workplace temperatures as a way to organise for a safer, cooler workplace.
Unite’s advice for health and safety reps includes
• For manual workers outside or in confined conditions, who are at particular risk and are vulnerable to heat exhaustion, employers should consider rescheduling work at cooler times of the day
• They should also provide cooling areas such as shade or air-conditioned rest rooms;
• Where workers are operating in direct sunlight, employers should attempt to place a cover over the work area;
• Halt work altogether under extreme conditions.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said, “Our findings show that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions.”
Many countries in Europe have started to introduce laws to protect workers if temperatures reach certain levels.
Unite’s Tam Glavin has seen first-hand how heat can stop the job on construction sites. Tam was part of a recent BWI delegation to Austria to look at social housing projects.
He explained, “As part of the visit we planned to visit a new social housing project being in Vienna.
“But the law in Austria is that if temperatures rise above 32.5 degrees work has to stop. The temperature that day was around 33 to 34 degrees, so the site was totally shut down for the safety of workers.”
Tam added that in Austria firms pay into a fund and can claim compensation for delays caused by extreme heat.
• See pages 24 and 25
FIND OUT MORE
Unite’s “Temperature at Work” health and safety guidance for workplace reps is available at
http://bit.ly/458uaaK
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