Keeping that sunny feeling
Melanie Burgess reveals the dangers of working in the summer sun and how to ensure you keep your cool
Outdoor jobs in the fresh air and sunshine come with many perks – but in summer, those workers must be prepared for the heat.
OUTDOOR jobs in the fresh air and sunshine come with many perks – but in summer, those workers must be prepared for the heat.
New tradespeople and labourers, in particular, may be surprised just how hot it can get working outside and how heat stress can sneak up on them.
Work safety experts say symptoms of heat stress include feeling dizzy, weak, clumsy or disoriented. If a worker feels unwell they should rest in a cool area and drink cool fluids and, if they do not recover quickly, seek prompt medical attention.
Factors that contribute to heat-related stress include dehydration through a poor diet, vomiting or excessive caffeine consumption, existing medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, certain medications, increasing age, poor physical fitness, being overweight, and new or young workers who may underestimate risks and not yet be acclimatised.
Work Zone Traffic Control managing director Andrew White says his team does not stop work for the heat but they may start earlier, take more breaks and finish earlier.
“We need to be on or near the road to perform our job (and) we are well aware that whatever the temperature of the general environment is, it is significantly hotter standing on the road surface,” he says.
“We perform traffic control for emergency situations too – powerline faults, water leaks, gas leaks, car accidents.
“That means whatever the weather, we have to get out in it to keep workers and the public safe.”
The 2016 Skin Health Australia Report Card by Skin & Cancer Foundation finds 65 per cent of workers are not provided with clothing to protect them from the sun.
But White says Work Zone is among the companies which take safety seriously.
Workers are given hard hats with broad brims, long-sleeve hi-vis shirts, long pants, safety boots, sunglasses and sunscreen.
If anyone begins to feel the effects of heat stress, the company responds.
“All they have to do is call in and we will manage the situation – swap them out, provide extra water or a break in the shade,” White says.
“You can have all the compliance and checklists you like but it is the knowledge and decision of the individual worker that ensures the safety of themselves and their workmates (and that) is part of our safety culture.”
Natasha Weller had never worked outdoors before beginning as a traffic controller 12 months ago. She says the summer heat was quite a shock.
“The traffic controllers at Work Zone gave me plenty of advice and always made sure I carried plenty of water and wore sunscreen,” she says.
“It was good how they took the time to prepare me as much as possible.”
Despite the heat, she likes her job because she enjoys being outdoors. Weller says she gets to see many different places and work in different locations.
“We also get to see how things work – like changing a stobie pole or tapping into a water main. Keeping everyone safe is rewarding.”