Assessing Working In Hot Weather On Building Sites

Europe is currently in the grips of a heatwave described as “the most intense heatwave in a decade” but even in a normal summer in the UK working in hot temperatures can be an issue. Simply-Docs has created a new folder of Hot Weather Risk Assessment Forms to assist businesses in carrying out assessments and ongoing monitoring of extreme hot weather hazards in the workplace. These forms are particularly designed for the construction industry and include worked examples covering a range of standard building site tasks. The folder also includes a blank version of a Hot Weather Risk Assessment Form.

It is now more commonplace for the UK to experience periods of hot and extremely hot weather. Therefore it is important for businesses to think about the potential hazards to their employees and other visitors to their site from very hot weather conditions.

Under Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer has a duty of care both to employees and to any others who may be affected by business activities. This includes any professional/trade visitors, contractors carrying out maintenance or repair work and the general public. Therefore, prior to periods of hot weather it is important to review potential weather related hazards, and complete the relevant Hot Weather Risk Assessments. Once these have been done, if extreme weather is forecast, the employer is in a position to implement appropriate action plans in order to keep working areas safe, thereby reducing the chances that staff and visitors will be exposed to hot weather related hazards.

These templates can help to provide evidence that steps have been taken to prevent a breach of legislation, and to prevent accidents resulting from negligence in relation to severe weather hazards.