It’s officially summer; that means beers in the garden, weekends outdoors and… a whole new load of ‘working outdoors in the heat’ conditions to contend with. 

Now that summer has officially arrived, it’s important to get a tight grasp on the conditions that outdoor workers need to adapt to.

Because working outdoors in the heat – especially in an labour intensive industry like scaffolding – is no walk in the park. It’s energy draining, difficult and can even be dangerous. So you’d better make sure your team is well prepared.

Construction work in hot weather.

Sure – working on a glorious, sunny day is a lot more fun than dragging your tools through the wind and rain. But that isn’t to say there aren’t some serious scaffolding hazards to protect yourself from.

Essentially, your role as a business owner is to educate your staff on these hazards and create a work setup that allows them to avoid any risks as much as possible.

And the good news? It doesn’t have to be difficult.

1 – Think about switching up the work schedule.

Is there any way you can flip the work schedule to avoid the temperature peaks throughout the day? 

This could include starting earlier, pausing during the hotter periods, and then working later. You may also choose to bolt on extra hours to a cooler day to compensate for any time taken out of a scorcher.

The key is flexibility: if you have a regimented mentality for your daily schedule, chances are you’re going to put your staff at the risk of a dangerous amount of sun exposure.

2 – Have more breaks.

It won’t come as breaking news that raging heat zaps our energy. Even with all the water in the world, your staff are going to lose their energy far quicker in the heat – this can lead to accidents and mistakes.

Avoid the risk entirely by adding in more breaks throughout the day, and getting your workers to take them either in a shaded spot or indoors.

3 – Take your environment into account.

As scaffolders, we will often be working around glass, water, concrete and sand: all of which reflect heat and UV rays. This intensifies the exposure that your workers might face, meaning an even higher chance of sunburn or sunstroke.

Although you cannot get rid of these materials, you can be aware of them. In areas that appear more high risk, ensure there is a steady supply of drinking water and sun cream. You should also encourage these workers to take even more breaks.

4 – Get them in the right PPE – and don’t take no for an answer.

While PPE can increase the capacity for overheating, there are lightweight options that can protect your workers from several scaffolding hazards.

Breathable gloves can stop slipping accidents (from sweaty hands!) while eye and face protection can be a saving grace for those battling the poorer air quality.

When is it too hot to work outside?

While there are many tools and systems you can implement to best protect your workers from the heat, you will also need to use your common sense.

There is no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures – for maximum temperatures, a generally acknowledged guide is 27 degrees. Since this is not a legal requirement, it means you will need to take into consideration each unique circumstance and whether the risk level for your employees is too high.

Under Health and Safety regulations, every employer owes their staff a duty of care: this includes the temperature that they are asking employees to work in. Be sure to always put their safety first.

Skill Scaffolding is dedicated to making every site and every project as risk and hazard-free as possible. It’s our mission. To find out more, contact a member of the Skill Scaffolding team.