Building industry call to cool it on heat rule
A CAIRNS building boss fears proposed “minimum conditions” forcing construction workers to down tools when the mercury hits 28C would cripple the industry in a city used to tropical heat.
The new regulations, including the stop of work when humidity reaches 75 per cent, would mean workers in the tropics could spend three quarters of the year off the job.
The $176 million Cairns Convention Centre upgrade is expected to provide a trial of the new workplace regulations ahead of a wider roll out.
MiHaven construction director James Mort said it was not workable in the Far North.
“If you look at the climate of Cairns there’s only three months of the year where the maximum is under 28C,” he said. “In Cairns the building industry has been in complete decline and distress for a number of years … and this would just kill it off.
“Any impost such as this on the industry would completely kill it.”
A Master Builders Queensland spokeswoman said the industry was well versed in dealing with job site heat and already had heat-management strategies in place.
“Builders have followed a risk-based approach for a long time, with many actions taken prior to workers simply downing tools,” she said.
“Workers can be reassigned to different tasks, rescheduled to do certain work during cooler periods, as well as ensuring workers have access to cold water and ice.”
Mr Mort said the MiHaven workforce of 40 tradesmen would be decimated if forced to comply with the regulations.
“It would decimate the working team, it would decimate the office team and it potentially has the effect of putting a great percentage of our workforce out of work,” he said.
Lecturer and exercise and sports scientist Joshua Guy said after acclimatisation it was possible for tradespeople to work safely in the high 20s.
“Provided there are the proper precautions have adequate clothing, they are taking in the right nutrition, they are well hydrated and taking breaks, I don’t imagine it being a high stress environment,” he said.
Master Builders Queensland understood the government’s guidelines only apply to south east Queensland.
“So the Cairns Convention Centre project shouldn’t be impacted,” she said.